300

thefts accompanied by violence, and manifested much spect for religion. He was asked which he thought the wo action, to ruin a poor labourer by taking his all, or to sta from a church without harming any one? He replied, that was too revolting to rob a church, and that he could nev summon resolution enough to do it.

rance.

Dr Gall was requested to examine particularly the hea of the prisoners implicated in the murder of a Jewess, whi had taken place the preceding year. In the principal mu derer, Marcus Hirsch, he found a head which, besides inc cating very depraved dispositions, presented nothing remar able, except a very great development of the organ of Persev His accomplice, Jeannette Marcus, had an extreme vicious conformation of brain, the organ which leads to the being greatly developed as well as that of Destructivenes He found in the female servants, Benkendorf and Babett great want of circumspection; and in the wife of Marc Hirsch, a form of head altogether insignificant. All this wa found to be in strict accordance with the respective characte of the prisoners, as ascertained by the legal proceedings.

The prisoner Fritze, suspected of having killed his wife and apparently guilty of that crime, although he still stout) denied it, was next shewn to Dr Gall. The latter found th organs of Secretiveness and Firmness highly developed,-qua lities which his interrogator had found him manifest in th very highest degree.

In the tailor Maschke, arrested for counterfeiting the lega coin, and whose genius for the mechanical arts was apparen in the execution of his crime, Gall found, without knowing for what he was confined, the organ of Constructiveness mucl developed, and a head so well organized, that he lamented se veral times the fate of that man. The truth is, that thi Maschke was well known to possess great mechanical skill and at the same time much kindness of heart.

Scarcely had Dr Gall advanced a few steps into anothe prison, when he perceived the organ of Constructivenes

equally developed in a man named Troppe, a shoemaker,
who, without any teaching, applied himself to the making of
watches and other objects, by which he now lives. In ex-
amining him more nearly, Gall found also the organ of Imi-
tation, generally remarkable in comedians, considerably de-
veloped;-a just observation, since the crime of Troppe was
that of having extorted a considerable sum of money under
the feigned character of an officer of police. Gall observed to
him, that he must assuredly have been fond of playing tricks
in his youth, which he acknowledged. When Gall said to
those about him, " If that man had fallen in the way of co-
“ medians, he would have become an actor," Troppe, as-
tonished at the exactness and precision with which Gall un-
veiled his dispositions, told them that he had in fact been
some time (six months) a member of a strolling company,
a circumstance which had not till then been discovered.
In the head of the unhappy Heisig, who, in a state of in-
toxication, had stabbed his friend, Gall found a generally
good conformation, with the exception of a very
Cautiousness, or great rashness. He remarked in several
deficient
other prisoners the organs of Language, Colour, and Number,
in perfect accordance with the manifestations; some of the
first spoke several languages; those with large Colour were
fond of shewy clothes, flowers, paintings, &c.; and those with
Number large, calculated easily from memory.

On Saturday, 20th April, the party went to Spandau.
Among those who accompanied Dr Gall were the privy coun-
sellor Hufeland; the counsellor of the chamber of justice, Al
brecht; the privy counsellor Kols; the professor Reich, Dr
Meyer, and some others. Observations were made at the house
of correction upon 270 heads, and at the fortress upon 200.
Most of them were thieves and robbers, who presented more
or less exactly the same form of head of which the prisons of
Berlin had exhibited a model. Including the whole, the pri
sons of Berlin and of Spandau had thus subjected to the ex-
amination of Dr Gall, a total of about five hundred thieves,

tress. Major de eness to cause all presented to Dr 1 Acquisitiveness hey were somethe thief might Raps, in whom cuous, attracted ered at the same d Benevolence. ›ns very remarkhe had robbed, rom compassion, stealing her proert, in whom he y, Constructiveerified in his hisrobberies; had he had escaped; ; underwent sehaving again rewaiting his senanical arts, and asteboard, which e to such talents. ›ed in some; and nd to correspond. the thieves, at: forms of head. ious development not wished to be thdraw from any covered that the

superiors.

oners, had a very

owever, for insub

ordination, and not for theft, that he was confined in the fortress; but on farther research it appeared that he had been punished several times in the regiment for having stolen.

Such is the history of Dr Gall's visits to the prisons of Berlin. The facts narrated will not, says Dr Gall in concluding, astonish the reader who is acquainted with the principles which explain their possibility.

ARTICLE XIV.

DR ELLIOTSON AND PHRENOLOGY.

It has often been urged as an argument against the truth of Phrenology, that no medical man of any reputation or talent is to be found among its supporters. Many names have been given in refutation of this statement, and several more might be added to the number; but there is one gentleman in particular, to which we are at present the more anxious to do full justice, that we have, unintentionally on our parts, been rather tardy in noticing him at all. We allude to Dr Elliotson of London, Physician to St Thomas's Hospital, Lecturer on the Practice of Physic, and President of the London Phrenological Society.

In 1815, Dr Elliotson published a translation of the celebrated Blumenbach's Institutions of Physiology, enriched with copious notes, bringing down the original work to the latest discoveries of the day. In 1820, this translation was at a third edition, and a few months ago it was again reprinted. In the edition of 1820, in several long and able notes on the functions of the nervous system, Dr Elliotson stands boldly forward to assert the truth and importance of the Phrenological doctrines, and loudly claims for them the patient attention and investigation of his brethren. Not having seen the two earlier editions, we know not whether Dr E. has the merit of having espoused the cause of Phrenology at the time

when it seemed by universal consent to be destined to everlasting oblivion so soon as the feverish existence, into which it had been apparently fostered by the ridicule lavished against it, should have ceased; but this we know, that, even in 1820, when the edition we allude to appeared, it required not only a pretty resolute mind, but also a very strong conviction of the moral supremacy and ultimate dominion of truth, to enable any one, who was at all sensible to the estimation and respect of his fellow men, to expose himself to the abuse and contempt, at that time so liberally bestowed upon the science, its founders, and disciples. It is, therefore, highly to Dr Elliotson's credit, that he, whose official situation rendered him a more conspicuous mark, had the magnanimity to disregard the personal consequences to which he was exposing himself in advocating unpalatable but important truths. A short extract will suffice to show how well he had appreciated the doctrines of the new philosophy, and by what steps he was himself led to their serious consideration.

After stating, that " Dr Gall has the immortal honour of having "discovered the particular parts of the brain which are the seats of "the different faculties, sentiments, and propensities," he adds, "much disgraceful invective but no argument has been written "against the doctrine. We are presented with a simple statement, "that strength of certain parts of the mind is accompanied by strong development of certain parts of the brain, and, consequent"ly, of the skull. The truth must be ascertained, not by fancying, quibbling, and abusing, but by observing whether this is the case, "and every one has it in his power to make the necessary observations. "I had heard of a religious bump, a thievish bump, and a murder

ous bump, and was as lavish of my ridicule and contempt of Dr "Gall's doctrine as any one, till I heard Dr Spurzheim's lectures "in the Medico-Chirurgical Society; his modesty, candour, and "sound sense, struck me powerfully; his anatomical facts were de"monstrated; his metaphysics were simple and natural, and the "truth of his craniology was evidently to be ascertained by personal "observation only. I commenced observations; and, so satisfied was I "of its correctness, that, whilst the storm was yet raging violently "against the German physicians, I wrote an anonymous defence "of them in the only review that declared itself their friend. Three years have now elapsed, and my observations have been much ex"tended, but they all confirm Dr Spurzheim's statements. Of the 66 accuracy of his general division of the organs, and of the situation "of many particular ones, I am quite certain. Upon some organs

"I have not yet made sufficient observations, and I have no doubt "that our views of the functions of many organs will be much mo"dified and improved. The wonder is, that so much has been al"ready done, and that by only two individuals. The whole praise "of discovery belongs to Dr Gall; but Dr Spurzheim has made such "advances and improvements as to have almost equal merit. The "science of Craniology is entirely theirs; nearly so, henceforward, "will metaphysics be regarded; and anatomy must acknowledge "them among its greatest benefactors."

Such is Dr Elliotson's testimony in regard to the truth of Phrenology. The method which he adopted of arriving at the truth was in the highest degree philosophical; it was that so strongly recommended by Bacon, so happily pursued by Dr Gall, and so scrupulously adhered to by all who become real converts to Phrenology. In entering upon a new study, or in prosecuting new inquiries, we ought always to begin with verifying and establishing the facts, and leave the consequences to themselves, certain that the Creator has arranged all things in harmony and for the wisest ends. Trusting to this adaptation, Dr Elliotson justly maintains, that if the facts stated are true, all objections on the score of fatalism, &c. are unworthy of attention. This principle we have often urged, and, much to the future benefit of man, it now begins to be admitted and acted upon.

Dr Elliotson offers some very judicious remarks on the uses of Phrenology in educating the young, and in legislating for the criminal, and in improving self. It is a curious and instructive fact, that, while those who, in ignorance, array themselves against the new philosophy, always found their hostility on its supposed dangerous consequences, those, on the other hand, who have made themselves acquainted with its nature, without a single exception, attach to it the highest value on account of the numberless beautiful and beneficial results to which it directly leads, and are delighted with the variety of applications which may be made of it to increase the happiness, by improving the moral and intellectual natures of man. Humility and Benevolence, says Dr E., are two of the feelings which it has the most obvious tendency to