almost invariably small in barbarous and savage tribes. The European skull belongs to the Caucasian variety of Blumenbach, which he considers as the most beautiful and perfect of all the national crania in the world; and in this point be and the phrenologists agree. The cut represents a Swiss skull, which is not large, but very favourably developed in the region of the moral sentiments. If the space above the asterisks, Cautiousness and Causality, be compared with the same region in the New Zealander or New Hollander, a very marked inferiority in the latter will be

observed.

The ANCIENT EGYPTIANS appear, from the stupendous monuments of art and science left behind them, to have been a highly intelligent and civilized people; and it is a striking fact, that the skulls of ancient mummies are found almost invariably to belong to the same class as those of modern Europeans. In the Society's collection, there are two skulls of mummies, five casts of the skulls of mummies, and I have seen or obtained accurate descriptions of the skulls of half a dozen more; -full size, large development before the ear, and broad coronal region, characterize them all; indicating the elements of a superior character.

The Society possesses also several skulls of ANCIENT GREEKS. They are large, and exhibit a favourable development of the coronal region and intellect, combined with large organs of the propensities. In particular, the organs of Constructiveness and Ideality are large, and in this respect, they form as striking a contrast to the skulls of the New

Hollanders, as the hovels of the latter do to the temples and works of art of the Greeks.

These facts appear to indicate, that when a nation is independent, and left at liberty to follow the bent of their own judgment and dispositions, their institutions spring from the peculiar mental constitution which they have re

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ceived from nature and that this constitution is in exact

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development of their brains. Climate

and other external causes

circumstances,

modify to some extent the effects of

natural endowment, but the distinguishing features of each the size and form of their brain, than to those adventitious we seem to bear a more direct and uniform relation to Austrians, the national character has no adequate opportupower, as the Greeks by the Turks, and the Italians by the nity of unfolding its peculiarities; and hence, if this circum

stance

Where a people is subjugated by a foreign

is overlooked, the same race may seem to present

different characteristics at different periods of their history. The modern Greeks, it was lately said, no more resemble their ancestors than the Hindoos the Europeans; and this as an insuperable objection against Phrenology. was urged Now, however, when the Turkish yoke is loosened so as to allow the native qualities to shoot, we see the same force of character, the same deliberate and determined heroism, the same capacity for stratagem in war, with all the fickleness and proneness to dissension, the same ascendency of passion which distinguished the Greeks in the days of Pericles, reappearing in their descendants. Many millions of Hindoos, Africans, and American Indians, have been for ages independent of a foreign yoke, and never displayed qualities such as those exhibited by independent Europeans.

The effects of temperament are distinguishable in national skulls. The grain of the New Holland skulls is extremely rough and coarse; that of the Hindoos, fine, smooth, and compact, more closely resembling ivory; the Swiss skulls are open and soft in the grain, while the Greek are closer and finer. There would be a corresponding quality of brain in the individuals, which would influence the mental character.

The Phrenological Society have more specimens of national skulls than are here noticed. They afford interesting materials for philosophical reflection, but the great length to which this work has extended, compels me to omit the notice of them.

are therefore indications merely of the length of the particular lines stated in the different skulls; from which a rough estimate of the relative dimensions of the skulls may be formed. A scientific mode of measurement is much wanted. These measurements are taken from individual skulls, and cannot be given as an exact statement of the average of the different national crania. They are, however, an approximation to truth, and are sufficient to shew the interest of the investigation. The collection is still too limited to enable us to draw average results. The Negro skull is a very favourable specimen, and the Swiss is perhaps under the average.

The real characters of foreign nations will never be philosophically delineated, until travellers shall describe their temperaments, and the size and combinations of their brains. BLUMENBACH'S extensive work on National Crania is destitute of moral interest, owing to his omission of all notice of the characters of the nations whose heads he represents. Donations of national skulls are highly esteemed by the Phrenological Society.

OBJECTIONS TO PHRENOLOGY CONSIDERED.

Having now considered the elements of Phrenology, I shall notice briefly some objections which have been urged against it. These shall be given, as nearly as possible, in the words of actual opponents, and an answer shall be subjoined.

Objection. The idea of ascribing different faculties to different parts of the brain is not new. Many authors did so before Dr GALL; but their systems have fallen into disrepute, which proves that the doctrine is not true.

Answer.-Dr GALL himself has called the attention of philosophers to the fact, that the idea alluded to is very ancient; he has given a history of previous opinions concern

ing the functions of the brain; and shewn, that different functions have been attributed to different parts of it for centuries past, while he has assigned reasons for these ideas falling into oblivion. Dr SPURZHEIM in his works does the same; and, in the Phrenological Journal, No. VII. Art. 8, "An Historical Notice of early Opinions concerning the brain" is given, accompanied with a plate of the head, shewing it marked out into different organs in 1562, it is copied on p. 22 of this work. The difference, however, between the mode of proceeding of prior authors and that of Dr GALL, is so great, that different results are accounted for. Former speculators assigned to certain mental faculties local situations in the brain, on account of the suppos ed aptitude of the place to the faculty. Common sense, for example, was placed in the forehead, because it was near the eyes and nose; while memory was lodged in the cerebellum, because it lay like a store-house behind, to receive and accommodate all kinds of knowledge, till required to be brought forth for use. This was not philosophy. It was the human imagination constructing man, instead of the intellect observing how the Creator had constituted him. Dr GALL acted on different principles. He did not assume any mental faculties, and neither did he assign them habitations in the brain according to his own fancy. On the contrary, he observed, first, the manifestations of mental talents and dispositions; and, secondly, The form of brain which accompanied each of these when strong and weak. He simply reported what Nature had done. There is the same difference between his method of proceeding and that of prior authors, as between that of DES CARTES and NEWTON; and hence it is equally intelligible, why he should be successful in discovering truth, while they invented only ingenious errors.

Objection. It is ridiculous to suppose that the mind has thirty-five faculties; why not fifty-five? or an hundred and