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ARTICLE VI.

THE EDINBURGH PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

There is, perhaps, no one agent or work which has effected so much for the advancement of Phrenology, as the one heading this article. It was the first regular periodical started which was devoted to the interests of this science, and is very appropriately called, in distinction from all others, THE Phrenological Journal. As there are some facts connected with the history and agency of this publication, which are identified with the interests of Phrenology, and in which every true believer in the science cannot but feel deeply interested, we propose to give a brief notice of the origin, history and character of the above Journal.

In the year 1815 a most violent attack was made on Phrenology in the Edinburgh Review, by Dr. Gordon. This induced Dr. Spurzheim to visit that city the following year, whose labors resulted in making quite a number of converts to his doctrines in Edinburgh. As the science was most bitterly opposed, they were led to examine its claims more thoroughly and labor more zealously for its support. In the years 1817 and '18, Mr. Geo. Combe contributed a series of articles in its defence to the "Literary end Statistical Magazine for Scotland." These essays were collected and published in the year 1819, in a distinct volume, which afterwards called out the celebrated attack of Lord Jeffrey. About the same time, Sir Geo. Mackenzie published an excellent little work, titled "Observations on Phrenology, as affording a systematic view of Human Nature." In 1820, the Edinburgh Phrenological Society was formed, and within about two years from that time, published a large volume containing the transactions of the Society. In the fall of 1823, the first number of the Phrenological Journal was issued. Its proprietors were Mr. William Scott, Mr. James Simpson, Dr. Poole, Dr. A. Combe, and Mr. Geo. Combe. The first number contained over 160 pages and was well filled with able articles. The publication of this number created quite a sensation among the enemies of phrenology, and led to the sale of many copies of the work. The first volume was edited by Dr. Poole, who was then a practicing physician in Edinburgh, but now has the charge of a large Lunatic Hospital. The connection of Dr. Poole as proprietor, as well as editor, of the work, terminated at the close of the first volume. The four next volumes were edited by the proprietors themselves mutually. In the year 1828, Mr. William Scott withdrew from all connection with the work, when it devolved on the

three remaining proprietors to conduct and manage it. which they continued to do till the year 1837. Mr, Robert Cox, however, aided a part of the time in editing it, and has contributed in all more than sixty articles to the work. In 1837, it changed hands, and its publication was tranferred to London. At that time its original proprietors in their address to the public, remarked as follows:

"From the first moment of the undertaking, the proprietors have been actuated solely by the desire to cultivate and extend the knowledge of what they considered to be a science fraught with the most beneficial consequences to the human race; and they have endeavored to accomplish this end in that spirit of moral and intellectual purity and peace which phrenology so strongly inculcates on those who embrace its truths. Wherever they have fallen short of this aim, as in many instances they have done, it has been from the imperfection of their own faculties, and the unfavorable circumstances in which they were placed. From the beginning all the proprietors have been actively engaged in professional pursuits, and could boast neither of pecuniary independence nor of literary leisure. The conducting of the Journal, therefore, was the work of those hours which professional men generally devote to pleasure and recreation. Far from being cheered in their labors by the hopes of gratifying their ambition, they were warned by their friends that they were laying a sure foundation for their individual ruin, by opposing public opinion with such marked determination. They were spurned as weak and mischievous enthusiasts by the men who then took the lead in literature and science; some of whom, nevertheless, rather inconsistently put forth their most powerful efforts to extinguish them by argument and ridicule, and where these failed, by misrepresentation. Amidst these difficulties, they were not sustained by the approbation even of any considerable body of followers animated by principles congenial to their

The views of human nature brought to light by phrenology were so new and unexpected, that few even of the most enlightened minds were prepared to embrace them. Their consequences were obviously important, but they were shrouded in so much obscurity that the public shrunk back from investigating them. The conductors of the Journal, therefore, labored amidst obstacles and discouragements of the most formidable description, and for many years the circulation of their work was so limited that they had the painful certainty of having but few supporters in the world. It was only the consciousness of the purity and dignity of their motives, and an irresistible conviction of the importance of the cause in which they were engaged, that supplied them with confidence and enabled them to persevere. They felt that they were

acting for posterity, and although they knew that they should never personally hear the verdict of an impartial and enlightened community on their labors, they relied on its justice, and, through faith, were cheered with the hope of an ultimate acknowledgment that they had done some service to the cause of human improvement. The real merits or demerits of their work will be appreciated more justly as its consequences are developed by time: but even now, they believe, it will be generally acknowledged that the whole annals of science do not present such a record of the state of public feeling regarding a great discovery at its first promulgation, as is contained in the ten volumes of the Phrenological Journal which they have just completed. Throughout the whole work, the labors of the proprietors and all the contributors have been gratuitous; and it is solely owing to disinterested zeal that the work exists."

We do not believe the annals of history can present another such specimen of zeal and devotion to science-a science which is calculated ultimately more than all others to advance the happiness and best interests of mankind. Such an example is well worthy of being recorded and transmitted to posterity, so that where the present generation fails or neglects to reward true merit, the future will do it ample justice. The series of volumes of the Edinburgh Phrenological Journal already published, amounting now to thirteen volumes, will long remain a noble monument of the disinterested zeal and gratuitous labors of its proprietors and contributors. For the first ten years of its existence, the necessary expenses of the work fell considerably short of its receipts, and for the last eight years, its sales have been only sufficient to defray the expenses of paper and printing, affording no remuneration whatever for editing it or managing its business affairs. Such would have also been the case with the American Phrenological Journal, had not its proprietors contributed liberally for conducting the work.

In 1837 Mr. Hewett C. Watson of London, became sole proprietor and editor of the Phrenological Journal. It was published, however, only three years at London. Mr. Watson, though decidedly an able writer and justly distinguised in other departments of science, did not by some means manage the work satisfactorily to some of its readers. We would here remark that in the present state of things, it is a very difficult matter to conduct such a publication well—that is, to treat the science properly in all its bearings, and at the same time, suit a majority of its advocates. It requires such a combination of natural qualities and acquired attainments as very few persons in the community possess. The number belonging to either of the learned professions in Great Britain or this country, who are competent to write a good essay on the science, is very small. Most of the

articles which have been published in the Edinburgh Phrenological Journal, are the exclusive productions of a few individual minds. The number of good writers on the subject, however, is of late increasing.

In January, 1841, the publication of the Phrenological Journal was transferred back to Edinburgh and placed in the hands of Mr. Robert Cox, who was formerly connected with the work, and who appears to be ardently devoted to the interests of the science. The numbers recently issued, have been well filled with able and interesting articles, and we sincerely hope the work will hereafter receive that encouragement and support which it so richly merits.

MISCELLANY

Adaptation of Religion to the Nature of Man.-Divines very properly tell us that the "chief end of man is to serve and glorify God." Now before man can glorify God to the fullest extent, he must understand correctly his own nature, or the laws which govern his existence in this world. God has placed him here on probation and established certain laws for his discipline and improvement. These laws are the laws of the mind, and constitute an essential part of the moral government or will of God. There must be, therefore, a perfect harmony between these laws and the injunctions and requirements of Revelation. But there is reason to believe that this harmony or adaptation of the one to the other, has hitherto been very imperfectly understood. The Rev. Henry Clarke, of Dundee, Ireland, in his lectures on the teachings of the New Testament, respecting the animal, moral, and intellectual nature of man, has the following excellent remarks on this point. "One thing is certain," says he, "that either the human mind and christianity have never yet been fairly brought into juxtaposition and permitted to act mutually on each other, or the religion of Jesus is wholly unadapted to the great majority of minds. That God should present a moral and religious system to man, quite unsuited to the nature and condition of the mass of those for whom it was designed, is impossible. To cherish the thought would be impiety-a daring insult to Heaven. A Revelation from the Father of All, must be adapted to all-designed for all. Why, then, does it reach the minds of so very small a majority, and influence the hearts of so few even of these? Not surely because of any imbecility and inaptitude of christianity: nor can it be because the mind is unadapted to this religion; for if it were, then the religion would be just as unsuited to the mind. The very partial reception of Christ's holy gospel must be owing to the lamentable fact that the nature of the mind is so imperfectly understood by both the people and their instructors-that how rightly to apply christianity to its moral diseases, the majority know not

It is indeed owned that Christ is a physician, and that his doctrines are medicines to the mind: but it is not generally perceived that each individual is himself to use the sanatives offered; and in order to do so, he must understand what his own mental constitution requires, and what regimen best agrees with his case; but he who is not at all, or but slightly acquainted with his own constitution, cannot know how to use the medicament. To him it is therefore inefficacious-worthless, although it came from Heaven, and is a boon of Heaven's King. Its efficacy and worth are its application and effects. To secure its benefits and blessings, man must know himself. Phrenology offers to give this knowledge. If it can fulfil its promise, then, it must be the friend and helpmate of christianity."

Large Alimentiveness.-Dr. S. G. Morton of this city, has in his collection one of the best specimens of large Alimentiveness that we have ever witnessed. It is found in the skull of one Pierce who was once a convict at New South Wales. It appears that he, with several others, made their escape into the woods, and hunger compelled them to prey upon each other, till only Pierce and another were left. Pierce being the stronger, killed his companion and lived sometime upon his remains. From this time his propensities acquired their full developement, and having joined a part of his fellow prisoners, he frequently persuaded one after another of them to escape with him to the woods, for the sole purpose of killing them and devouring their flesh. He was at last caught, and being asked if he knew where one of his companions was, deliberately pulled an arm out of his pocket and shewed it to the soldiers; whereupon, he was apprehended and executed. Dr. Morton obtained his skull from Calcutta. The skull of Pierce is large and enormously developed in the animal region. It is very broad and lowthere being almost an entire deficiency in the Moral Sentiments. The organs of Destructivenes and Alimentiveness are larger than in any other head we ever examined. A cast of this skull is in Mr. Fowler's cabinet.

Connexion between the Soul and Body.-In a very antiquated work, titled "Intercourse between the soul and body, by Emanuel Swedenborg," which has been placed in our hands by a friend, we find these curious sentiments. Says Swedenborg: "Many people suppose that the perceptions and cogitations of the mind (as being spiritual things) present themselves to us naked and destitute of all organized forms; but this is owing to their ignorance of the formation and offices of the brain with the various intertextures and convolutions in its cineritious and medullary substances. Now, upon the good condition of these parts, depends the soundness of the intellectual operations and the regular determinations of the will in this our natural state, so that man is deemed rational and moral in proportion to the right organization of his mental forms; for the rational sight of man which is his understanding, can no more be said to exist here in this outward world, without organs properly adapted to the reception of spirit and light, than the bodily sight to exist without eyes; and so of the other senses. Let it be observed that the seat of the understanding is in the brain or the forepart of the head, but that of the will is in the cerebellum or hinder part.'