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I fell to the ground, borne down by the superincumbent weight of Daniel Lambert, whom I encountered in one of the convolutions, frisking like an elephant, and only escaped suffocation by awaking from my dream. SOMNIATOR.

ARTICLE VI.

ANSWER to Mr HANCOCK'S Reply to Mr WATSON'S Comments on his Letter on the Functions of Comparison and Wit, in the 48th Number of the Phrenological Journal.

IN No. 48. of the Phrenological Journal, Mr Hancock has given a reply to certain comments made by me upon his "Letter on the Functions of Comparison and Wit." Were I to designate this Reply as an effusion written in a tone neither very elevated nor very philosophical, I might appear to be assuming the office of judge without sufficient freedom from personal bias, and be merely pronouncing an ex parte opinion; but, in saying that the five pages of reply contain twice their own number of errors, in fact or in reasoning, I can be called on for proofs of the assertion. At present I decline to enlarge upon these, in the presumption that neither editors nor readers of the Phrenological Journal could be at all benefited by criticisms upon opinions, the only evidence of whose correctness lies in the thoughts and feelings of the author of the Reply. Mr Hancock seems to promise "a full and fair examination of the grounds of Mr Watson's own opinions with regard to the true functions of those organs." If Mr Hancock will really limit himself to these grounds, and direct inferences from them, such an examination will be gladly received, and may prove useful; but it is necessary to keep steadily in view the reasonable presumption that others do not care a straw what his opinions, or my opinions, may happen to be, in such a question as is now before us. The public can be interested only in the grounds (facts and inferences) on which our respective opinions are built up. These grounds are important, since a correct estimate of the functions of the reflecting organs must hereafter enter largely into systems of logic, and all questions of moral science. I will, therefore, briefly state the course followed in obtaining my own conclusions, and any person desirous of correcting them must do so by adducing contradictory facts, or by shewing the inferences to have been drawn illogically.

By comparing the developments of several authors and private acquaintances with their styles of writing and thinking, I came to the conclusion that Comparison was only a mental process, and ought to be classed with perception, conception, me

mory, imagination, and other terms which appear to express a state of functional activity, not the kind of ideas formed in the cerebral organs. This conclusion was forced upon me by finding that the tendency to compare was not always in proportion to the development of the organ named Comparison, and that the sense of resemblance and difference, like that of memory, was always manifested most strongly in the ideas presumed to be formed by the largest organs. The next step was to ascertain the kind of ideas existing or formed in the organ hitherto called Comparison. On carefully examining the works of authors in whom this organ was predominant, I believed to have detected a peculiar tendency to describe and to compare certain trains of ideas, touching the condition or states of external nature and internal feelings; while the works of others, in whom this organ was moderately developed, were comparatively devoid of such tendency, but were prone to describe and compare other trains of ideas. Hence came the suggestion of this organ taking cognizance of such ideas, and remembering and comparing those ideas, just as Form is said to remember and compare shapes. Although the works of Spurzheim do not give this view, his own ideas about the function of the organ seem to have approximated to it; because, in reply to Mr Combe's epistolary intimation of my conclusions, he wrote, "Comparison compares conditions or states, and conditions or causes. Its essential result is generalisation and discrimination." Mr Hancock says, that my term "conditions" does not convey to his mind any very distinct ideas. The fault may be personal, not verbal, as it appears that Spurzheim distinctly comprehended the ideas that it should excite. I differ from Spurzheim and Mr Scott in still thinking that each organ (or pair of organs) generalises and discriminates its own ideas only. The heads of several persons eminent in the physical sciences evince only a moderate development of Comparison, yet these sciences require generalisation and discrimination to a great extent. Half the science of Botany, and almost the whole of Entomology, turn on discriminations of objects nearly alike, or in uniting them into general groups in accordance with certain resemblances in their physical properties. Why, therefore, is the organ of Comparison not always large in eminent botanists and entomologists, if orgau be necessary to generalisation and discrimination of all kinds of ideas alike? Again, if Comparison "compares conditions or states," what organ perceives and remembers them?

this

A similar course of observation and reasoning was followed in respect to the organ called Wit; but with results very far from satisfactory; and I cordially assent to Mr Combe's remark, that "the facts adduced are much too few for forming a judgment on the question." The utility of putting forth for

VOL. X.-NO. XLVIII.

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public scrutiny, and inviting attention to, results drawn from few facts, is sufficiently obvious. Others are thereby induced to make observations; and whether two, ten, or a hundred observers be aroused, they are much more likely to arrive at truth than a single individual, whose early conclusions must, in some degree, bias his subsequent observations in the matter. In conclusion, I will reiterate my remark as to the necessity of keeping to facts and direct inferences, in inquiries respecting the functions of the organs. Mr Scott's papers, on the functions of Wit and other organs, were excellent as literary or speculative essays; but the fatal error of generalising the descriptions of poets and metaphysicians, instead of comparing manifestation and development, pervades them all. They are bad models for a phrenologist investigating functions, good models for one describing functions already well ascertained. I allude to Mr Scott, because Mr Hancock refers to his papers authoritatively, and falls into the same mistake of being "a moral reasoner," instead of a phrenological observer. Moral reasoning is all very well in its proper place and time; but it should follow observation, in the present state of phrenological science.

HEWETT WATSON.

[We are disposed to think that the controversy between Messrs Hancock and Watson has now proceeded sufficiently far, and that, until time shall have been afforded for putting their views extensively to the test of experience, no valuable end will be served by continuing the discussion.-ED.]

ARTICLE VII.

THOUGHTS ON PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND THE TRUE MODE OF IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF MAN; AND ON THE STUDY OF THE GREEK AND LATIN LANGUAGES. BY CHARLES CALDWELL, M. D., Professor of the Institutes of Medicine and Clinical Practice in Transylvania University. With NOTES by ROBERT Cox, and a RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE by GEORGE Combe. Edinburgh; Adam and Charles Black, and Longman and Co., London. 1836. Pp. 190.

WE return to Dr Caldwell with great pleasure, in whatever shape he comes before us. He is not only one of the chief pillars of Phrenology-decidedly the chief in the New World-but one of the most philosophical, logical, and powerful reasoners of the present age. There are few of their citizens of whom the United States have more reason to be proud. The volume before us is a republication, on this side of the water,

of his admirable work on Physical Education; with a not less excellent treatise annexed to it, entitled " Thoughts on the Study of the Greek and Latin Languages." Mr Robert Cox is the British editor, and he has well performed his task; having introduced into the text select passages from other essays published in a detached form by Dr Caldwell; especially his "Thoughts on the True Mode of Improving the Condition of Man," nearly the whole of which has been transfused into the present work. Mr Cox has also added notes, and succeeded in presenting a volume to the public, calculated most importantly to advance the cause of human improvement. Mr Combe has introduced the edition by some sound" Introductory Remarks."

*

Having formerly given an analysis of the treatise on Physical Education, we shall do no more at present, with respect to that part of the volume, than briefly refer to some matter which was not in the American edition, chiefly Mr Cox's notes. Mr Combe, in his introductory remarks, very properly cautions the reader to keep in view, that Dr Caldwell's work on Education is limited to training the human powers, and does not take up the subject of instructing them, or communicating knowledge. "He regards education," says Mr Combe, " as a scheme of action by which any living being may be improved, and, by perseverance, raised to the highest perfection of which it is susceptible. The organized system of man constitutes the machinery by means of which his mind operates during life. Every one, says he, admits that the legs and arms may be strengthened and rendered more agile by means of judicious exercise; and most persons acknowledge that the external senses also may be improved by similar means. The savage, whose ear is cultivated as the means of his safety, hears sounds that are inaudible to a civilized European. But the effect produced in these instances, results entirely from an improvement in the condition of the organs. The same may be affirmed with equal safety respecting the higher mental operations. In performing these, the mind operates by means of the brain, as certainly as it does by the eye in seeing, and by the muscles in dancing or fencing. When any form of memory, or the power of reasoning, is increased by judicious training, the mind itself is not changed; the improvement, in this as in the preceding cases, is confined to the organs by the aid of which the mind remembers and reasons. Physical education, therefore," he adds, "lies at the foundation of all successful training, both bodily and mental." In substance, the rest of Mr Combe's remarks were anticipated in our former review. He says, the work "forms a valuable addition to a class of writings which have of late ac

Vol. ix. p. 481.

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quired great popularity, both in this country and in America; including such works as that of Dr Brigham on the Influence of Mental Cultivation upon Health, and Dr Combe on Physiology applied to Health and Education, and on Digestion.* I can safely recommend it in the highest terms to public attention."

of the race.

Mr Cox calls particular attention to the important subject of the inheritance by the child of the physical, moral, and intellectual qualities of the parent, very satisfactorily treated of by Dr Caldwell; and says in a note-" The subject here touched upon by Dr Caldwell-the transmission to the child of the qualities predominant in the parents at the time of its production-is one of very great importance, though hitherto almost universally overlooked. Professor Hufeland of Berlin, in his Art of Prolonging Human Life,' insists upon it with earnestness (see English translation, London, 1829, pp. 214, 215); and it is largely illustrated by Mr Combe in the fifth chapter of his work on The Constitution of Man considered in relation to External Objects."" Dr Caldwell condemns marriages under age-of the old with the young-of the diseased and deformed-of the morally diseased-of near relations-and tions and of the indigent,-as all tending to the degeneracy On the topic of cleanliness, Mr Cox adds an excellent note to Dr Caldwell's observations (page 26). He recommends the utmost attention to the ablution of the skin. The whole of that part of the work in which Dr Caldwell treats of cradle and nursery education is invaluable, and Mr Cox's notes tend much to elucidate and confirm it. There is a curious note (page 28) on allowing children to exercise their lungs in crying; another (p. 31) on the importance of early moral training, with the authority of Locke, Montaigne, Edgworth, Mill, and Jeremy Taylor, on the subject. On the point of the early education of the temper, the following observation of Dr Caldwell should be hung up on the walls of every nursery:" A fiery education in the nursery may heat the brain to the verge of inflammation, and aid in the production of actual inflammation or madness,-impair health in sundry other ways by excessive excitement,-render unhappy the days of others, as well as of the mismanaged individual,-and lay the foundation of a blasted reputation. It is believed that an education of this kind injured immeasurably the late Lord Byron; and Earl Ferrers expiated on a gibbet the fruit of a similar one."

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Mr Cox has a valuable note at page 40, in answer to Dr Caldwell's strictures on ill-organized infant schools. It states

• Noticed in this Journal respectively, vol. ix. pages 424 and 74; and vol. x. p. 71.

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