thwaite, William Oldam, M.D., Thomas May, Walter K. Kelly, William Elphinstone Malcolm, Thomas Hodgkin, M.D., W. Holt Yates, M.D., Andrew Smith, M.D., and Sir Benjn. Collins Brodie, Bart., Council; Samuel Duckworth, Esq., Treasurer; Richard King, M.D., Secretary.

The Ojibbeway Indians at Manchester. This interesting party of North American Indians have been visited during their short stay here by many thousands of persons, and, notwithstanding the inclement state of the weather during the last day or two, Mr Catlin's gallery has been numerously attended both morning and evening. The Indians are much gratified with their reception by so many successive crowds of visitors, and the number of presents they have received in the gallery and elsewhere. On Saturday last, Mr Bally attended in their private apartments, for the purpose of taking casts of such of the chiefs and warriors as would permit him. In order to give them some idea of this novel operation Mr Catlin jun., first submitted his head to the bowl and his face to the plaster, and when his features were covered with a mask of the soft composition, the diversion of the Indians was extravagant. They laughed immoderately, and their jokes were uttered with great fluency; every fresh simile or comment causing another burst of laughter. At length the operation having been performed on the white man, the old chief intimated that he was ready to go through the same process. He remained perfectly passive, and when the cast was broken in the removal, he said (as stated by the interpreter), "No matter try it again ;" and the operation was repeated with perfect success. The war chief was the next, and, after him, each of the three warriors; but the interpreter (the half-breed) declined, for some reason or other, to have his cast taken. These casts will be added to the already rich and extensive phrenological collection of our ingenious and skilful townsman, Mr Bally. On Sunday morning, the whole party of Ojibbeways proceeded to the photographic gallery, where the portraits of the nine individuals were taken in rapid succession. The Indians were greatly surprised at the mystery," by which portraits were obtained in so very short a time. We understand that the portraits were very good ones, the proverbial immobility of the Indians making them admirable "sitters." We believe that Mr Catlin purposes to have lithographed likenesses of the party completed by the aid of these photographs.—Manchester Guardian, Nov. 22, 1843.

66

Influence of Gestures in Exciting the Mental Faculties.-The effects of the various positions and motions of the limbs and body on the mind have not yet been studied by physiologists with all the attention the subject deserves and requires. That attitudes and postures exert a very important influence on the mind, may be proved by the effects of the manipulations used by the practisers of animal magnetism, and by the testimony of actors, who acknowledge that it is difficult to assume the posture indicating any passion without feeling more or less of that particular emotion. We cannot throw ourselves into the attitude of the striking combatant, without feeling somewhat of the ardour which would give strength to his blow; neither can we imitate the shrinking position of the terrified, or the headlong flight of the pursued, without partaking more or less of these fears. To a certain extent this circumstance, combined with the contagious nature of fear, may explain the difficulty of rallying troops if once they have turned their backs to the enemy; and even the bravest and best-disciplined soldiers, in retreating leisurely before an advancing foe, find it a task to proceed in good order. The attitudes of the female dancers at Gades, described by

Martial and Juvenal, and those of the Egyptian public singing girls, called Ghawazee, exert an influence over the passions, not only for the spectators, but for themselves. Some dances consist of motions calculated to excite an amorous, some a martial spirit. The latter are the chief favourites of barbarous, the former of more polished nations; and without fear of giving offence, we may be permitted to rank the waltz among the physiologically erotic species of dancing, although we do not quite agree with Byron in unconditionally reprobating its introduction amongst the English. Again, among the ancients, the value of forms in encouraging feelings of devotion or respect, seems to have been fully understood, and certain postures were accordingly scrupulously enforced in the ceremonies of religious worship, or in the respect paid to kings and princes. Hence the different values attached in various parts of the world to prostrations and genuflexions, when a subject approaches his sovereign; matters which the unthinking regard as mere idle ceremonies, but which the physiologist must consider as founded on the fact, that these positions do actually increase the awe felt on these occasions. The priests and priestesses most celebrated among the ancients never thought themselves inspired, never ventured to utter oracles, even at Delphi, until they had worked themselves into a frenzy by a quick succession of forced attitudes and grimaces.-Dublin Medical Journal.

ac

The Family of Dr Gall.-During Mr Combe's residence at Heidelberg, in the summer of 1842, Mrs Combe wished to engage a young lady, complished in German, and who knew nothing of English, to assist her in the study of the former language. Miss Louise Thierry, about 18 years of age, a well educated, lady-like, and agreeable girl, was recommended to her, and engaged. She proved to be a grand-niece of Dr Gall-her grandmother having been his sister. On the father's side she is remotely of French extraction, and her head presents a medium type between the Celtic French and the German. She had often heard Dr Gall spoken of, but had read none of his works, and did not know whether he was a great man or not. She had heard more persons speak against his doctrines than in their favour, and could form no opinion of them herself. She understood that some members of Gall's family still reside at Tiefenbrunn, near Pforzheim, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, formerly Swabia. Mr C. read to her Dr Gall's description (given in his chapter on the organ of Veneration) of his brother, who had been bred a merchant, and subsequently became a clergyman, and asked her if she knew the facts to be correctly stated. She replied that she had heard that one of Dr Gall's brothers was a clergyman, but she knew nothing of his history. Mr C. told her that the day would come, when it would be regarded as a distinction in Germany to be descended from the family of Gall, and that she should make herself acquainted with his works.

Persecution for Opinion.-It is no sophistical assertion to maintain, that, amidst all our boasted illumination, the principle of persecution, however formally rejected in theory, is upheld in practice in all its pristine authority; that, being brought home to every man's door, and exerted on every petty occasion, there is as little real freedom allowed to unpopular thinking as in old times, when the trade of persecution was exclusively committed to the Ecclesiastical Courts and Star Chambers. We have neither space nor disposition to demonstrate this odious truth by example. The fact is too much of a noon-day sun splendour to require such illustration; and it is enough to point to the state of parties in this country, and to the leaven of religious intolerance that has festered them into their dangerous fermentation. At no period of our domestic history was caution more

necessary in the assertion of individual opinion; at no time was the face of science cloaked by more conventional plausibilities, or disfigured by more illogical concessions to dominant preumption.-Athenæum.

Books Received.-British and Foreign Medical Review, Oct. 1843.Medico-Chirurgical Review, Oct. 1843.-Statistics of Bethlem Hospital, with Remarks on Insanity. By John Webster, M.D. From 26th vol. of Medico-Chirurgical Transactions. 8vo, pp. 45.--Case of Paralysis, without Loss of Sensation, from Disease of the Cervical Medulla. By John Webster, M.D. From same volume. 8vo, pp. 18.-The Phrenological Theory of the Treatment of Criminals defended, in a Letter to John Forbes, Esq., M.D., &c., Editor of the British and Foreign Medical Review. By M. B. Sampson. London: S. Highley. 8vo, pp. 20. -The Principles of Physiology applied to the Preservation of Health, and to the Improvement of Physical and Mental Education. By Andrew Combe, M.D. The People's Edition; being the 12th. Royal 8vo, pp, 108. Edinburgh: Maclachlan, Stewart, & Co.; London, Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.-Matrimony; or Phrenology and Physiology applied to the Selection of Companions for Life. By O. S. Fowler. London: G. Berger. 8vo, pp. 56. Reprinted from the 2d American edition.-The Phrenological Library, Parts I., II., and III.; Gall on the Functions of the Brain. London: G. Berger. 8vo. The People's Phrenological Journal, Parts VIII., IX., and X., for Oct., Nov., and Dec. 1843; also Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the New Series. London: G. Berger. Royal 8vo. The Illustrated Phrenological Chart. London: G. Berger.Theory of Heat and of the Vital Principle. By Arthur Trevelyan.— The Phrenological Almanac for 1844. Glasgow: J. & G. Goyder. 8v o. -Outlines of Phrenology. By Dr Spurzheim. Royal 8vo. Glasgow: J. & G. Goyder, 1843.—The Medical Times, weekly, except No. 220.— American Phrenological Journal for June, July, and August 1843.— Zeitschrift für Phrenologie, Nos. II. and III.

Newspapers Received.-Sheffield Independent, Oct. 7, 28.-Wolverhampton Chronicle, Nov. 1, Dec. 6.-Glasgow Argus, Nov. 9.-Derby Reporter, Nov. 10.- Hampshire Telegraph, Nov. 20.-Manchester Guardian, Nov. 22, Dec. 20.-Londonderry Sentinel, Dec. 2.-Boston (U. S.) Post, Nov. 23.-Worcestershire Chronicle, Dec. 13.

To Correspondents.-The translations sent by Mr Noel shall be inserted. -Mr Bally's communication has been received.-H. G. is thanked for his references to several books.-We wrote to Dr Otto and Mr Von Struve on 25th October.-Dr A. Combe is wintering in Madeira, where he arrived on 21st November.

Communications for the Editor (prepaid) may be addressed to Mr ROBERT Cox, 25 Rutland Street, Edinburgh. Books or parcels, too heavy for the post, may be left (free of expense) with the London publishers, Messrs Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., Stationers' Hall Court.Articles intended for the next following Number must always be with the Editor six weeks before the day of publication. Communications for the section of " INTELLIGENCE," and also Advertisements, should be in hand at least a fortnight before the same day. Charges for advertising-Eight lines, 6s.; twelve lines, 7s. 6d. ; every additional line, 6d. ; half a page, 14s.; a whole page, 25s. Advertisements may be sent to the publishers in Edinburgh or London.

EDINBURGH, 1st January 1844.

THE

PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

No. LXXIX.

APRÍL, 1844.

NEW SERIES.-No. XXVI.

1. MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.

I. On the Application of Phrenology to the Fine Arts. By GEORGE COMBE.

"The artist ought not to be wholly unacquainted with that part of philosophy which gives an insight into human nature, and relates to the manners, characters, passions, and affections. He ought to know something concerning the mind, as well as a great deal concerning the body, of man."

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS, Discourse VII.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

ROME, 2d January 1844.

SIR,-In the course of visiting the various collections of pictures and statues, ancient and modern, which present one of the greatest attractions to the traveller in Italy, I have sought, with avidity and humility, for criticisms by connoisseurs and masters in art, to form and guide my own judgment concerning the merits of the works which I have examined; and I have found abundance of opinions, forcibly and often eloquently expressed, concerning the excellencies and defects of particular productions, but I have discovered few books in which reasons are given, or principles stated, for the judgments pronounced. In short, many of the critics have recorded little more than the impressions which the pictures and statues have made on their own minds. When they have been men of high natural endowments, and enjoyed the advantages of cultivation, their dicta have, indeed, been in general sound and valuable; but, nevertheless, they are mere opinions still, and are appreciated differently by different minds.

VOL. XVII.-N. S. NO. XXVI-APRIL 1844.

H

The Germans have infused more philosophy into their dissertations on art than any other people. In Kugler's works, and in the productions of other German authors, reasons are more frequently stated, why such and such judgments are formed, than we find in the English books: but even in the German, few first principles are correctly traced to universal facts or laws of human nature; in other words, few scientific foundations are laid for the superstructure of opinion presented to the reader.

These remarks will not be new to any one conversant with criticisms on art; and the cause of this condition of the philosophy of painting and sculpture will readily occur to the phrenologist. Painting and sculpture have for their objects the representation, by means of form and colour, of the most interesting and beautiful productions of Nature, invested with their highest attributes. Until the objects themselves be scientifically understood, the science of representing them must necessarily remain imperfect. The human mind and body are the noblest works of God with which the painter and sculptor have to deal; and while the relations between the one and the other-between, for example, mental endowment and corporeal form and expression are not scientifically ascertained, the rules of art, and the principles of judging of art, must be, to a corresponding extent, empirical. Phrenology, or the physiology of the brain, and general Physiology, by developing the science of human nature, and especially the relations subsisting between particular mental endowments and particular forms, expressions, and qualities of body, should furnish one grand element towards constructing a philosophy of art to produce such a work, however, it is equally necessary that the author should possess a natural taste for the fine arts, cultivated by extensive observation and study. When an individual thus qualified may appear and occupy the field, it is impossible to conjecture; but in the mean time, in the absence of better guides, I may be permitted to lay before your readers such ideas as have occurred to my own mind on the subject; premising that I put forth no pretensions to critical skill in the arts, but write merely from impressions made on my own faculties, guided and corrected by the principles which I have learned in the school of Phrenology.

The natural gifts which are necessary to constitute an eminent artist may be described as follows. The first is temperament, or quality of brain. Activity, sensibility, and fineness must be combined to lay the foundation of success; and I observe that the great masters in painting and sculpture have all been distinguished for a high nervous, or nervous-bilious,