omit no efforts, which may contribute to render that existence a blessing. If, through their culpable neglect and mismanagement, they entail upon us a host of mental and bodily ills, we owe them little gratitude for the life with which they have burdened us."

II. A Dictionary of Science, Literature, and Art. Edited by W. T. BRANDE, F.R.S.L. & E., &c., assisted by JOSEPH CAUVIN, Esq. London: Longman and Co. 1842.

The article PHRENOLOGY in this work has the merit of giving an outline of the subject as taught by its professors, and not a distorted representation by an opponent. The writer, after mentioning the classification of the faculties under the heads of intellect, sentiments, and propensities,-to the first of which is assigned the anterior portion of the head; to the second, the middle and upper; and to the third, the posterior region and the cerebellum,-proceeds as follows:"That this distribution, in its general outline, is borne out by facts, observation is sufficient to convince us; but whether the subdivision of these regions into minute special organs, corresponding to distinct faculties, is equally well supported, and whether the mental analysis implied in it can be considered sound and accurate, are questions which our limits forbid us to discuss. We subjoin, however, for the reader's convenience in consultation, the following outline of the different faculties, with their uses and abuses, which we have borrowed from the introduction to Mr G. Combe's Notes on the United States of America, during a Phrenological Visit in 1838-9-40, as probably containing the most recent, as well as the most authentic, account of the present state of this much canvassed science." After inserting it, the writer goes on to say:-"The most accredited works in favour of Phrenology are Mr Combe's writings and the Phrenological Journal, which is ably conducted. The most hostile inquiry into the pretensions of Phrenology to be regarded as a science, appeared, in 1826, in the Edinburgh Review. In that article, which was well known to have emanated from the pen of Mr (now Lord) Jeffrey, the views of the phrenologists are treated with ridicule, and their weak side subjected to one of the most vigorous attacks ever made in literary criticism."

Vigorous it certainly was-but it met a pretty vigorous reception from Mr Combe; and we observe, that, although Phrenology is now more widely diffused than ever, Lord

Jeffrey has refrained from inserting the article in his lately published Contributions to the Edinburgh Review.

III. The Medical Journals.

1. The British and Foreign Medical Review.

From an interesting analysis, in No. XXX. (April 1843), of Mr Newnham's work on "The Reciprocal Influence of Body and Mind," we shall extract some instructive passages. The title of the book is a very long one; but, as it will convey to the reader some notion of the kind of subjects treated of, we here transcribe it entire: "The Reciprocal Influence of Body and Mind considered; as it affects the great questions of Education, Phrenology, Materialism, Moral Advancement, and Responsibility,-Man's free agency, the theory of life, the peculiarities of mental property, mental diseases, the agency of mind upon the body, of physical temperament upon the manifestations of mind, and upon the expression of religious feelings. By W. NEWNHAM, Esq. M.R.S.L. London, 1842. 8vo, PP. 628 Mr Newnham, says the reviewer, "is known as an author in two capacities: He has written several works of a strictly religious kind, one of which has had an extensive circulation; as well as some scientific pamphlets (such as an Essay on the Disorders of Literary Men, and a Report on the Progress of Surgery), indicating his knowledge of the modern literature of his profession, his literary industry, and his own practical acquirements. In the present volume he has indulged his tastes by uniting his favourite topics, as it embraces subjects which require in their investigation the knowledge both of religious and medical science. It was the opinion of a metaphysician whose views have had an extensive influence on the thinkers of the present day, that mental philosophy could never be thoroughly investigated, except by one who was versed in physiology and pathology, as well as in the actions of the mind itself abstracted from matter; a view which a medical man who has witnessed the manifold and strange influences of the body on the mind, and has considered the workings of his own mind, will admit the truth of without hesitation. And when the difficulty of the investigation, its complexity, extent, and practical importance are considered, any attempt to throw light upon its darkness by one who possesses, in a measure, both these qualifications, must be looked at with pleasure. Mr Newnham's previous

writings shew that the study of mental phenomena has been a favourite one for many years. He is evidently a serious minded man, sincerely and earnestly convinced of the reality of religious influences, and of their paramount importance; and a large practice for a long series of years must have regularly supplied him with objects of reflection, with facts, with matters, both to form his views, theories, or speculations, and to test their correctness. Fearlessly to acknowledge the immense influence of matter on the outward manifestations of the mind can best be done by one who is deeply convinced that mind and matter are not identical; that mind is a great power, an agent, using matter as it medium. But still more necessary is it that a writer who, in the present time, boldly marks out the influence of physical temperament upon the expression of religious feeling, should himself be the subject of, and therefore the unaffected believer in, religious influences. In a scientific point of view this must be necessary. Unless a man has felt, himself, the influence of religion on his own mind and body, he is unable accurately and fully to understand its influence upon others. For a writer who addresses himself to general readers, especially to those of a religious cast, the necessity of this is obvious. Unless they believe in his sympathy with themselves in spiritual matters, and in his full recognition of feelings and of motives they themselves possess, they will not readily believe him when he explains to them, that deep despondency, or, still more unlikely, extravagant hope and joy, are feelings which depend not so much on the condition of their soul, as on an irritable condition of their splanchnic nerves, or an accelerated circulation through the brain. We would illustrate this by an anecdote. A clergyman's wife, a strong minded, serious person, was applied to, in the absence of her husband, by a woman for religious consolation in mental despondency of an exaggerated kind. The morbid body was as evident as the morbid mind. The lady gave her some opening pills, and told her to call again. Under similar circumstances, a medical man who had suggested the same remedy might have been considered but little better than one of the wicked."-P. 413, 414. The reviewer expresses the well-founded opinion, that religion, considered as a subject which powerfully engages the thoughts and feelings, and therefore acts upon the brain and nervous system, is a fit subject of medical scrutiny. The practitioner meets in his daily rounds with cases illustrating the mutual influences of mind and body -"influences, sometimes morbid, producing undue fear and depression which counteract all physical means; sometimes healthful, producing a condition of mind in disease eminently

conducive to recovery, or, where the complaint is incurable, entirely reconciling the individual to his lot; and, however willing he may be to acknowledge the power of mind over matter, he cannot but be struck with the constant influence of the body upon such states of mind, and the expressions of feelings regarded perhaps by the subject of them and his friends as exclusively spiritual. This being the case, we feel we are not stepping out of our province by giving Mr Newnham's views on this branch of the medical philosophy of the mind and of its organ. A considerable portion of this volume is taken up with the subjects of life, materialism, Phrenology, man's free agency and responsibility, the differences between his mind and those of brutes, &c. They are discussed by one who is not disposed indolently to shirk any question bearing his principal subject, but willing to place each side of it in every light before his own mind, and to decide for himself its value. His endeavour obviously is to be fair, honest, and true; and he is always charitable."

upon

With these branches of the subject the reviewer does not undertake to grapple, as his wide differences with the author on many points would entail long discussions; he confines himself to the main subject, the reciprocal influence of the mind and body, extracting, analyzing, and compressing what appears either new or else well stated as the result of Mr Newnham's own observation and reflection. He adds-" The contents of the whole volume (a very thick one) have evidently been written at various times when the particular subject was fresh in the writer's mind, and often at long intervals; and the author's occupation, an extensive country practice, is one of all others least calculated to encourage concentrated or continuous thought. This explains a certain prolixity and diffuseness, and a deficiency of clear order and arrangement which makes our task somewhat difficult." Speaking of moral and physical education, Mr Newnham says that education may modify, soften, direct, and improve the mind; but it cannot change the physical temperament, which always gives a tinge to the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the individuals. The kind and degree of mental power are dependent upon physical constitution. Differences in intellect and in attainments depend on the greater or less perfection of the brain, and its adaptation for peculiar pursuits. As in the case of other organs, to secure healthy function, the brain must be exercised: lengthened repose is fatal to its tone; and excessive exertion, or irritative action, will produce diminished power, or feebleness. The capacity of the brain for exertion is progressive: it cannot be stationary. It is a

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mistake to suppose that the brain will suffer from judicious exercise. The danger is in "fitful exertion," great exercise after long inaction. Gradual employment is to be pursued, so as not to induce excessive or irritative action, which may be occasioned by long-continued exertion giving rise to exhaustion, and followed by irritability; which state may be mistaken for power, but which will eventually terminate in feebleness. The same morbid state may be brought about by stimuli, or by the lavish excitement of the feelings, and of emotion. The brain and the stomach are in close sympathetic connexion, and if the stomach is overtaxed the brain is weakened and oppressed, and eventually its powers are impaired, and permanent disorganization follows: hence the necessity of controlling the stomach. It has been urged as an argument against materialism that the mind becomes more mature as the body decays. Mr N. very justly combats this, and shews that man's moral nature may improve, he may use more self-control, he may have more equanimity, benevolence and love to others; but that the power of his intellect diminishes as the brain, like the rest of the body, becomes more feeble. That the brain partakes of the general decay, is shewn by literary labour becoming irksome; the power of application and the love of pursuit, diminished; the perception slow, the imagination extinct, the memory of the immediate past lost, judgment infirm and vacillating. The sight is often the first to give way, the hearing becomes less acute, the touch and smelling obtuse, and all cease to convey slight impressions or accurate notices to the intelligent principle within. The feebleness of the voice, and of the power of locomotion, equally shew the diminution of the nervous power as age creeps on. In treating of absence of mind, Mr Newnham offers this sound advice: Let the first symptoms of unwonted forgetfulness of unusual listlessness of unaccustomed indisposition to exertion-of diminished energy-of shrinking from application of retirement from duty-of omission of details of perversion of thought, of reasoning, or plans-let any one of these symptoms be early discovered, and zealously watched, for there is no time to lose; the brain must be saved, or death or insanity may follow." With respect to insanity, Mr Newnham remarks on the disadvantages of calling it a mental disease, as contradistinguished from bodily disorder; and very acutely shews that, making allowance for the organ affected, it differs in nothing from other diseases. He discusses those cures, such as Prince Hohenloe's, which seem to be effected by the entire faith of the patient in the miraculous powers of another: "Their experiments were never made upon a deaf

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