are not unsurmountable; especially if extreme cases be sought for, and these, as the instantia ostentiva, ought to be first resorted to. Men of observation have acted on these principles without hesitation, and without injury to themselves. They have not designed for the orchestra, the individual whom they found incapable of distinguishing betwixt a rude noise and a melodious sound, on the notion, that "a genius for music" might be "acquired by habits of study or of business." They do not place in difficult situations, requiring great penetration and much sagacity, individuals who cannot trace consequences beyond the stretch of three ideas; nor do they conceive, that a man, who has no intellectual capacity to-day, may become a genius to-morrow, or in ten years hence, by an effort of the will.

They, no doubt, have always observed, that the faculties are developed in succession; that the child is not in possession of the powers of the full grown man; and that, hence, a boy may be dull at ten, who may turn out a genius at twenty years of age, when his powers are fully unfolded by time. But they do not imagine that every boy may be made a genius, by habits of study or of business; nor believe, that, after the faculties are fully developed, any individual may, by exertions of the will, become great in a department of philosophy or science, for which he had previously no natural capacity. They have observed, that cultivation strengthens powers, in themselves vigorous; but they have not found that education can render eminently energetic, dispositions or capacities which nature has created feeble. On the other hand, they have remarked, that, where Nature has bestowed a powerful disposition or capacity of a particular kind, it will hold the predominant sway in the character during life, notwithstanding every effort to eradicate or subdue it. They have noticed, too, that where Nature has bestowed, in an eminent degree, the faculties which constitute genius, the individual will manifest his native superiority, in spite of great obstacles arising from circumstances or situation. The lives of poets, painters, and artists, in every age, display examples of the truth of this observation.

An individual, no doubt, may do particular actions, or even for a time follow a course of action, the same in external appearance,

from different internal motives. But few men can pass their whole lives in disguise, or acquire the art of acting in the business ana enjoyments of life, so habitually and so skilfully, as not to allow their true characters to appear to those who are placed in a favorable situation to observe them; or, if there be persons who do possess this power of dissimulation, it forms the predominant feature in their mental constitution; and, as will afterwards be shown, it is indicated by a particular form of organization. But, farther, let it be observed, that it is only in so far as the propensities and sentiments of our nature are concerned, that disguise is possible, even in a single case. In every act that depends on the knowing and reflecting faculties, it is absolutely impracticable. No man can either write logical discourses, or trace profoundly an abstract principle, who has not powerful reflecting faculties. No one can compose exquisite music, who has not the faculty of Tune, or write exquisite poetry, who has not the sentiment of Ideality. When, therefore, we perceive, even with the most transient glance, such acts to be performed, we have evidence, insuperable and irresistible, of the existence of the faculties which produce them.

These opinions have been entertained by persons conversant with society, not in consequence of logical deduction or metaphysical investigations, but from the observation of plain facts, presented to the cognizance of their understandings.

Thus fortified, I venture to conclude that the first point is established in favor of Phrenology, viz. that it is possible, by accurate, patient, and continued observation of actions, to discover the true dispositions and capacities which individuals possess. As this philosophy is founded on a comparison betwixt the manifestations of these faculties, and the developement of the brain, the second point to be ascertained is, Whether it be possible, in general, to discover the true form of the brain, by observing the figure of the head.

OF THE BRAIN, CEREBELLUM, AND SKULL.

THE Anatomy of the Brain is minutely described by Dr. Spurzheim, in his anatomical work. It is not indispensably neces

sary, although highly advantageous, to become acquainted with it, in order to become a practical phrenologist. A brief description of its general appearance will suffice to convey an idea of it to the non-medical reader. The proper subjects for observation are healthy individuals below the middle period of life. The brain, stript of its outer covering, the dura mater, is represented in figures 1. and 2. These figures and the accompanying descriptions, are not intended for anatomical purposes; the sole object of them is to convey some conception of the appearance of the brain, to readers who have no opportunity of seeing it in nature.

Figure 1 represents the upper surface of the brain, stript of membrane; the skull, through the middle part of which a horizontal section is made, surrounds it The front is at A; and the line A B is the division between the two hemis pheres. A strong membrane called the falciform process of the dura mater

represented on page 72, descends into it; and forms the partition. It goes down only about two-thirds of the depth; below which the two hemispheres are joined together by fibres which cross, forming what is called the corpus callosum. The waving lines are the convolutions, the furrows between which descend from half an inch to an inch in depth. When water collects in the internal parts they are unfolded, and the brain presents a uniform surface of great extent. The parts seen in this figure are all composed externally of cineritious substance. FIG. 2.

Figure 2. represents the base of the brain taken out of the skull. This figure has been copied from a different brain from that represented in figure 1. It is longer and narrower. The division into hemispheres does not descend to the base. Anatomists, for the sake of giving precision to descriptions, divide the brain into three lobes, called the anterior, middle, and posterior. The parts before AA are called the frontal or anterior lobe; the parts behind CC, the posterior lobe; and the parts between them, the middle lobe. Anatomists draw lines from AA and CC directly up the sides, and over the upper surface of the brain, till they meet at the top, and include in the different lobes the whole parts so mapped out; but the lines are imaginary, and like those of latitude and longitude on a globe, are introduced merely to indicate the localities of the parts. The convolutions before AA lie chiefly on the bones which

form the roofs of the sockets of the eye-balls. The convolutions between A and C lie chiefly above the ear. DD is the cerebellum. E is the medulla oblongata, which during life descends almost perpendicularly from the brain, and joins with the top of the spinal marrow.

The BRAIN is a mass of soft matter, not homogeneous, but presenting different appearances. Part of it is white in color, fibrous or striated in texture, arranged in lines distantly resembling the outer surface of a cockle-shell. This is generally named medullary substance, and abounds most in the interior. The other matter is of a gray color, and has no fibrous appearance. It is called cineritious, from the similarity of its hue to that of ashes, and sometimes cortical, from its supposed resemblance to bark. It forms the outer part of the brain. The cineritious substance does not blend gradually with the white medullary matter, but, on the contrary, the line, of distinction is abrupt. The cineritious seems to have a greater proportion of blood circulating in it than the medullary. There is no fat or adipose substance within the skull, although it pervades every other part of the body.

The brain consists of two hemispheres, separated by a strong membrane, called the Falciform process of the dura mater. Each hemisphere is divided into three lobes, the anterior, middle, and posterior. The cerebellum is distinct from, but connected with, the brain. Mr. Bell observes,* that "whatever we observe on one side has a corresponding part on the other; and an exact resemblance and symmetry † is preserved in all the lateral divisions of the brain. And so, if we take the proof of anatomy, we must admit, that, as the nerves are double, and the organs of sense double, so is the brain double; and every sensation conveyed to the brain is conveyed to the two lateral parts, and the operations performed must be done in both lateral portions at the same moment. The two hemispheres, and of course the organs of each side,

This statement of Mr. Bell is not rigidly correct. There is a general correspondence between the parts on the opposite sides of the brain, but not "an exact symmetry," in the strict sense of these words. The approximation to symmetry is about as great as between the blood-vessels in the right and left arms.