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a mere whim or fancy of the ignorant, but was followed with the greatest eagerness by those who were comparatively learned, and who looked upon themselves as philosophers. Their processes were reduced to rule, and formed the subject of voluminous works. The dreams of the alchemists were not thoroughly banished in the days of Bacon, or even in those of Boyle; and it was not till the middle of the last century that the true objects of chemical research, and the proper mode of conducting it, came to be understood by its cultivators.

The original Geologists were not satisfied with examining the strata and other appearances on the surface of the earth, in order to discover the successive changes it had undergone. Their objects were far more lofty and magnificent. They attempted nothing less than to discover the mode of formation of the universe. They aimed at constructing, not geologies, but cosmogonies, and speculated regarding the time when this globe, and all the other planets, were formed from masses of matter in a state of fusion, detached from the sun, and afterwards brought by their own centripetal and centrifugal forces into the regular and beautiful forms and motions which they exhibit at this day. These speculations were of course mere idle reveries, and never could lead to any solid conclusion; but this was the method, even so late as the days of Buffon, which was pursued by philosophers in studying the theory of the earth.

I am far from wishing to represent Phrenology, as at present cultivated, as a fantastic speculation like those now mentioned, or to consider Doctors Gall and Spurzheim as visionaries, like the ancient alchemists and cosmogonists. I look upon the discoveries of these great men as real and substantial discoveries, offering the most important and interesting objects of investigation that, perhaps, ever have been exhibited to the world, and likely in time to lead to the greatest results. But it

is just the deep sense I entertain of the importance of this science, that leads me to remind its cultivators of the evils of rash and immature speculation, and to point to the examples of this that have occurred in other sciences.

I would remind them, that it is only by gradual steps, and much patient investigation, that those sciences which are now most firmly established, and which have been followed by the richest harvest of practical usefulness, have been brought into their present state of perfection. I would remind them of the warning given by Lord Bacon against "the over-early and peremptory reduction of knowledge into arts and methods, from which time, commonly, sciences receive small or no augmentation ;"* also of his condemnation of those who "disdain to spell, and so by degrees to read, in the volume of God's works; and who, contrariwise, by continual meditation and agitation of wit, do urge, and, as it were, invocate their own spirits to divine, and give oracles unto them, whereby they are universally deluded."+

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It is no disparagement to Mr Combe, to say that he has not yet succeeded in reducing the discoveries of Gall and Spurzheim into a complete and perfect system. To have done so from the materials he possessed, would have required an intellect altogether superhuman. Phrenology is a subject so vast and important—so new in the mode of its cultivation it opens up so many subjects of interesting investigation and these have been as yet so imperfectly explored — that no created intelligence could be capable at once of comprehending its details — penetrating its mysteries-unravelling its intricacies — enlightening its dark recesses —and bringing it forth and exhibiting it to the light in all its aspects, physical, metaphysical, social, moral, and

* Bacon's Works, ii. 48.

+ Ibid. ii. 49.

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political. If Mr Combe has failed in doing this, he has only failed in that which no human intellect in the present state of the science could have succeeded in accomplishing.

Though it would perhaps be unjust to say that the science is yet in its infancy, we may at the least safely venture to maintain that it has not yet passed the years of its nonage. It exhibits a favourable promise of what it may be in the time of its maturity, but much yet remains to be done, and many labours to be undergone, before it shall reach the perfect stature, and full and beautiful proportion, which I am quite satisfied it will one day attain. Much has yet to be done in the field of observation - much in the judicious comparing and careful induction of facts-much also is to be done in the metaphysics of the science, in ascertaining correctly the true functions, and limits of the faculties, their mutual dependencies, and their various combinations. The harvest in all these particulars is undoubtedly great, but the labourers have been miserably few; and many of those who ought to have assisted in the work have stood aloof, and not merely refused to enter the field themselves, but have hindered those who were willing to enter.

This, then, is the difference between my views of the science and those of Mr Combe. He seems to regard it as already complete and full grown; I look upon it only as in an early period of its growth to maturity. It is yet but a very few years since some of the more important points relating to it could be considered as settled. There are many more not settled yet, and many on which we have but a mere glimmering of the truth. We know a good deal on the subject of the correspondence between the development of the brain, and the natural character; very little on the differences arising from internal organization, and the effects of different

bodily temperaments; still less of those resulting from the successive growth, and development or diminution of parts, and of the action of moral and physical causes in producing these; and we are equally in the dark on various other points.

Is it advisable, then, in this imperfect state of the science, to rush headlong into experiments, and to talk of overturning the old opinions, institutions, and usages of society- to tamper with education, legislation, marriage, politics, civil and criminal jurisprudence, and above all, religion; or even to speak of these things as likely soon to be accomplished or attempted? As I differ from Mr Combe as to the clearness of that light which he supposes Phrenology, in its present state, to be capable of throwing on all those subjects, so neither can I admit the depth of that darkness which he supposes the world to have universally lain under in regard to them up to the present time. Shakespeare lived and wrote before Phrenology was discovered, and he understood human nature as well as Mr Combe. Sir Walter Scott did not avail himself of the lights of Phrenology, yet his representations of character are, in many cases, such as no phrenologist could presume to mend. These are but two instances out of many. Various others might be cited, among our dramatists, poets, historians, and moralists, of writers who possessed an intuitive perception of the motives and springs of human action, and whose analysis of mental feelings agrees almost entirely with that which would be given by a phrenologist. Almost the only exceptions to this among our great writers, occur in the case of the metaphysicians; and the reason seems to be, that they have studied human nature in their closets, and not in the world. But many of our eminent divines, in their sermons and other compositions, shew a thorough practical knowledge of the human heart; and sometimes

hold up a glass, in which the sinner may see his character portrayed with fearful accuracy. Upon the whole, therefore, I am inclined to anticipate, that when Phrenology has been brought to a higher state of cultivation than it has hitherto reached, there will be found much less difference between the views which it offers, and those which have been hitherto entertained by men of practical good sense, than Mr Combe seems to suppose. That it will prove of essential benefit to society I entertain not the least doubt; but that it will ever, as he supposes, reach to revolutionize, reform, and regenerate the world, I look upon to be a dream as vain and unsubstantial as the wildest chimeras of the alchemists.

In taking leave of Mr Combe and his work, I cannot help intimating my fixed impression that he has in it abandoned that sobriety and humility of mind "which laboureth to spell, and so by degrees to read, in the book of God's works ;" and that he has been rather "urging and invocating his spirit to DIVINE, and give forth ORACLES;" and that he has farther forgotten the warning so expressively given by Lord Bacon to all who would be interpreters of nature, that "it is a point fit and necessary, without hesitation or reservation, to be professed,

THAT IT IS NO LESS TRUE IN THIS HUMAN KINGDOM OF
KNOWLEDGE THAN IN GOD'S KINGDOM OF HEAVEN,

THAT NO ΜΑΝ SHALL ENTER INTO IT EXCEPT
BECOME FIRST AS A LITTLE CHILD."

HE

THE END.

EDINBURGH:

Printed by ANDREW SHORTREDE, Thistle Lane.

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