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PHYSIOGNOMY AND CEANIOLOGY.

formed, distinguished the bias of his mind, from earliest in-fancy ; always employed in classing, and delighted withcomparing the various works of nature. lie was peculiarlyattentive to the heads of objects, their shape and utility;and whilst in a course of instruction, was ever remarkingon the heads of his play-fellows and fellow students, ontheir moral and intellectual character; from various tracesof resemblance, he judged of dispositions. As he grewup, he fixed on medicine to be his profession, and was ledby an impulse, which he considers the result of his organi-zation to the habit of observation and comparison. Heemployed much time in making a large collection of skullsof dead objects, as well human, as of other animals for thesake of comparison ; he also had the copies of many livingskulls taken in gypsum: so that, eventually, it is said hehas made a most valuable collection of these subjects.Dr. Gall soon discovered that the general inferences he haddrawn from these observations, would not at all times bearhim out; he was, consequently, compelled to be more pre-cise in his observations, when he discovered less inconsis-tency in subsequent remarks. He likewise discoveredconsiderable solicitude, at the first, to affix a proper andcharacteristic name to local organs, when he often disco-vered change of local situation necessary. At length sur-mounting these and various other obstacles which continuallypresent themselves in opposition to the progress of any-thing which has not been taught in the nursery ; amongthese, he had to combat with the power of ignorant priests,and a slavish court under their guidance and controul; but,at length, he was permitted to deliver lectures to foreignersupon this newly discovered science : the result we have col-lected and lay before the public.

Dr. Gall says he has discovered from the anatomy of thebrain, that it is not, as generally considered, a pulpy sub-stance, but that it is of the nature of a membrane, in someplaces not a line in thickness. He w-as first led to considerthis subject with attention, from a knowledge that the mem-ber has been repeatedly suffering from cases of hydro-cephalusinterims, where a large quantity of water is occasionally-collected in the ventricles ; and the brain becomes distendedto a membrane not of the thickness of a line ; also froma paralysis of the extremities with other partial affectionsof that member: yet the intellectual faculties remained un-impaired.

The chief results of his anatomical labours were, that