PHYSIOGNOMY AND CRANIOLOGY.

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by the brain itself; and that, therefore, when the externaland internal plates ,of the skull run parallel, we may inferthe form of the brain from the outward shape of the skull.”

Upon this fact, and the before alleged cii’cumstance ofthe circumvolutions of the cerebrum, consisting of an organof some intellectual, or sensible power; the greater size, orlarger developements of which, of course give, the skull itspeculiar shape. Upon this rests the sciences of Craniology and Cranioscopy; the one asserts the shape of the skull,indicates the law by which, not the actual character, butonly the tendency or disposition of the object towards somedefinite and recognised propensity exists ; the other affirm-ing that such law can be visibly ascertained upon inspectionof the skull of the individual so distinguished.

In the infancy of any science it certainly behoves theinventor to act with extreme caution,—such precaution isadopted by Dr. Gall, when he says,—“We are not toexpect to perceive the already developed faculty of themind, by mere observations made on the skull; it is thetendency only, or aptitude, or possibility of any particularintellectual quality in any individual that can be discovered;and besides, all the predispositions cannot be selected, be-cause many of the supposed organs cannot influence theshape of the bones, in consequence of their remotesituations.” Hence, all the organs, and consequently thepredispositions, in both animals and men, are said tobe innate and more latent, perhaps, with respect to theirgreater portion.

The functions of the brain are said to be threefold; first,organic life; second, sensitive life; and third, intellectuallife. A particular part of the brain is assigned to each ofthose functions. It is only in consequence of the size of thesehemispheres, and the part appropriated to the last of thesefunctions,—that man has the largest brain; and not becausethe size of the human brain is greater than the rest of thebody, as has been supposed; nor on account of the com-parative thickness of the nerves, as Sommering has ob-served. To prove that the organs of thought are placed inthe hemispheres of the brain, those parts are said to be oflarger size, and more completely developed in animatsof different classes, in proportion to their intellectual facul-ties ; and iu man they are most perfect.

The arguments adduced by Dr. Gail, in proof of theplurality of organs in the brain, are, 1st. The sense offatigue, arising from the mind being long employed on onespecific object of contemplation; that sense of relief it ex-