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science, that of observation. We cannot be too thankful also, that if Dr. Gall is taken from us, his colleague and successor, Dr Spurzheim, is still left to us in the enjoyment of full health and active usefulness, and is even now busied in the diffusion of a knowledge of man in the principal towns of the sister kingdom; in all of which yet visited he has been received with the kindest cordiality, and listened to by crowded audiences with infinite delight. To other causes of thankfulness in the appearance of friends in every quarter, I might direct your attention; but I have already detained you too long, and in now opening another session, can only express my hope and conviction that our difficulties are fast passing away, and that each succeeding year will bring us together under happier and happier auspices.".

A report by the Phrenological Society of Washington on the cases of four Spanish pirates, (Article III. of this Number,) was then read; and the following donations presented:Skull of a chief of Chile, presented by Dr. Gillies to P. Neill, Esq. and by him to the Society.-Two pamphlets, a medal of Dr Gall, and Broussais' Eloge du Dr Gall, by Dr Fossati of Paris.-Five skulls of Moors, four Gentoo skulls, three Paria skulls, three Armenian skulls, five Brahmin skulls, one unknown skull, and a bust of Sir G. S. Mackenzie, modelled by himself, by Sir G. S. Mackenzie, Bart. of Coul.-Cast of the skull of Jane Scott, executed for murder, by Sir James Gardiner, Bart.-An Iceland skull, by Dr Hoppe, Copenhagen.-Two numbers Danish Phrenological Journal, by Dr Otto, Copenhagen.-Phrenological Essay on Education, by Dr G. C. Holland.-Skull from Icy Cape, Behring's Straits, brought home by A. Collie, Esq. surgeon of H.M.S. Blossom, and four Swiss skulls from Soleure, by Dr A. Combe.

The following note from Sir G. S. Mackenzie, Bart. relative to the donation of skulls by him, was read:-" In presenting these skulls to the Phrenological Society, it is neces

sary to state that they were procured at Madras, at the desire of my son, by a native, who assured him that he took them from the burying-places of the respective castes whose titles are marked on them. Whether this is to be relied on or not, the skulls are unquestionably native, and prove the general smallness of the Asiatic head, compared with the European. One has no name on it.

"There is a skull of a domestic boar in the box.

"G. S. MACKENZIE.” The Society met again (by order of the council) on Thursday 20th November, when the following papers were read :-Report of Correspondence between Professor Sewall of Washington and the Secretary of the Phrenological Society of that City, (No II. of the present Number).-Letter Dr Brereton of Washington to Mr George Combe.--Letter from Dr Spurzheim.-Case of Spectral Illusion, by Mr Levison of Hull.-Memory of Names impaired by a Fall on the Forehead.-Case of Macdonald, the Associate of Mary Mackinnon, by Mr W. Scott.-Letter from Dr Hoppe.

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NOTICES.

DR GALL died at Paris, on Friday 22d August, 1828. We refer to the address of the President of the Phrenological Society, p. 481, for the only particulars of which we are yet in possession. We are promised materials for a more detailed account, which we hope to give in our next Number...

Dr SPURZHEIM has lectured in Cheltenham and Birmingham to large audiences since our last publication.

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Mr LEVISON of Hull received an invitation to lecture on Phrenology at Scarborough, which he accepted in August last. The senior magistrate politely offered him the use of the Town-Hall, He delivered a morning and an evening course. The audience increased at each succeeding lecture, and those who came to the first continued their attendance through the whole. All the medical men of the place attended, and are now decided Phrenologists. The audience amounted to between 70 and 80 in each class, besides private friends of Mr Levison. The following notice appeared in the Rockingham newspaper:-" Mr Levison is a man of considerable talent, and does not read his lectures, nor has he any prepared "matter, but depends solely upon his natural genius. This we like "in a lecturer. He discourses on the science in a highly-pleasant "manner, making it clear to every understanding, and, being him"self an enthusiast in Phrenology, excites the mind to ennobling "views of its principles. This is the first step taken toward a public "introduction of Phrenology into Scarborough; and we were pleased "to observe a general interest evinced during the time of lecturing, "and to see how anxiously the company examined the casts and "proposed queries, after the initiatory portion had been delivered. "The impression made upon the minds of those who attended the evening lecture (for then only we were present) appeared power"ful, and the subsequent divisions of the course are looked forward "to with lively delight."

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Mr COMBE intends to deliver an elementary course of lectures in January next, for ladies and gentlemen.

Sir WILLIAM HAMILTON has not yet published his "Fictions." Our friend, who undertook to write a review of the controversy between him and Dr Spurzheim and Mr Combe, has fulfilled his promise, and we are now in possession of an article on that discussion. We have been entreated, however, by numerous readers, both in town and country, not to load our pages with any farther notice of that subject, until Sir William shall redeem his pledge by publishing his "Fictions." They assure us that the correspondence itself was to them devoid of interest, owing to the paltry nature of the objections urged in it. We yield to these solicitations, and postpone our animadversions until Sir William's work shall appear.

We have received a long controversy on Phrenology in the Hull newspapers in June, July, and August last, between Mentor,

"Peter

Chirurgus, our friend Mr Levison, the Rev. James Bromley, Pluralist," and a "Wesleyan Methodist ;" but the topics have been so often discussed, and are so familiar to Phrenologists, that we reckon any detailed notice of them unnecessary. The following “Appeal to Englishmen," by the Rev. James Bromley, will serve as a specimen of the eloquence of the opponents:-" Is it to be borne, that the tender affection which nourished our helpless infancy-and a "thousand times pressed us with rapturous fondness to the breast"that instilled into our opening minds the first rudiments of knowledge and virtue-smiled at the gambols of our boyhood-re"strained the errors of our youth-and, perhaps, even yet, exults "in our welfare, or sickens at our wo!-is it to be borne, that we "should be unblushingly told, that this affection which glowed in "the heart of our mothers, owed its existence to a bulbous projec"tion at the back of the head, which they, our mothers, had in "common with monkeys! And to tell Englishmen this! And to "call it philosophy-and the science of the mind! O! for an increase of patience! What is to come next?"

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AMERICA-Proposals for republishing in America the Phrenological Journal and Miscellany have been circulated by E. de Krafft of the city of Washington. "The science of Phrenology," says the prospectus, "has made within a few years such rapid advances, that we find, even in this country, societies springing up around us "for the express purpose of investigating and propagating the doc"trine; we find, also, that the materiel of those societies is con"stituted of gentlemen of no ordinary standing in rank, literature, "and science. Their labours, however, on this side of the Atlantic have been confined principally to themselves, in consequence of "the want of a periodical journal, devoted expressly to this "To be the mean of enlightening the public on this interesting subject, and to obviate the difficulty alluded to, is the object of "the present prospectus."

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purpose.

At a late meeting of the Washington Phrenological Society, Sir G. S. Mackenzie, Bart. and Dr A. Combe were elected honorary members.

A notice of Dr Spurzheim on Education will appear in our next Number.

No XX. of the Journal will appear on 1st April, 1829.

Erratum in the present Number. In article VII. "Practical Phrenology," it is mentioned, that a lady examined the heads of thirteen servants before hiring one. We are requested to correct this statement; that number of applications was made to her; but of the individuals applying, six or seven were so obviously unsuitable that she did not trouble them with manipulation. She examined the heads of such as promised to suit, and was guided in her choice ultimately by development of brain.

THE

PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

No XX.

ARTICLE I.

OBSERVATIONS ON MENTAL DERANGEMENT, AND SOME

OF ITS CAUSES. *

(Read to the Phrenological Society by Dr A. Combe.) MOLIERE, and many other very witty men, have made themselves merry at the expense of the medical profession, and have most successfully ridiculed the uncertainty of opinion and inconsistency of doctrine for which medicine has long been proverbial; but when their own lives have been in dan, ger, most of these satirists have nevertheless had recourse to

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In submitting the following pages to the readers of the Phrenological Journal, the writer is perfectly aware that his observations would have found a more appropriate place in a medical journal, and their appearance here has actually been delayed for nearly a year, by an unwillingness to obtrude in a popular work what may be deemed too exclusively professional ; but lis ex. cuse is, that the article, as originally written, was intended as a review of Dr Spurzheim's admirable work on Insanity, and was to have appeared last year in the January Number of a deservedly-esteemed cotemporary, the MedicoChirurgical Review. But after the article was almost compleied, the writer was informed by the Editor, that a change in his arrangements would prevent his publishing it, as he had at first proposed to do. The article having for that reason been refused a place in a journal which has all along been and still is friendly to Phrenology, it was not likely that it would have been received by any of the others which had always been hostile; and the question just came to be, whether it should be thrown aside altogether, or inserted, in a modified form, in the work where it now appears ? The importance of the subject, its close relation to Phrenology, and the comparatively little advance which the profession has made beyond the public in its acquaintance with insanity, ultimately overcame all scruples, and determined the writer to develop the leading points more fully and connectedly Vol. V. -No XX.

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