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trial in our times. Still, so far as the test applies to the electors of members of Parliament (the chief purport of the author's plan), it might be tried, and perhaps may be tried ere long; for if the great body of the working classes do acquire a sufficiency of knowledge to fit them for performing their duty, it will then be vain to attempt to limit qualifications by the pecuniary tests at present applied in the election of representatives. The modification that we would embrace, would be that of making the electoral qualification a pecuniary one, or one of intelligence, at the option of the individual, instead of limiting him to either of these exclusively, or to both united. The property qualifications now established, it appears to us, are low enough; but we would let persons become equally eligible, provided they could show a due amount of intelligence, although not possessed of the same pecuniary qualification. It would then be in the choice of a would-be elector to make his claim either on the grounds of intelligence or of property, and the opposition of the ignorant wealthy would be much lessened. Besides, we think that wealth ought to confer privileges in a country like Britain. The author thinks also, and no doubt correctly, that the desire of political power- the right of voting, &c., would greatly conduce to the spread of knowledge and enlightenment of the people; and he would thus "make the spread of education and the concession of civil rights not merely concomitant and commensurate, but mutually assistant." The proposed modification, it must be confessed, would be a serious drawback here; but we prefer it as a point more likely to be gained, if we rightly understand the public mind and its mirror-the Periodical Press. We strongly recommend the pamphlet to those who are interested in this important question-and who is not so? as being highly worthy of attention, and one calculated to do good service if distributed amongst the advocates of Universal Suffrage, who run into the extreme of disregarding all qualifications. Mr. Adam writes: "Universal Suffrage, if the words are to be understood literally, is an absurdity. There must be some limitations. Children could not go to the Poll, and convicted criminals, madmen, young persons, and probably females (although I do not approve of this restriction), would not be allowed to exercise the privilege. But, if a fool be incapacitated, is a man who knows not what he is doing in a much better condition? If unsteady youth be excluded, why should vacillating ignorance be admitted? As the abstract right must be limited in practice, should not the totally uninformed be cut off along with the other incapables?"

VII. A Manual of Conduct; or, Christian Principle exemplified in daily Practice. By the Author of "The Morning and Evening Sacrifice," &c. Edinburgh: A. and C. Black; and Longman and Co., London. 1838. 12mo. pp. 453.

THE Volume before us is a second and considerably abridged edition of a work, called, "The true Plan of a Living Temple," reviewed in our sixth volume, page 547. Having already given an abstract of the author's views, we shall revert to them but briefly on the present occasion. His object is to show that there is no incompatibility or opposition between the performance of the business of this world and the fulfilment of strictly religious duties; but that, on the contrary, viewing mankind as placed by the Deity in circumstances imperatively demanding a close attention to secular affairs, we cannot serve him better than by faithfully and conscientiously discharging the offices so prescribed to us-under the religious impression that in so doing we act conformably to his will. The author considers those persons to labour under a hurtful delusion, who, as aspirants after a happy immortality, lift their thoughts above all temporal things, and dwell, in imagination, amidst such scenes and interests only as are spiritual and invisible. "Yet," says

he, "it would be most fatally to mistake our meaning, and to pervert our intention, if it should be supposed that we are seeking to lower the spiritual ambition of man, or to set before him an object which is fitted rather to degrade and to secularize, than to elevate and purify his nature. On the contrary, our object is to throw a religious grandeur and a divine beauty over even the humblest offices that may be assigned to him in life, -to call his religious disposition into exercise in the discharge of every duty that can be put before him,—and to give to his whole mode of viewing life, and the universe, and his own character, a religious consecration."

But while the author justly regards the performance of the duties of this life in a religious spirit as a highly important division of the obligations of the human race as subjects of the divine government, he is by no means disposed to undervalue "religious services, strictly so called." To the consideration of the utility of these a section of his volume is devoted; but on this subject the reader is referred to our former article.

The following observations on happiness deserve to be quoted: "The vague notions entertained respecting the true nature and constituents of human happiness, are strongly manifested by the questions so long and ably agitated in the schools of ancient philosophy;-namely, what is the chief good of life, and whether

virtue alone be sufficient to render a man happy in all circumstances. It is quite evident, upon a moment's consideration, that these questions proceeded upon an utter inattention to the very mixed and compounded state in which, by the very condition of his nature, the materials of happiness are presented to man; and accordingly we lay it down as our first principle upon this subject, that Nature has furnished man with many varied sources of happiness, which must be united in order to give to the enjoyment of life its most perfect character. For human nature itself is a compound of many powers and capabilities; and hence, to complete the happiness of man, there must be in him a union of happy views of the dispensations of Providence, -pure and warm affections to all the beings and objects by whom he is surrounded in life, a good conscience, or the absence of any feeling of his being engaged in a course contrary to the will and appointments of God,-active employment in some reputable course of business or speculation,- a certain measure of bodily health, or freedom from disease,—and lastly, successful exertions in that career in which he has seen fit to employ his powers. It is a mistake to suppose that the possession of any one of these is sufficient to constitute a full measure of earthly happiness, while the others are wanting; and our idea of a perfectly happy life, in so far as that expression is applicable to the mixed and imperfect state in which man exists, can only be constituted by the union of all these sources of enjoyment in their best state."

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The author takes a more favourable view of human nature than most of his clerical countrymen are in the habit of presenting. He thinks happiness far more prevalent than misery, and virtue than vice. History, indeed," he admits, "as it has often been remarked, is chiefly occupied with the vices and irregularities of human conduct; and when we form our estimate of human worth by its delineations, we may often be disposed to view this earth as but a scene over which violence and guilt have trod with unrestrained dominion. But juster reflection will satisfy us, that there has at all times been a preponderance of happiness and of virtue in the world, of which history takes no notice, but which was not on that account less real or less prevalent; and that the true excellence of the human condition has been manifested by the myriads who have solely devoted themselves to the duties of humble life, and tasted without ambition the ordinary share of human joys, while conquerors and legislators have pursued their course amidst delusions that neither satisfied themselves, nor were beheld with envy by those who knew the value of more substantial blessings."

With these few remarks and extracts we conclude our notice

of the "Manual of Conduct." The calm, hopeful, and philanthropic spirit by which it is pervaded will be found refreshing by every reader, even though he may happen, like ourselves, to differ from the author in some of his views. We should rejoice to see publications of so pleasing and philosophical a character proceeding more abundantly from clerical pens.

R. C.

VIII. Lettera al Signor Defendente Sacchi sul Merito e Valore della Craniologia con Osservazioni sulla Testa di Gian Domenico Romagnosi. 1 vol. 8vo. pp. 106. Milano. 1836.

THE above is the title of an able but rather wordy essay on the merits and usefulness of Craniology, as introductory to phrenological observations on the head, character, and writings of Gian Domenico Romagnosi, an Italian author and moral philosopher of some celebrity, who died in July, 1836, at the age of 74, and whose brain and skull were examined very carefully in the presence of several medical men of eminence.

After some general observations on the possibility of judging of the configuration of the brain by the inspection of the skull, the author proceeds to examine the development of each organ, in succession, in the head of Romagnosi, and to show the exact correspondence between their relative sizes and the strength and activity of their corresponding manifestations. But in this part of his essay he falls into the error of which we used to complain in our Parisian contemporary-viz. supposing all his readers to be equally conversant with the character and history of Romagnosi as himself, and thus omitting to adduce any facts or illustrations to enable others to judge of the accuracy of his inferences. This omission detracts very much from the interest of the sketch, and wholly destroys its value as evidence in favour of phrenology, except to those who are acquainted with the writings of Romagnosi. We confess that we never read a page of his works, or heard of him as a "celebrity," till this pamphlet was put into our hands. And yet so meagre is the information communicated by the author, that, after reading his account, we

We had prepared a longer notice of the "Manual of Conduct," a work in the perusal of which we had felt much pleasure; but as the length of our own notice (arising from the discussion of points in which we differed from the Author) would have obliged its postponement till the June Number of this Journal, we have preferred the shorter notice above, sent by an esteemed friend. It is our wish to limit this Journal to natural science, and to discuss questions of duty and morality only in so far as these can be determined independently of revelation. On this account the above notice is not editorial. — EDITOR P. J.

can guess at the character of Romagnosi's mind only from the account of his cerebral development. This is much to be regretted, because, with the addition of some information regarding the actual manifestations in conduct, thought, and feeling, the talent and knowledge of the author would have made his little work both practically useful and of no small interest. The mere fact of its publication, however, shows that even in Italy truth is making its way in spite of the Pope and his Bull of excommunication.

A. C.

IX. Caractères Phrénologiques et Physiognomoniques des contemporains les plus célèbres selon les Systèmes de Gall, Spurzheim, Lavater, &c., avec 37 Portraits d'Illustrations contemporaines, &c. &c. Par THEODORE POUPIN. Paris: Baillière. 1837.

THE appearance of this handsome octavo is one among many other proofs we have lately had of the setting of the current of public opinion towards Phrenology. M. Poupin, a young man of an enterprising mind and ardent imagination, seems to have been seized with a strong desire to distinguish himself by writing a book. Allured by the novelty and inherent interest of Phrenology, he has not only selected it for his theme, but with a quick perception of the preference universally given to commentaries upon the characters and dispositions of our fellow mortals over mere general disquisitions, M. Poupin has boldly pounced upon seven and thirty of the most distinguished "celebrités" now alive or recently dead in France, as illustrations of his philosophical remarks, and shown them up not only in their mental peculiarities, but in seven and thirty excellent likenesses, admirably lithographed, which bring them all (with Gall at their head) as vividly before the eye of the reader as if they were marching past in propriis personis.

To give our readers some idea of our friend M. Poupin, we shall lay before them a few extracts from his preface, which is as original in its way as any thing we have lately met with. We only wish we could do it more justice in the translation.

"Thanks to you, Gall, Spurzheim, de la Chambre, and Lavater; thanks to you, Montaigne; thanks to you, Charron ; thanks to you, La Harpe, La Fontaine, Rabelais, Juvenal, Horace, Longinus, Seneca, La Rouchefoucault, Ovid, and Pascal (what a medley!); thanks to you, Bourdaloue, Massillon, and Bossuet; thanks, a thousand thanks to you, amiable Scudèri, de Gournay, de Genlis, and Guizot; thanks to you, noble ladies,

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