bone. The former he conceives to be the organ of Inhabitiveness, of Dr. Spurzheim, and the latter that of Concentrativeness, of Mr. Combe, in whose views he is disposed to concur, as far as his explanation of that mental faculty is concerned. Dr. Vimont's observations are chiefly confined to the lower animals, in which he considers the situation of the organ as almost demonstrated. In man he refers us to facts, like Mr. Combe. "It now remains," he says "for observations, repeated a great number of times, on persons whose mental qualities are known, to confirm in man the unvarying coincidence between development of this part of the brain, and the functions attributed to it by Mr. Combe."

This advice must be implicitly followed, if there is to be any chance of the question being finally settled. It is the duty of phrenologists to lay aside abstract reasoning on these organs entirely, until a large collection of carefully-sifted facts can be obtained, by observation of the development of individuals of marked mental feelings either of Inhabitiveness or of Concentrativeness the observer being so intimately acquainted with the general character of such, as to run no chance of confounding the manifestations. A great number of these observations put together, compared and examined, the truth must soon become evident.

It is now my object to lay before the reader a few observations which I have very carefully made, on individuals with whose mental feelings and cerebral development I am thoroughly acquainted, to take a glance at the opinions recently published by various phrenologists, on the organ of Concentrativeness, and to examine how far the existence of the mental quality attributed to it by Mr. Combe, appears in the character of individuals, and in the style of writing of some authors who shall be cited.

No. 1. A gentleman of much intellect, both perceptive and reflective, great activity of mind, and the highest moral qualities, actively engaged in business, and universally liked; moderate Self-Esteem, much Love of Approbation, but decided deficiency of Concentrativeness. It has been repeatedly remarked to me, by persons acquainted with this gentleman, "What a sensible and agreeable man Mr. is, and yet

it is very odd, there is nobody I find such a difficulty in sustaining conversation with!" For a long time I had observed the same thing myself, and accounted for it only by supposing that my conversation was not interesting to him. This, however, proved afterwards not to be the case. I often purposely. broached topics in which he took the greatest interest, but with precisely the same result: he commenced with the utmost

energy, and made a remark of much force and point, but almost invariably tapered off in a way his beginning would not by any means have led one to expect. Frequently, when every body thought the subject dropped, he would make a fresh observation on it; in fact he carries on conversation by making remarks at intervals, apparently when a fresh view of the subject strikes him, but never giving his opinion, even on topics he is perfectly master of, and of which his listeners may be comparatively ignorant, in a concise and connected manner, so as to lay it clearly before them and finish. No wonder, therefore, that on general subjects, a difficulty should be experienced in sustaining conversation with him. I am acquainted with a relation of his, endowed with a general organization very different, but having the like deficiency of Concentrativeness, and his mental manifestations are precisely similar in this respect, but in few others. How far they exhibit Dr. Spurzheim's faculty of Inhabitiveness, I have not had an opportunity of judging.

No. 2.-A gentleman of much general intellect, and moral qualities of a very high order, singularly high temperament, strong passions; Combativeness, Adhesiveness, and Self-Esteem very large; Concentrativeness being deficient, especially the lower part, that bordering on Self-Esteem being fuller. This is a character very different from the one just described. Energy and perseverance to excess, constant (?), never-failing in friendship, and in some other things on which his prejudices are strong; but in general fickle and changeable (?), frequently pursuing a course with much violence for a time, which he will soon lay aside for another. In conversation, long, energetic, and rambling, in relating any thing very circumstantial, and pretty clear, but in public speaking, (of which he is very fond,) so round-about, that sometimes, after half an hour, it is quite impossible to guess at his subject. He introduces so many things that do not bear on the point at issue, that persons hearing only detached parts of his speech would each go away with different impressions of what his subject was; and yet his discourses always evince much talent and information. Strongly, even ludicrously, attached to the place of his birth, where he has passed the greater part of his life. His love for every thing connected with it is so excessive that it appears distinct from his attachment to his friends.

No. 3. A gentleman of good intellect, first rate moral qualities, and a well cultivated mind, temperament lymphaticonervous, Self-Esteem moderate, Concentrativeness decidedly small both in the upper and lower parts. Was in his younger days so remarkable for adopting views, and laying them aside again, that his friends who might have been absent from him

during a few months, generally used to inquire on seeing him again, what particular subject occupied his attention now? I have often heard him declare, that to apply his mind to any particular study requiring close attention, was to him utterly impossible; although he ardently desired to do so, and vainly tried to adopt means to enable himself to succeed. In conversation he possesses the peculiarity of the gentleman described first. At times, when not occupied by business, he amuses himself by short journeys from place to place, from what motive I am altogether unable to form an opinion, but it always appeared to me a sort of distaste to remain long in one spot, when not detained by any special engagement. I never could trace any particular partiality for one place more than another, except the wish to be near his friends, which is strong. The organ of Locality is of an average size. I have not been able to detect any particular attachment to the place of his birth and childhood, as he seldom visits it, though he lives within a few hours' journey.

No. 4.- A gentleman of much intellect, both perceptive and reflective, high temperament, organs of the moral qualities unusually large, Self-Esteem moderate, Firmness, Adhesiveness and Concentrativeness large. This character is different from any of the foregoing, although there are many things in common. He is distinguished by what is called "always coming to the point." It is so excessive in him, as to have become quite a saying among his friends; but is not more excessive than useful. He is systematic to a great degree, and is remarkable for never undertaking any thing that he does not finish. He makes a point of always doing whatever he is about thoroughly, and frequently expresses contempt for those that "half do" any thing. This does not arise from the sphere of his occupations being limited, for they are very widely extended. He may have sometimes half a dozen different things to do in the way of public business, besides his own occupations, which are varied; but from the systematic manner in which he goes about them, and the quiet energy he applies to each, he manages to get through a great deal of work without any confusion, never leaving any thing to be done to-morrow that can be done today. The same thing is observable in his style of writing, it being condensed, and comprehensive, and entirely free from any extraneous matter. He lays a subject before his readers in a clear, intelligible point of view, and has, I believe, never yet been known to be misconstrued. His sentences are sometimes long, when the subject appears such as can be finished in a single one; which is often a great defect, for they not unfrequently occasion so much trouble to follow to the end, as to

oblige the reader to go over them several times. Is greatly averse to public speaking, but, when obliged to do so, is short, and to the point, never introducing any thing unconnected with the subject, in the remotest degree. This does not arise, however, from poverty of ideas, for he is of very elevated mind, and is remarkable for being equally at ease on all general subjects. His attachment to his friends is almost incapable of being diminished; but I have never been able to ascertain to my satisfaction, whether he entertains any particular partiality for the place (merely) of his boyhood, or any other where he has long resided, apart from the circumstance of his friends being there. I am inclined, however, to think that he does not. Locality is exceedingly large in his head.

No. 5.-A gentleman of cultivated mind, and great general intellect, especially the perceptive organs; Locality large, Adhesiveness, Self-Esteem, and Concentrativeness, especially the upper portion of it, very large. Has in great perfection the capability of mastering the subject he commences, by undeviating application of all his faculties to it. He consequently attains a profound knowledge of whatever he undertakes, and an admirable facility in stating an opinion on it with clearness and brevity; but the pursuits he does undertake are few: he appears to dislike having a variety of subjects for his mind to dwell on, although his natural facilities for acquiring general information are unusually great. I have sometimes inquired of him why he neglected a particular branch of literature, I knew him once to have cultivated, and to have a taste for, and received for answer, that, being a thing he liked much, he was afraid to meddle with it; for if he did so at all, he should find too much difficulty in keeping himself from bestowing his whole mind upon it, to the exclusion of those branches of science, to which he had uninterruptedly devoted himself for a number of years, and which he resolved to continue during life. He generally prefers to study in that part of the room he is accustomed to, and even dislikes to have any of the furniture changed. Change of residence (I mean going from one house to another in the same town) is particularly displeasing to him, and after changing his rooms (for a very sufficient reason only) I have known him go back at times to his old quarters, for no reason that I ever could ascertain more than a cat does under the same circumstances, and he never passes them without casting a sort of lingering look on them, and this from no extra comfort to be found there, or any other discoverable motive. On one occasion when he went to a new house, he had it furnished in such a manner that (as he expressed it) he never should have it changed or renewed to whatever time of life he might require

it. He retains an enthusiastic attachment to the place of his birth and childhood, which he quitted entirely when a boy, with all his friends. It is a deep-seated affection that seems solely confined to the place, without any reference to friends. He is exceedingly fond of travelling, and yet he never can remain long on the Continent without coming back to England. I have known him start for France, with the full intention of indulging his propensity to travel over the European Continent for a considerable time, and as often return at the end of eight or nine months, for no other reason than that his desire to come back to England was so great as almost to amount to a necessity. * This was exceedingly disagreeable to him, in consequence of its interfering with his desire to travel. He was at one time affected with a complaint which bore very much the appearance of Nostalgia, and during his residences abroad, is frequently subject to low spirits, even though accompanied by friends to whom he may be devotedly attached. His constancy in friendship is extraordinary, and often leads him to commit foolish

actions.

No. 6. A gentleman of the usual development in most of the organs; of nervous sanguine temperament, the former considerably predominating; large Locality, Self-Esteem, Inhabitiveness, Concentrativeness; well-developed Adhesiveness. Distinguished by a restless activity of mind; cannot exist without constantly being engaged in some occupation or other; possesses in a considerable degree the power of concentrating his whole mind on the subject that comes before his attention. Regarding his attachment to places, he has often told me, that although he had left the place of his birth when a very young boy, and never since had an opportunity of visiting it, yet that his attachment to it is ineffaceable, and not in consequence of friends, for he has had next to none within many hundred miles of it for fourteen or fifteen years: the attachment is to the place solely, apparently to the very soil, with every thing standing upon it. Often in discoursing or thinking about it, his feelings even at so long a distance of time, find vent in tears, and he has told me, that occasionally when his dreams turned on the subject, every minute spot and corner in the neighbourhood of the place, which he had not seen for upwards of sixteen years, came vividly before his mind; the trees and houses, the very ripple on the surface of the river, were presented to his imagination with all the distinctness of actual sight, and he would awake nearly suffocated with sobbing, arising from a feeling, which he described as "a complete overwhelm of pleasurable

• Such, at least, were the reasons he always assigned to me for his return.