Yet simple nature to his hope has given, The organ is established. 18.-wonder. THIS organ is situated immediately above Ideality. Dr. Gall observed, that some individuals imagine themselves to be visited by apparitions of persons dead or absent; and he asks. How does it happen, that men of considerable intellect often be lieve in the reality of ghosts and visions? Are they fools, or impostors? or, Is there a particular organization, which imposes, in this form, on the human understanding? and, How are such illusions to be explained? He then enters into a historical sketch of the most remarkable instances of visions. Socrates spoke frequently and willingly to his disciples of a demon or spirit, which served him as a guide. Dr. Gall remarks, that he is quite aware of the common explanation, that Socrates referred only to the force and justness of his own understanding; but adds, that if he had not himself believed in a genius communicating with him, the opinion that he had one would have been lost in the twenty-three years, during which Aristophanes had made it a subject of ridicule, and his accusers would not have revived it as a charge against him. Joan of Arc also related an appearance of St. Michael to her, who told her that God had pity on France, and that she was commissioned to raise the siege of Orleans, and to install Charles VII. as King, at Rheims. Tasso asserted himself to have been cured by the aid of the Virgin Mary, and St. Scholastic, who appeared to him during a violent attack of fever. In the historical notes which accompany the Life of Tasso, the following anecdote appears, extracted from the Memoirs of Manso, Marquis of Villa, published after the death of Tasso, his friend. "Tasso, in his delirium, believed that he conversed with familiar spirits. One day, when the Marquis endeavored to drive these ideas from his mind, Tasso said to him, 'Since I cannot convince you by reason, I shall do so by experience; I shall cause the spirit, in which you refuse to believe, to appear to your own eyes.' I accepted the offer," says the Marquis, "and next day, when we sat by the fire conversing, he turned his eyes towards the window; and looking with steadfast attention, appeared so completely absorbed, that when I called to him, he did not answer. 'See! said he, at length, 'See! my familiar spirit comes to converse with me.' I looked with the greatest earnestness, but could see nothing enter the apartment. In the meantime, Tasso began to converse with this mysterious Being. I saw and heard himself alone. Sometimes he questioned, and sometimes answered; and from his answers, I gathered the sense of what he had heard. The subject of his discourse was so elevated, and the expressions so sublime, that I felt myself in a kind of ecstasy. I did not venture to interrupt him, nor to trouble him with questions, and a considerable time elapsed before the spirit disappeared. I was informed of its departure by Tasso, who, turning towards me, said, 'In future you will cease to doubt.' Rather,' said I, 'I shall be more skeptical, for although I have heard astonishing words, I have seen nothing.' Smiling, he replied, 'You have perhaps heard or seen more than He stopped short; and, fearing to importune him by my questions, I dropped the conversation." * Dr. Gall quotes this dialogue from "La Vie du Tasso, publiée à Londres en 1810;" and I have translated from Dr. Gall's citation.† Swedenborg believed himself miraculously called to reveal to the world the most hidden mysteries. "In 1743," says he, "it pleased the Lord to manifest himself to me, and appear personally before me, to give me a knowledge of the spiritual world, and to place me in communication with angels and spirits, and this power has been continued with me till the present day." "Swedenborg," *Sur les Fonctions du Cerveau, tome v. p. 341. + For the original, see Rev. Mr. Black's Life of Tasso, vol. ii. p. 240. say his biographers, "was a man of unquestionable sincerity, but one of the most extravagant enthusiasts that ever existed.”* Dr. Gall remarked, in the first fanatic who fell under his observation, a large developement of the part of the brain lying between the organs of Ideality and Imitation, and subsequently met with many similar instances. Dr. Jung Stilling, says he, whom he often saw with the late Grand Duke of Baden, was a tailor in his youth, then a tutor, afterwards doctor in medicine, moralist, divine, journalist, illuminatus, and visionary; and in him this part of the brain was largely developed. He believed firmly in apparitions, and wrote a book in exposition of this doctrine. In the Maison de Detention at Berne, Dr. Gall saw a fanatic, who believed that JESUS CHRIST, Surrounded by a brilliant light, as if a million of suns had combined their splendors, had appeared to him to reveal the true religion. A gentleman, who moves in the best society in Paris, asked Dr. Gall to examine his head. The Doctor's first remark was, "You sometimes see visions, and believe in apparitions." The gentleman started from his chair in astonishment, and said, that he had frequent visions; but never, up to this moment, had he spoken on the subject to any human being, through fear of being set down for being absurdly credulous. On another occasion, Dr. Gall, when he observed the developement of the head of Dr. W., said, that he ought to have a strong liking for the marvellous and supernatural. "For once," replied he, "you are completely mistaken, for I have laid down the rule to believe in nothing which cannot be mathematically demonstrated." After talking with him on various scientific subjects, Dr. Gall turned the conversation towards animal magnetism, which appeared a fit topic to put the mathematical rigor of his proofs to the test. He instantly became greatly animated, assured Dr. Gall again very solemnly, that he admitted nothing as true that was not mathematically demonstrated; but added, he was convinced that a spiritual being acted in magnetism; that it operated at great distances; that no distance indeed presented an obstacle to its action, and that, on * Lib. cit. p. 342. this account, it could sympathize with persons in any part of the world. "It is the same cause," continued he, "which produces apparitions. Apparitions and visions are rare, no doubt, but they undoubtedly exist, and I am acquainted with the laws which regulate their production." "On this occasion," says Dr. Gall, “1 thought within myself, that my inference from his developement was not so very erroneous as the worthy Doctor wished me to believe." A man named Halleran, of Vienna, imagined himself continually accompanied by a familiar spirit; he saw the spirit, and conversed with it. When he reached his sixtieth year, his genius appeared as if he wished to leave him, and only on certain days in the month was he favored with his presence. At Gersbach, near Durlach, in the Grand Dutchy of Baden, Dr. Gall knew a curate who was confined because he conceived himself to have a familiar spirit. At Manheim there was a man who saw himself continually attended by several spirits: Sometimes they marched at his side, in visible forms; at other times they attended him underground. In these persons Dr. Gall found the part of the brain in question largely developed. He states as questions for consideration, "Does this convolution form part of the organ of Imitation? and, Does its extreme developement exalt the talent for mimicry, to such a degree as to personify simple ideas, and to give them, thus metamorphosed, a locality, out of the individual? or, Does it constitute parts both of Ideality and Imitation? or, finally, Does it constitute a separate organ? These points can be determined only by farther researches." Sir Walter Scott observes, that "no man ever succeeded in imposing himself on the public as a supernatural personage, who was not to a certain degree the dupe of his own imposture."† Dr. Gall mentions, that the organ appears large in the busts of Socrates, Joan of Arc, Cromwell, Swedenborg, and other individuals by whom the tendency before described has been manifested. * Sur les Fonctions du Cerveau, tome v. p. 346. In the portrait of Tasso, it and Ideality both appear largely developed. Dr. Spurzheim, in his recent work "Phrenology,"* observes, "There is still a sentiment which exerts a very great influence over religious conceptions, and which, in my opinion, contributes more than Veneration to religious faith. Some find all things natural, and regulated by the laws of creation; many others are amused with fictions, tales of wonders, and miraculous occurrences. They find in every passing event extraordinary and wonderful circumstances, and are constantly searching after whatever can excite admiration and astonishment. This sentiment is to be observed among mankind at large, both among savages and civilized nations. In every age, and under every sky, man has been guided and led by his credulity and superstition. The founders of all nations have had a fabulous origin ascribed to them, and in all countries miraculous traditions and marvellous stories occur in ample abundance. There are many disposed to believe in dreams, sorcery, magic, astrology, in the mystic influence of spirits and angels, in the power of the devil, in second sight, and in miracles and incomprehensible representations of all sorts. Some, also, are disposed to have visions, and to see ghosts, demons, and phantoms. This sentiment gains credence to the true and also to the false prophet, aids superstition, but is also essential to faith and refined religion. It is more or less active, not only in different individuals, but also in whole nations. Its functions are often disordered, constituting one species of insanity. "The legislators of antiquity, aware of the great influence of this faculty, made frequent use of it to enforce and to confirm their laws. * P. 235. |