eries to those of Dr. Gall, in the anatomy and physiology of the brain, but formed the truths brought to light, by their joint observations, into a beautiful and interesting system of mental philosophy. In Britain we are indebted chiefly to his personal exertions and printed works for a knowledge of the science.

In the beginning of his inquiries, Dr. Gall did not, and could not, foresee the result to which they would lead, or the relation which each successive fact, as it was discovered, would bear to the whole truths which time and experience might bring into view. He perceived, for instance, that the intensity of the desire for property, bore a relation to the size of one part of the brain; he announced this fact by itself, and called the part the organ of Theft, because he had found it largest in thieves. When he had discovered that the propensity to destroy was in connexion with another part of the brain, he announced this fact also as an isolated truth, and named the part the organ of Murder, because he had found it largest in criminals condemned for that crime. In a similar way, when he had discovered the connexion between the sentiment of Benevolence and another portion of the cerebral mass, he called the part the organ of Benevolence; and so on in regard to the other organs. This mode of proceeding has nothing in common with the formation of an hypothesis; and, so far from a disposition to invent a theory being conspicuous, there appears, in the disjointed items of information which Dr. Gall at first presented to the public, a want of even an ordinary regard for systematic arrangement. His only object seems to have been to furnish a candid and uncolored statement of the facts in nature which he had observed; leaving their value to be ascertained by time and farther investigation.

As soon, however, as observation had brought to light the great body of the facts, and the functions of the faculties had been contemplated with a philosophical eye, a system of mental philosophy appeared to emanate almost spontaneously from the previous chaos

When the process of discovery had proceeded a certain length, the facts were found to be connected by relations, which it was im possible sooner to perceive. Hence, at first, the doctrines appeared as a mere rude and undigested mass, of rather unseemly mate

rials; the public mirth was, not unnaturally, excited, at the display of organs of Theft, Murder, and Cunning, as they were then named; and a degree of obloquy was brought upon the science, from which it is only now recovering. At this stage the doctrines were merely a species of physiognomy, and the apparent results were neither very prominent nor inviting. When, however, the study had been pursued for years, and the torch of philosophy had been applied to the facts discovered by observation, its real nature, as the science of the human mind, and its high utility, became apparent ; and its character and name changed as it advanced. The following observations of Mr. Locke are peculiarly applicable to its history and prospects. "Truth (says he) scarce ever yet carried it by vote any where, at its first appearance. New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed without any other reason, than because they are not common. But truth, like gold, is not the less so, for being newly brought out of the mine. 'Tis trial and examination must give it price, and not any antique fashion; and, though it be not yet current by the public stamp, yet it may, for all that, be as old as nature, and is certainly not the less genuine."

Having now unfolded the principles and method of investigation of Phrenology, I solicit the attention of the reader to one question. We have heard much of Antiphrenologists; and I would ask, What does Antiphrenologist mean? Does it mean a person who, like Mr. Jeffrey, denies that the mind in feeling and reflecting uses organs at all? To such a one I reply, that he ought to call himself an antiphysiologist; because, as already mentioned, every physiological writer of eminence, in Europe, maintains, that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that injuries of it impair the mental functions. Or does Antiphrenologist mean one who admits the brain to be the organ of the mind, but contends that the whole of it is essential to every mental act? then I request of him to reconcile with his theory the phenomena of dreaming, partial genius, partial idiocy, partiai insanity, partial lesion of mental functions arising from partial injuries of the brain, and the successive developement of the mental powers in youth. If Antiphrenologist means a person who

admits the mind to manifest a plurality of faculties by a plurality of organs, but denies that Phrenologists have ascertained any of them, I ask him, Whether he disputes the three grand propositions, first, That dissection alone does not reveal functions; second, That reflection on consciousness does not reveal organs; and, thirdly, That mental manifestations may be compared with developement of brain? If he denies these principles, then he is beyond the reach of reason; while, if he admits them, I would ask him to state what forms of brain, and what mental manifestations he found concomitant in his observations? because, until he shall make such a statement, his denial of the correctness of the observations of others is entitled to no consideration. But an Antiphrenologist, in any of these senses, has never yet appeared. The word, in its common signification, seems to indicate only an individual who is pleased to deny that Phrenologists are right, without knowing either their principles or facts, or having any pretensions to advance the cause of truth, by propounding sounder data or correcter observations of his own.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE SPINAL MARROW

AND NERVES.

BEFORE entering on the discussion of the Brain, it may be useful to give a brief account of Mr. Charles Bell's discoveries of the functions of the Nerves. Dr. Spurzheim, and many authors before him, very early published the conjecture, that there must be different nerves for sensibility and motion, because one of the powers is occasionally impaired, while the other remains entire. Mr. Bell has furnished demonstrative evidence of this being actually the fact. He has also given due prominence to the philosophical principle, so urgently insisted on by Phrenologists, That, in all departments of the animal economy, each organ performs only one function; and that wherever complex functions appear, complex organs may be safely predicated, even anterior to the possibility of demonstrating them. The present section is derived from Mr. Bell's Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body, vol. ii., 7th

edition, 1829; and, in as far as possible, I have adhered to his own expressions. My object is to introduce general readers to a knowledge of his discoveries, which form parts of an extensive System of Anatomy, or of Philosophical Transactions, or of professional publications, which they seldom peruse. I shall omit all details necessary only for medical students, as Mr. Bell's work is the proper source of instruction for them. Even the general reader will probably resort to Mr. Bell's pages, after being informed of their interesting contents; he will find them clear, instructive, and most ably supported by evidence. Any errors or inaccuracies in the following condensed abstract, are chargeable against myself; for although in general I have followed Mr. Bell's own expressions, the arrangement is greatly altered, and, occasionally, sentences of my own are introduced.

A nerve, says Mr. Bell, is a firin white cord, composed of nervous matter and cellular substance. The nervous matter exists in distinct threads, which are bound together by the cellular membrane. They may be likened to a bundle of hairs or threads, inclosed in a sheath composed of the finest membrane.

The figure represents a nerve greatly magnified, for the sake of illustration, and consisting of distinct filaments; A, the nerve, enveloped in its membranous sheath; B, one of the threads dissected out. The nerves in thickness vary from the diameter of a small thread to that of a whip-cord. They are dispersed through the body, and extend to every part which enjoys sensibility or motion, or which has a concatenated action with another part.

The matter of a nerve in health, and in the full exercise of its influence, is of an opaque white; it is soft and pulpy, betwixt fluid and solid, and drops from the probe. When putrid, it acquires a green color; when dried, it is transparent. Corrosive sublimate

and muriate of soda harden it; alkalis dissolve it. Each fibril of a nerve is convoluted, and runs not in a straight line, but zig-zag, like a thread drawn from a worsted stocking, which has by its form acquired elasticity that it would not otherwise have possessed. By want of use, the matter of a nerve is either not secreted in due proportion, or it changes its appearance; for the nerve then acquires a degree of transparency.

There is no evidence that any fluid or spirit circulates in the nerves; nor is there any that the nervous fibrils are tubes.

Nerves are supplied with arteries and veins, and their dependence on the supply of blood is proved by the fact, that if a limb be deprived of blood, the nerves lose their powers, and sensibility is lost. If a nerve be partially compressed, so as to interrupt the free entrance of the blood into it, both the power over the muscles and the reception of sensation through it are interrupted; and when the blood is admitted again, painful tingling accompanies the change. It is not the compression of the tubes of a nerve, but the obstruction of its blood-vessels, which produces the loss of power consequent on tying it. The brain, the nerve of the eye, the ear, the nerves of sense and motion, are all affected by changes in the circulation; and each organ, according to its natural function, is variously influenced by the same cause-the rushing of blood into it, or the privation of its proper quantity.

A nerve consists of distinct filaments; but there is nothing perceptible in these filaments to distinguish them from each other. One filament serves for the purpose of sensation; another for muscular motion; a third for combining the muscles, when in the act of respiration. But the subserviency of any of all these filaments to its proper office, must be discovered by following it out, and observing its relations, and especially its origin in the brain and spinal marrow. In their substance there is nothing particular. They all seem equally to contain a soft pulpy matter, enveloped in cellular membrane, and so surrounded with a tube of this membrane as to present a continuous track of pulpy nervous matter, from the nearest extremity in the brain to the extremity which ends in a muscle or in the skin.