Phrenology, and how to use it in analyzing character.

  • Morgan, Nicholas.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Phrenology, and how to use it in analyzing character. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    101/444 (page 79)
    -o —o—ft: THE TEMPERAMENTS CONDITIONS TO BE NOTED. 79 endowment, have a necessary relation, and that any diver- gence from symmetry of parts and exquisiteness of outline, modifies the mental functions, either by unduly exciting them or by diminishing their energy. To fully comprehend the temperaments, and to understand their laws and im- portance, a correct idea of perfect physical organization ought to be formed in the mind, and this ideal picture should be retained in the memory, in order to be recalled at pleasure, for the purpose of comparing the form of indivi- duals with it, so that the degree of their imperfection, and their constitutional peculiarities, may be more easily distin- guished and their temperament ascertained. The healthy functions of the entire organism, and the effects caused by any derangement, should also be under- stood by the phrenologist, to enable him to calculate the effects thereby produced on the mental manifestations. The causes of diseased functions ought to be known, too, so that rules may be laid down for their avoidance, and advice given in accordance therewith. The human body is a wonderful piece of mechanism, made up of many parts, which are designed to act in har- monious combination, conducing to health, pleasurable emotions, and intellectual enjoyment. It may be correctly compared to a musical instrument, and the mind to its performer. If an instrument were imperfectly constructed or badly tuned, it would give forth discordant sounds, though presided over by the most dexterous manipulator: even so is it with the mind—it is equally dependent on a perfectly constructed organism for its proper manifestations. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to form such a classi-