Phrenology vindicated : being a reply to the article by Dr Andrew Wilson, entitled "The old phrenology and the new", which appeared in "The gentleman's magazine", January, 1879 / by A.L. Vago.

  • Vago, A. L. (Ambrose Lewis)
Date:
[1879?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Phrenology vindicated : being a reply to the article by Dr Andrew Wilson, entitled "The old phrenology and the new", which appeared in "The gentleman's magazine", January, 1879 / by A.L. Vago. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    instances where insanity and idiocy were associated with brains of large size.” Phrenologists have not left it to be merely sur- mised, but have given it as one of the propositions of Phrenology, that the cerebral organs are developed each in proportion to the power of its particular func- tion. Of course this applies to the whole of the brain, although not always when individual is compared with individual, because these often differ in temperament or constitutional condition. This, though often over- looked by “ outsiders,” is never lost sight of by the phrenologist, who well knows that the brain, from being all of a piece with the rest of the body, partakes of its general qualities. If, therefore, he sees a man all blubber and puff, he attaches no importance to his head, although it were as large as the dome of St. Paul’s. Not so when the temperament is refined, which is known by a compactness of texture, seen in the face, and shown by the general proportions of the body. When, in reference to the mental faculties, Dr. Wilson speaks of “good and bad qualities,” he makes use of language which shows that he does not under- stand Phrenology, for there are no bad faculties—it is only their abuse that is regarded as bad. Cases of great men having small heads being common is not at all surprising to the phrenologist.