Some account of Dr. Gall's new theory of physiognomy founded upon the anatomy & physiology of the brain, with the critical strictures of C. W. Hufeland.

  • Robinson, Henry Crabb, 1775-1867.
Date:
1807
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Some account of Dr. Gall's new theory of physiognomy founded upon the anatomy & physiology of the brain, with the critical strictures of C. W. Hufeland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    ^ i to the geophysical properties of man, the nature and relations of matter and spirit. These he holds to be irrelevent enquiries. It is enough for him, that the life of man is dependent on his sensible formation, and that there is a connection (tho’ mystical and incomprehensible) between his intellectual and sensible qualities. He does not deter- mine that the one is the cause of the other, but contents himself with observing as closely as he can, the concomitancy of the effect. He is employed in analysing the dust of the earth of which man is formed, not the breath of life which was breathed into his nostrils. It is most obvious that if a particular doc- trine concerning the physical nature of man is not to be invalidated by general theories <lrawn from metaphysics and morals, neither can any such doctrine arise from such theo- ries. Hence Gall has been very anxious to shew how his opinions have always been grounded in particular observations; but whether the analogies by which he has ge- neralised his particular observations have been drawn with sufficient caution, may be fairly doubted. D 2 CHAR