Strictures on phrenological doctrines upon the human intellect : in a letter addressed to Dr. Spurzheim / by John Manesca.

  • Manesca, John, approximately 1780-1838.
Date:
1832
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Strictures on phrenological doctrines upon the human intellect : in a letter addressed to Dr. Spurzheim / by John Manesca. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    my criticism of its doctrines must assume a twofold character, viz. the one opposing Dr. Gall's fundamental views, and the other discussing yours, together with those of reformed phrenology ; so that, the very thing I might say against the phrenology of Dr. Gall, I should have to unsay when 1 alluded to modern reformed phrenology : the same things I should have alternately to commend and to condemn, as they would belong to the one or the other principle, which would be ex- tremely puzzling to me, and still more so perhaps to^ my readers. But as it is not less my interest than it is theirs, that new difficulties should not be added to those which already are in my way, I will adopt the first alternative ; and the more readily, as not only no formal de- claration to the contrary, from modern phrenologists, has ever reached me, but, because phrenology, as it is developed in your works, sir, and in your public lectures, appears to me to stand on the identical foundations upon which Dr. Gall erected it. Thus, sir, the father of phrenology conceived that individuals, having received nearly the same education, and being, notwithstanding, intellectually and morally different from one another, must have been made so by some other causes than those which act upon sensibility; but, if we exclude those causes by which our sensitive and perceptive organs are acted upon, when sensation or perception, that is, mind, is produced^what remains ? Nothing : except it be assumed, that the organs themselves possess the faculty of setting themselves in action, that they create their own activity ; in short, that sensation, perception or mind, makes itself. We should not be surprised, that, after so bold an assumption, Dr. Gall felt no reluctance in concluding that there existed certain facul- ties and propensities unequally distributed or developed among indi- viduals, which, independent of extraneous influences, produced those differences observable among them ; and such conclusion, sir, and the erroneous opinion whence it sprung, which appear to me a complete misconception of the human intellect, are the foundation of his phrenological doctrines, such as they are promulgated by all phrenologists of the present day. Let us see whether my assertion is well founded. Mr. G. Combe, who, I think, is still living, in his preliminary observations, expresses himself about Dr. Gall, in the following manner. He also observed, that those whose education had been conducted with the greatest care, and on whom the labours of teachers had been most freely lavished, remained far behind their companions in their attainments. This extract from Mr. G. Combe plainly shows how strangely con- tracted his, as well as Dr. Gall's ideas upon education must have been ; else how could either of them have imagined that education consists in the pompous niaiseries which youth are taught in colleges and universities, &c. ? With so contracted, so mean an idea of the term education, Dr. Gall, and his follower, Mr, G. Combe, do not appear to me competent judges to pronounce upon the greatest care or the la. hours of teachers. Very few men, among the millions, are qualified to pass a sound judgment upon teaching or education ; but these tew