Lectures on phrenology / By George Combe, Esq. With notes, an introductory essay, and a historical sketch by Andrew Boardman, M.D.

  • Combe, George, 1788-1858.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on phrenology / By George Combe, Esq. With notes, an introductory essay, and a historical sketch by Andrew Boardman, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    Shaitcpeare adiiiirablj contrasts the lymphatic and ner rous temperaments in the scene between Caesar and An tony : C(Bsas. Lot rae have men about me that are fat- Slsek-headcd men, and such as sleep o' nights. Yond' Cassius has a lean and hungry look: He thinks too much—such men are dangerous Antony. Fear him not, Caesar; he's not dangerous— He is a noble Roman, and well given. Caesar. Would he were fatter—but I fear him not; Yet if my name v^rere liable to fear, I do not know the man I should avoid So soon as that spare Cassius. It is to be remembered, then, that a large brain may, in fact, be less active than a smaller one if its temperament be inferior. But in judging- the relative power of organs, temperament need not be considered, as all the organf* of the same head are of the same temperament. In cases of disease great size may be present, and yet the manifestations of mind may be yerj feeble and imperfect. In this case, size forms no measure of power any more than in the case of a leg affected with dropsy. Now, if the brain be the organ of mind, and different parts of the brain manifest different faculties, it cannot be in- different what part is most or least developed, for it is obvi- ous that two brains may be composed of precisely the same quantity of cerebral matter, and yet manifest totally differ ent qualities. The form of the bead, therefore, is not less interesting and important to phrenologists than the sfze. Before proceeding further with the consideration of this subject however, let us glance at the means which have been used by those inquirers w?io have preceded Dr. Gall, to ascertain the true philosophy of mind and functions of the brain. By one set of pnilosophers, the laws of thought have been expounded withait anv reference to organization.' Sucli