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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    Too much credit cannot be ffiven to Mr. S. W.Dewey, for hia great as&Uuity is attenduig to the general business ot'the coramiuee, nor to Mr. William Morrison, by vviioia tiie plan of the vase was drawn.^ and the vase itself executed with such exiiuisitc skill i'liis leslimonial, from the iSew-York class, was presented to Mr. Cuinbe on iliu 2Lld n* March, 1840. and as his appearance on that occasion may properly be considered the ler iiiiiiation of !iis Piirenological labors in the United States, 1 here record the [iroc(;c(iind j The vase was presented at Howard's Hotel, in presence of the subscribers and others, Dy a committee consistiiig of the folloving geiiilemen: Mr. E. P. Uurllmt, ll(;v. 'J'. J Bawyer, Dr. Foster, Mr. S. W. Dewey, Mr. E. C. Benedict, and Dr. Boanlmaii. 'I'lie chairman of the committee, Mr. Hurlbut, thus adtirecsod Mr. iJonibe : Sir:—The members of the class who alteiuiod your lectures, delivered in this city daring the past year, have instructed us to present you with this vase, winch, in iheir names, we now beg you to accept. 1 bears upon one side three medallic likenesses, exijuisitely wrought—one of Gull, ic wbosij great discoveries in nature we are indebted for the true scietice of mind ;—one of Bpurzheim, who tirst aided in illustrating and establishing it;—and the other ot yourself, their lirst and favorite British disciple. This high and just association will ever endure. He who founded, and they who first illustrated and advanced the true science of intellectual aud moral philosophy, will descend tjjo stream of time together, shedding lustre upon future ages, and living in the gratefu; memories of generations to come after us. Upon this vase are also presented other medallic likenesses ; one of Rush, wliose far- Boeing eye, penetrating the veil of nature, which Gall afterward lifted, had visions of some of the great truths which he demonstrated ; and the other of Caldwell, who was the first uinon^ our countrymen to embrace aud defend the doctrines of the great German with a boldness and vigor peculiarly his own. We feel a patriotic pride, in associating the names of two of our own countrymen with the most'distinguished names of Europe, connected with mental science. You are soon to return to your native land—to your and our fathers' country. Your visit here has awakened the interest of thousands, in your welfare—of tliou- fcands who are not wanting in gratitude for the instruction and delight which your dis- courses have afforded them—but who have had no opportunity to manifest, as we do on this most favored occasion, their high appreciation of your character anti attainments, and tlie enduring impression which your visit has made upon their minds. Their and our best wishes attend you. Receive, then, this vase, (the inscription upon which is also graven upon our hearts;) and bearit to your home—a tribute to truth, and to the champion of truth; nnd restassurcsd, that in our estimation, we could be called to perform no prouder ofiicu, than to render a just tribute of respect and admiration to the author of'The Constitution of Man.' Mr. Combe received the vase, and spoke as follows: GKNTLEMKNi^Although I caniiot correctly say tha,t I am unused to public speaking, ►et, on occasions like the present, words fail me to express what I feel. I accept of your iandsome and generous gift with the higliest gratification. The classical elegance of form, the exquisite workmanship, and the appropriate devices which it bears, render it a gem of beauty. As a mere physical object, indeed, its merits in this respect have been Hppreciated in this citj^; it has gained the gold medal offered for the encouragement of art, and it will successfully sustain the strictest scrutiny of the distinguished artisans of ll»e country to which I am about to carry it. But it is as a moral monument of your favorable estimation of my labors among you, and of the interest which you have taken in the science of mind, that it possesses tome an inestimable value. To Dr. Gall alone belongs the glory of iiaving discovered the functions of the brain: Dr. Spurzheim generously devoted hia whole life to the extension, improvement and diffusion of this ^olendid product of Gall's onginality and genius: and it is ditbcult to do justice to the noble sacrifice which he made to the ciiuse of truth. When Dr. Spurzheim became the disciple of Gall, no human being defended Phrenology except its author: and he not only stood alone, but cncoun- tororl the hostility of civilized Europe, from ihe emperor to the peasant, a few high- juirded individual.^ only excepted, who were silenced by the hand of power if they rose Biiporior to tiie influence of scorn. It is no slender honor to me that you associate me with such men. Mine has been a flowery path compared with theirs. It is true that, when still a young man, without name, fortune, high _ associations, or any external bdvanlages to sustain me against public disapprobation, I fearlessly risked every I'rospect which the fuluTo held forth to my ambitioUj and became the defender of Phre- nology when it had few other friends in the British isles. Professional ruin was prophe- Cied as the inevitable consequence of this, as it was then styled, rash and inconsi<lerate Ptep. But for the encouragement of the young and ardent worshippers of truth, I am iM'.abicd to say that these auguries riever were realized. Many were the shafts of ridicule that were hurled against me, and bitter the taunts poured forth by a hostile press; but Oiey never, penetrated to rny soul, disturbed my peace, nor impeded my prosperity. 1 iiietitiori this, not in the spirit of vain-glory, but to confirm the young in the assurance, that the path of truth and independence may be safely trodden even against a world in arms, if eouragoand perseverance be added to prudence in the advance. Allow mc to say, that your gifl receives a high additional interest from bearing also Uie portraits of Dr. Benjamin Rush and Dr. Charles Caldwell, both distinguishea sons of ,he United States. The former supported, with admirable sagacity and eloquence, the toimection betwjen the brain and the mind, and proved the influence of the condition of