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.

    60/410 (page 54)
    On account of these things a few captious writers have Bndeavoured to lessen, if not destroy, the merit of Gall as a discoverer; an att«;tnpt of which that noble spirit now recks not, and whith can have no effect on the truth or utility of Phrenology. Still we remind such objectors that Giordano Bruno had said that it is by no means impro- bable that there are other planets revolving round our own sun, which we have not noticed, either on account of their minute size or remote distance, yet this detracts not from the merit of Herschel. Some had expressed confused no- tions concerning the circulation o- the blood; yet we al- low not this to tarnish the honours of Harvey. Bacon sug- o-ested that there may be some kind of magnetic influence operating by consent between the earth and heavy bodies, die moon and the waters of the sea, the starry heavens and the planets ; yet we strip not Newton of his crown. Ba- con had said that it seemed to him incredible that the rays of celestial bodies can instantaneously pass to us, and that be suspected that the stars are not seen by us in their true situations ; yet we do not consider this as diminishing the merit of Dr. Bradley, the prover of the aberration of light. Bacon conjectured, that air might be converted into water by condensation ; yet Biot's fame is not on this account les- sened. A few farmers had long been acquainted with the efficacy of cow pox matter; yet this did not preclude Jen- ner from a parliamentary reward, and a world's grati- tude. So others darkly guessed,at what Gall clearly pro- ved. He was not content with guessing ; he demonstra- ted, by laborious investigation and rigid induction. He travelled from city to city, teaching and extending his ob servations : he devoted to the task his property, his talonls, his energies f^r many years, steadily pursuing his c<Mirae amid laughter, mockery and vituperation. Columbus like, he lay not supinely on his back, vaguely conjecturing that beyond the vast and trackless ocean might lie some rich and undiscovered country. N :; despite the Gorgons, hydrtiii