Familiar lessons on phrenology : designed for the use of children and youth / by Mrs. L.N. Fowler.
- Fowler, Lydia F. (Lydia Folger), 1823-1879.
- Date:
- 1884
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Familiar lessons on phrenology : designed for the use of children and youth / by Mrs. L.N. Fowler. Source: Wellcome Collection.
17/68 (page 15)
![7. So has that little naughty boy who has been teasing his sister ; he has thrown down all her playthings which she had arranged nicely on the stool, and to complete her sorrow, has even torn off the head of her beautiful doll. He not only does not love his sweet and gentle little sister, but annoys her in every way that he can. Lock at his countenance, and tell me if you think he is happy. This little boy has large Destructiveness. 8. So have all animals that have sharp teeth, and are carnivorous, or fed on flesh. It is a fact, that lions, bears, and other animals of that class, have broader heads than the sheep and other domestic animals. 9. I would not have you think that Destructiveness is a bad organ, and ought never to be exercised. Every organ and faculty which God has given to us, is good in itself, and was given us for a good and definite purpose ; it is only the perversion of an organ that produces bad effects in society. 10. By the perversion of an organ I mean the improper use of it. For example, our hands were given to asgist us in doing a great many things necessary for our support and happiness; our feet were given to us to enable us to walk ; but if we strike each other with our hands, or kick animals, or each other, with our feet, we pervert the use of these instruments given to us for our own good. 11. So with Combativeness and Destructiveness. These organs, if rightly exercised, produce spirit, force, and energy of character. They help us to OATercome the many difficulties which are thrown in our way. With these, we are not affected by heat or cold, when we wish to do anything]; they help us to tame wild animals, and kill them, if necessary, for food. 12. Without these, people would be tame and insignificant creatures, and especially would never succeed in any plans or inventions if Concentrativeness were small also. We should not have had any railroads or steamboats ; the seaman would never have left his home to be absent three or four years, to catch the mighty whale, and bring us oil; and all the great enterprises of the day would not have been undertaken. 13. If children had no Destructiveness, they would never wish to play, or to do anything that required any exertion, bat would remain qaietly at home with their mothers. Bat be very careful not to exercise this organ by striking each other, by being angry and revengefal, or by exhibiting bad tempers when you are young; for all those bad men and women who finally die on the gallows, or are sent to our prisons, -were permitted, when young, to indulge these bad feelings, till they had committed some crime for which they were arrested and punished. 14. Gibbs, the pirate, when a boy, amused himself with dog-fighting, and all other kinds of rough plays, to such a degree, that the coarser feelings of his nature obtained the ascendancy over the higher, better, and moral feelings. 15. You may say that if you have this organ, you must use it, and so cannot help yourselves. But this is not so; for although some are naturally more inclined to deeds of wickedness or kindness than others, yet all can restrain their passions if they wash, and should strive against the indulgence of their wicked feelings. 16. I know a little boy who was naturally inclined to destroy and trouble all the cats, dogs, &c., he saw. His parents were aware of this propensity, and explained to him that it was wrong to torture the innocent merely for his own pleasure, and often conversed with him on this subject. This produced so good an effect, that in the course of a few months or years, his whole disposition was changed, and he is now one of the kindest-hearted boys I ever saw, and is beloved by all who know him. Questions.—What is the definition of Destructiveness ? What is its location ? 1. What is a strong principle of the nature of children? In what way do some children delight to tease animals ? What induces them to do these things ? 2. In what way do bull-dogs show Destructiveness ? What is a great annoyance in the country? What is the difference between Combativeness and Destructiveness? 3. What allowance should we make for these dogs ? Can we make the same for children ? Why not? What should children remember when they feel angry ? 4. Relate the anecdote of the two boys who had large Destructiveness and Combativeness. 5. How do many men show their Destructiveness? What motive induces many to engage in the contest ? 6. In what way is Destructiveness shown ? What do boys frequently do for sport and amusement ? What do they not consider ? What organs did these boys have ? 7. In what way is this organ represented ? 8. What animals have this organ large ? What difference is there between the head of the lion and sheep ? 9. Is Destructiveness a bad organ? What is said of every organ and faculty? What produces bad effects in society ? 10. What is meant by the perversion of an](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3047310x_0017.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
