A crust for the phrenologists : being a vidimus of lectures on phrenology, purposed shortly to be offered to the public, in which the delusive and unfounded character of that pretended and vaunted science, in both its departments, physical and metaphysical, will be demonstrated / by [Samuel Read].

  • Read, Samuel.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A crust for the phrenologists : being a vidimus of lectures on phrenology, purposed shortly to be offered to the public, in which the delusive and unfounded character of that pretended and vaunted science, in both its departments, physical and metaphysical, will be demonstrated / by [Samuel Read]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    political compulsatory\a.\v—if it be the former, we are' bound, I say, to conform our behaviour to it; and if it be the latter, we are bound to use all reasonable, endeavours to promote its establishment. This is moral obligation ; and hence we see the extent and limits of the term. We are bound by this principle as rational beings, pursuing our own and the public or general weal, to follow these rules of conduct: and as to the observance of the political laws when estab- lished, whether right or wrong, moral or immoral (for these terms are perfectly synonymous), we are bound in another form, as we are answerable and subjected to pains and penalties if we disobey them. If they happen to be wrong, or immoral, we are bound to use all reasonable endeavours to have them repealed ; and if their iniquity be flagrant, it may be our duty to dis- obey them and incur the pains ; in other words, moral \ obligation may demand of us this sacrifice.§ It. is on this ground, then, solely that I meddle with Phrenology ; because it would substitute for this mode of determining moral questions, by reasoning and inquiry into the tendencies and consequences of human conduct and actions, the capricious and self-deceiving decisions of a blind and non-reasoning supposed orga n and faculty; and because the attempt and efforts to do so adds a new obstruction to those already too numer- ous and too powerful which at present exist to the progress of moral science. Besides, this doctrine, that we have a moral sense which distinguishes right and which constitutes them virtues. They are useful to ourselves or others, as the observance of them is the means of personal and social happiness; and any propounded rule of conduct which possesses not a preponderating infusion of this ingre- dient is not a virtue at all; whatever may be pretended in favour of blind bumps and non-reasoning faculties.