developement throughout the different parts of the same individual." (Pages 62-3.)

In two notes connected with this passage, the author alludes to the influence of constitutional peculiarities in the parents upon the organisation of their descendants. In common with several other writers upon the same subject, he recommends individuals" to ally themselves, by preference, with those only who possess, in a characteristic manner, the elements wanting in their own case, in order that, with the common sum of both parents, all the elements of the human constitution may be. fairly represented." This reads plausibly, but we have great doubts as to the soundness of the theory upon which the advice is given. There is in nature an unwillingness (so to speak) to the coupling of extremes, and to the production of wellorganised intermediates from them. Between two animals or plants widely dissimilar-say different genera - nature mostly refuses to produce any intermediate form by their direct union. When different species approach so near to each other in structural characters, that an intermediate or mule progeny can be produced from them, the intermediate progeny is almost always barren, and otherwise defective. When the approximation is close enough for the production of a fertile intermediate progeny, as in varieties of the same species, if the parents be very unlike each other, the offspring either takes decidedly the characteristics of one parent, or exhibits an ungainly combination of some of the excesses and defects of both. The recommendation of uniting opposites is made upon the presumption that the offspring produced will show an average or medium developement; but we understand that breeders of animals do not find this notion hold true in practice; and we strongly incline to the opinion, that it is unwise to attempt abrupt changes, for nature appears to exalt or obliterate given peculiarities only by slow steps, that is, in the course of several successive descents.

V. Physical Education; or, the Nurture and Management of Children, founded on the Study of their Nature and Constitution. By SAMUEL SMILES, Surgeon. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. 1838. Small 8vo. pp. viii. 200.

A TREATISE On Physical (we should prefer to say, Physiological) Education is connected only incidentally with our proper subject, highly important as we must admit the early training

of children to be, in giving health and strength to their mental faculties. Proper Physical Education may be described as that management of the bodies of children which conduces to the most perfect developement of their natural powers; and as the mental powers depend upon a certain part of the body - the brain, the author of this work has chosen an appropriate motto for his title page, in quoting the following words of Paley: "The health and virtue of a child's future life are considerations so superior to all others, that whatever is likely to have the smallest influence upon these, deserves the parent's first attention." A judicious physical education has not only a small, it has a very great, influence on the health and virtue of a child's future life; and therefore is it most richly deserving of every parent's earnest attention. The volume of Mr. Smiles a good deal resembles Dr. Andrew Combe's admirable works on the Principles of Physiology, and on Digestion; but it dif fers from these, by being expressly devoted to the management of children from their earliest years. It would form a serviceable adjunct or appendix to the works of Dr. Combe; and in this way we can recommend it to any of our readers likely to be concerned in the bringing up of children, or, to borrow a fancy word from our author's pages," manlings." The title page shows the author to be a surgeon, and the book has much of the professional bias about it, but is still perfectly intelligible to persons of ordinary ability and education: indeed some might object to it, as being too verbose and explanatory about trifles; but this fulness we must pronounce rather an excellence than a defect in a work of its kind. Possibly every parent might find ideas elaborately dwelt upon, which have become mere common-places to himself or herself; but if the same ideas have not become common-places to all other parents, then does the author judge well in introducing them. We mean, that what is known to A. may be unknown to B., and, on the contrary, B. may be familiar with ideas which would be novel to A. Hence, the necessity of making every work of instruction complete even in points of minor import

ance.

As examples of the author's manner of treating his subject, we shall make two or three extracts, which may at the same either suggest or revive useful reflections to our readers. How frequently, and yet too often how vainly, have recent authors sought to awaken the public to the evils which spring from the foolish (might it not be said? the wicked) custom of keeping young females in utter ignorance of those organic conditions upon which are to depend their own and their children's future health; until, in the ordinary course of nature, they find

themselves mothers, almost wholly destitute of the knowledge requisite for the proper management of their infants, and are then driven to seek advice from nurses and old women full of the silly prejudices and superstitions of uneducated ignorance! Here is an example of Mr. Smiles's ideas on the same subject:

"But why do not mothers as well as fathers make themselves acquainted in some measure with the physical and mental nature of their offspring, and so be enabled in a great measure to avoid the causes of such decay and consequent suffering? Alas! unfortunately for the young, this part of education is as yet unfashionable. While no showy accomplishment, no matter how trivial, is neglected, and no pains spared for acquiring it, the knowledge of living structure, of the laws of animated nature, though ever before their eyes, is almost studiously avoided; and young females as well as males grow up to womanhood and manhood, in entire ignorance of all that relates to their future condition as parents, and the physical and mental developement of the young, for whose welfare they may yet be so deeply responsible. This is more especially the case with the female part of the community, and inasmuch as it is so, it is the more deeply to be deplored, since the management of the young is their peculiar province, and they are influenced for good or evil through life, by the mother's care of their early growth and developement. Is it, then, to be wondered at, when the young female finds herself a mother, with all this previous ignorance of her own and her infant's frame, from acquaintance with which she has, by prejudice perhaps, been so carefully guarded, that she is kept in a state of painful alarm and apprehension, by the occurrence of the most trifling circumstances; or allows real danger to steal on, in a state of the most fatal because unguarded security? Can we be surprised that, of the remaining half that survive their infancy, so many should carry with them through life the effects of their early maltreatment in a deformed frame and debilitated constitution, to propagate the evils they themselves have endured?" (Page 5-7.)

Our author has some sensible observations on another prevalent error, now much censured by physiological writers, namely, that of cramming young children with book-knowledge, instead of judiciously training, and strengthening, and expanding, their minds; whereby they would eventually become better enabled to acquire, and keep, and use, a much greater extent of real knowledge. In the want of exact and intelligible metaphysical terms, we must write in words of physical application, using them in a figurative sense, and say, that

the mind, like a fruit-tree thrown into early bearing, never attains its full size. The men who have made the greatest figure in life, are almost invariably those who have had little booklearning in their earliest years. The mind of a book-crammed child is stunted, and the grown-up man is rendered almost incapable of filling positions which require any considerable grasp of mind or great vigour of purpose. He may be learned, but he is felt to be feeble; and he usually fails to sustain the position to which he may be raised by the homage of those who at first mistake the signs of learning for the indications of mental vigour. In early life, children should read only about things which they have already seen, instead of being forced to learn words which excite no clear ideas. Were this course adhered to, their brains would rarely be over-tasked. We shall conclude our notice of Mr. Smiles, with another extract, relating to this subject.

"Nature has implanted in children a prying curiosity to learn by means of their senses; to handle and examine everything they can reach, with all the sensation they are as yet endowed with. This instinct, as we may term it, should certainly therefore be satisfied and directed. And while engaged in learning by such a natural process, they exercise all their organs equally, -their physical structure, their senses, and their observing faculties; thus, too, acquiring a greater amount of actual knowledge* than could be instilled into them by the most laborious drilling by means of printed books. The conduct and behaviour towards the child, of his nurse or parent, is to him a book; the actions and conversation of those around him, is a book; all nature, indeed, is a book; and from all these sources he is almost incessantly engaged in storing up information and ideas, not mere transient sounds, but actual impressions, such as are best fitted for his slender capacity, and constitute the only intellectual food by which his mind is as yet capable of being nourished..... From moral as well as physical impressions, knowledge is acquired at first hand, as it were, while from written books it is at second hand, and by a routine which children cannot as yet comprehend. They present to children the shadow nature itself is the substance." (Page 195.)

The advantage is rather in the greater accuracy of observation and reasoning thus induced, and therefore an improved capacity for acquiring future knowledge, than in the amount of knowledge per se. Books contain the accumulated information of many; experience is only individual information, less in quantity, but superior in permanence and accuracy in the mind of a child. - EDITOR P. J.

VI. Elementary Works on Phrenology; namely,

The Philosophy of Phrenology Simplified. By a Member of the Phrenological and Philosophical Societies of Glasgow. Third Thousand. Glasgow: W. R. M'Phun. 1838. 18mo. pp. xi. 184. The Science of Phrenology. By 204PON. Glasgow: Symington and Co. 1838. 18mo. pp. 75.

The Handbook of Phrenology. Second Edition. London: C. Tilt. 32mo. pp. viii. 63.

ELEMENTARY works on science by anonymous writers, being usually wretched compilations, got up to pick the pockets of the ignorant, for the benefit of the publisher, we receive them with distaste and distrust. And it is seldom that we are well disposed towards the few correctly written publications of this class, which commonly exhibit that near approach to dishonesty, evidenced in the act of selecting from the works of others, in order to undersell the original and true authors. Whilst we are imbued with these feelings, it may be presumed that a lowpriced and elementary work, published anonymously, must have considerable claims to approval, if it be unhesitatingly recommended to our readers. Such is the Philosophy of Phrenology Simplified, and so is it recommended. The work has been already noticed rather fully in the Phrenological Journal (Vol. X. p. 337.) and we may refer to that notice "for further particulars." It appears that the work has been stereotyped, this impression being called the "third thousand," not third edition. Hence, possibly, must we account for the reappearance of those errors which were pointed out in our former notice; some of which are little better than downright (though probably unintentional) falsehoods.

The Science of Phrenology and the Handbook of Phrenology are booksellers' books, printed for sale to those who seek a smattering of surface knowledge. Still there is some good in them, and we have seen far worse compilations; although we know not why any one should buy them in preference to a work of authority published at the same price, for instance, "Combe's Outlines of Phrenology." Of the two before us, the former is better worth its price, on the score of quantity, although it contains some errors and unauthorised assertions. It is scarcely worth while to specify these; but we shall briefly allude to one remark, because we have known the same strange assertion made by other "Glasgow bodies." Glasgow bodies." After assigning due pre-eminence to the deeds of Mr. Combe, in furtherance of Phrenology, the writer adds, "In addition to his arduous efforts in its behalf, those of Cox, Simpson, Scott, and the late