ร 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 20OPON. 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." 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 Dr. Macnish deserve the most honourable mention." Now we should like to know why this writer deems the efforts of Dr. Macnish deserving "the most honourable mention." Dr. Macnish quietly kept his phrenology in the back-ground, whilst a hired writer in an opponent magazine-Blackwood, and it was unprofitable to stand forward as a defender of a study then spurned by the public; but as soon as it became profitable to reproduce the ideas of others, in the shape of an elementary work, then he became the author of one, not for the benefit of the science or of others, but for the benefit of his pocket. We allow that he was fully entitled to pursue this course, and mean nothing disrespectful to his memory in alluding to it; but we cannot allow that such a course entitles him to "the most honourable mention" amongst other phrenologists. It would be easy to name a hundred persons whose proceedings have deserved more honourable mention.. How truly ridiculous is this eulogy of Macnish, where are omitted the names of Drs. Combe, Elliotson, Forster, Alderson, Johnson and Paterson, of Sir George Mackenzie, of Messrs. Chenevix, De Ville, Levison, Carmichael, and numerous others, who early and openly supported Phrenology, at a time when that support made many foes and few friends. And were we to adopt the test of actual contributions to the science itself, what numbers would take precedence of Dr. Macnish! What has he done? The size of the hand-book is 44 inches in height, by 3 inches in width, ornamented with a gilt head, and with gilt-edged leaves. Some notion may be formed of the work from these peculiarities. It is petty and pretty, very incomplete as a treatise, but seldom inaccurate. VII. The Principles of the Natural Laws of Man, with the Lights which the New Philosophy will shed upon the World, on many important Points connected with the best Interests of Man. By G. T. BLACK. London: Hamilton and Co. 1837. 12mo. pp. xiii. 162. It is with regret that we find ourselves unable to report in very favourable terms of this small volume; and more so because we are disposed to think that the author might have written much better had he chosen a subject more suitable to youth, if bent upon writing a book. The title-page of the work, as above copied, is faulty in itself; and the first sentence of the "Introduction" affords another example of the errors of expression which appear throughout the work; namely, "The progression of man from his uncivilised to his civilised state, must have struck the most limited observer with perspicuity and force." The essay is strongly stamped by the defects unavoidably occurring where youth and inexperience are brought to the consideration of a subject, which is certainly one of the most difficult that can engage the attention of man. We are given to understand that the author is very young; and were the essay to be viewed only as the production of a very young person, it might be pronounced a creditable repetition, in his own words, of the ideas which he has derived from Mr. Combe's "Constitution of Man," and the professional works which he has studied, for the author is a knight of the lancet. Unfortunately, our duty is to report upon its intrinsic value as a published work, without making allowance for age, or any other disadvantages under which the author may have written. Subjected to this ordeal, we cannot see wherefore the work should have appeared at all. The author says, "I lay no claim to originality of sentiment," and he acknowledges that he acquired" many of its contained views from the perusal of The Constitution of Man." Besides wanting originality, the essay is also far less complete in its subject than is that of Mr. Combe. The language is greatly inferior; and the price is almost the same as that of the most expensive form in which Mr. Combe's work is now sold, and more than double that of the cheaper form, whilst the quantity of type is only one fourth. That we are here subjecting the author to a trying comparison must be allowed, but it is only a comparison which he has himself forced upon others, by attempting to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Combe. If Mr. Black is enamoured of the occupation of book-writing, we seriously advise him to take up some subject more adapted to a youthful mind, and not again to attempt one so difficult as that which he has now unfortunately chosen; at least not until the experience of many years has been gained. It is painful to us thus to discourage a young writer, who is evidently able to feel and appreciate what is morally valuable, and who probably only wants greater experience to qualify him for a public instructor. Ten years hence he may do something much more worthy of himself. He might do so now, in a different field. VIII. The Periodicals. PHRENOLOGY is gradually finding an introduction into some of our best periodicals, which not only speak of the subject in favourable terms, but occasionally contain also useful information and critiques upon it. But owing to the great number of periodical journals now issued from the press, very few persons can see all of them, and probably no one attempts to read half of them. Under these circumstances, we conceive it will be found advantageous, if we introduce regular (though necessarily very brief) notices of the other journals containing papers and information particularly interesting to phrenologists; in order to render the Phrenological Journal, as far as possible, a repertory of all events and publications of moment connected with the science advocated by it. Of course it will be utterly impossible to reprint, or even to give full abstracts of, all these matters, in a journal whose six or eight quarterly sheets are already scarcely sufficient for its purposes; but we may render it in some degree a key to the more interesting articles to be found in other periodicals. Whilst the adoption of this plan will be serviceable to readers of the Phrenological Journal, it will not be without advantage to the periodicals of which we shall have occasion to speak. But the Editor of this Journal being a resident in the country, beyond convenient reach of public libraries, he is placed under some disadvantage here; to obviate which, he made the offer of exchange with any other journals treating of medical science, natural history, or any branch of moral philosophy; he being perfectly willing to pay any difference of value arising from the higher price or more frequent publication of the other journals. To the articles of phrenological interest, in the periodicals thus sent in exchange, we shall give regular references. With respect to those in other journals, we cannot answer for the strictest regularity, though the majority of them will probably be seen. Analyst. No. 22. contains an account of crania found in the ancient mounds of N. America, as read at the last meeting of the British Association, by Dr. Warren. It is an anatomical and physionomical description of the skulls. Dr. W. infers that the crania were those of a race identical with the ancient inhabitants of Peru, and originally derived from the South East of Asia; whilst the present North American Indians were originally derived from Northern Asia. Another article, an analysis of the methods for determining the functions of the brain, appears - to have been also drawn from the report of a paper submitted to the Association, by Dr. Evanson, although no authority is given with it. No. 23. has an analysis of Mr. W. A. F. Browne's recent work on Lunatic Asylums, noticed in No. 53. of this Journal. Though not strictly a phrenological subject, we may recommend attention to a paper by Dr. E. P. Blakiston, entitled, "Observations on the diffusion of scientific knowledge in large towns." And to this recommendation may be added that of some sensible "Thoughts on Education." We regret that Mr. Neville Wood has withdrawn his connexion with this periodical. British and Foreign Medical Review. No. 9. gives us two remarkable cases of extensive disease in the head, unaccompanied by any (except very slight and temporary) corresponding functional derangement, so far as ascertained by the medical attendants. We print in italics, because it is a logical impossibility that extensive disorganisation could exist without some injury to function, and also because in one of the cases entitled, "fatal disorganisation of the brain, without corresponding derangement of the intellectual and moral acts," we greatly doubt the competence of the reporter to test the mental manifestations properly, that is, each distinct faculty more phrenologico. Still, the disease of structure is represented to have been so extensive, that the absence of proofs of mental disturbance obvious to an ordinary' observer is in itself remarkable. The other case is one of abscess in the cerebellum, without any obvious functional disturbance. Following these cases are extracts from a report of the Maclean Asylum, in Boston, U. S., for 1836, which pleasingly exhibit the great benefits flowing from a rational moral treatment of the insane, and especially from providing them with regular occupations both as amusement and labour. Through some mistake the No. for April has not yet reached our hands. Edinburgh Review. No. 84. Mr. Babbage says, that the sceptre of the northern critics has lost authority by falling into feebler hands, and there can be no doubt of the fact: the Review has greatly deteriorated. We observe that its London publishers use the printed sheets as waste paper to tie up their parcels we have had them several times in this way. Our purpose in mentioning the Review here, is that of protesting against the one-sided pleadings of an article in favour of keeping the negroes in slavery, under the name of apprenticeship. It is scarcely necessary, so long after its publication, to call on |