Monthly Review of Literature. 315 



assemblage of masterly ideas, or as our author himself styles it, " a mixture 

 of phrenology, philosophy, physiognomy, poetry, axioms, religion, drama, 

 andeven politics/' 



The work opens with several short but able chapters upon phrenology and 

 physiognomy, their respective histories as a science, and their utility. Under 

 the latter head, as applied to phrenology, we are induced to offer a quotation : 



" The study of phrenology is useful both to the moralist and the physician. 



" For the moralist, inasmuch as it enables him to discern that morality is 

 indispensable to happiness. It assures him that moral laws are as inherent 

 in human nature as the principles of arts and sciences, and the vegetative 

 laws of organisation ; it shows him the difficulties of judging others with 

 accuracy and justice, and the error that we constantly commit in assuming 

 ourselves as the moral and standard of the human race, praising only what 

 we admire, and blaming that which does not accord with our own manner of 

 acting and of thinking. Phrenology, too, will explain to him the necessity 

 for mutual charity in every thing that does not militate against the universal 

 rules of reason and virtue. 



" As moral causes frequently disturb the vegetative functions, phrenology 

 becomes equally useful to the physician. Without phrenology the doctrines 

 of mental alienation will be merely conjecture and empirical, for an accurate 

 knowledge of the phenomena of the mind in a state of health will be absent. 

 Conformably to this principle men had recourse, during the early ages, to 

 exorcism, under the belief that the insane were possessed of evil spirits ; 

 or they were abandoned to their fate and to nature, under the belief that the 

 soul possessed an action uninfluenced by the body. Restored to the convic- 

 tion by the aid of phrenology, that mental alienation depends upon corporeal 

 causes, and that the immediate cause resides in the brain, the physician will 

 treat the insane according to the principles of general disease. 



" Phrenology is also useful to human happiness in pointing out the path to 

 be pursued in the perfection of human nature. 



" We therefore do not hesitate to affirm that, with time, phrenology will 

 become, as it is already in Germany, the science of sciences ; it will improve 

 the condition of individuals, of families, of nations ; it will rectify all philo- 

 sophical systems, will establish a certain and unchanging psychology, and 

 will serve as the foundation of all future social institutions/' 



M. Ponpin then deems it necessary to display, simply and distinctly, the 

 anatomy of the brain and skull, in reference to the science ; he concludes 

 the chapter by saying : 



" All this is doubtless very tedious, and but little interesting ; but this 

 description is necessary to those who have never studied anatomy. The 

 comprehension of the following pages depends upon the knowledge given in 

 these preliminary chapters. Better is it that the first twelve pages should be 

 tedious to the reader than that the successive chapters should remain unin- 

 telligible for want of this same anatomic chapter, for the which we most 

 humbly crave the pardon of our readers/' 



A very necessary and important topic in the study of Phrenology, The in- 

 fluence of the temperaments upon the affective and intellectual phenomena is 

 thus agreeably discussed in the eighth chapter ; it is scenic and conversational. 

 The patron of the work replies to the author : 



" According to your opinion then, Mirabeau and Burnani were indebted 

 for the exercise of courage, eloquence, decision, and circumspection, to the 

 possession of a bilious temperament ? " 



" Yes, and agreeably to my system, that persons of a sanguine tempera- 

 ment like yourself, my dear Jules, have generally a vivid perception, a faith- 

 ful memory, and a fertile and lively imagination ; that they are generous, 

 satirical, and joyous, and born foes of indifferent cheer, picquet, and melan- 

 choly. 



