CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 323 



volume is calculated to afford much curious literary and philosophic 

 entertainment. 



Mr. Watson disclaims all intention of having written his Statis- 

 tics for the purpose of teaching Phrenology ; but it appears to him 

 advisable to introduce a brief sketch, at p. 50, of what the science 

 now professes to be, if regarded as a branch of philosophy. Accord- 

 ing to him, Phrenology signifies the science of mind in connexion 

 with the body ; and, in this limited acceptation, it differs from me- 

 taphysics, which, as a term, has long been held to have the same 

 signification. The former combines metaphysical reasoning with 

 physical observation ; but, he says, a considerable amount of know- 

 ledge on the subject, may be attained by the simple observation 

 of physical facts viewed in conjunction with the actions of animated 

 beings. In metaphysical reasoning, mind is discussing the work- 

 ings and qualities of mind : hence, all expositions of Phrenology, 

 into which such reasoning is introduced, are 'tinted with the pecu- 

 liar hues of the mind whence they proceed: allowance, therefore, 

 should always be made for this by readers who, and writers as well, 

 are apt to mistake their own individual peculiarities for general 

 rules or truths. Phrenologists do not inquire into the nature of 

 mind: they limit themselves to observing the manner or laws of its 

 communication with the external world. Some of them state that 

 we cannot know the nature of mind : but, in Mr. W/s opinion, 

 this statement is true only in part ; for, he adds, we may know the 

 nature of mind just as much as we know the nature of other things, 

 analogically, not absolutely. Let him tell us, when and how this 

 knowledge will be attained by man. 



Mr. Watson says, that, under the general term of mind or mental 

 manifestations, are included the instincts, feelings, and intellectual 

 capacities of animals — brutes as well as human beings ; and, that 

 these instincts, feelings, and intellectual capacities are called facul- 

 ties of the mind. Some persons regard mind as a single and inde- 

 pendent existence, and consider the faculties to be either states of 

 mind or else the powers w r ith which it is endowed. Others look 

 upon mind as nothing more than an aggregate or united whole, 

 composed of the different faculties ; much in the same way that bo- 

 dy is a whole composed of many different parts, such as the brain, 

 nerves, muscles, bones, vessels, liver, lungs, stomach and other in- 

 ternal organs. In the former view, according to Mr. W., mind be- 

 comes almost synonymous with soul ;* but he cannot admit their 

 identity, because this would drive him to allow the existence of a 

 soul in brutes, since they are unquestionably endowed with mental 

 faculties and perform mental actions. If the latter view be correct, 



* As a distinctive term, soul might be employed to designate that endow- 

 ment of mind which is peculiarly human, and destined for a state of immor- 

 tality : it consists of those moral sentiments and intellectual powers which 

 are proper to man ; and, what is remarkable, the cerebral convolutions, dis- 

 covered by phrenologists to be the organ's of these faculties, are entirely want- 

 ing in the lower animals, even the most docile. 



