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Monthly Review of Literature, 



[June, 



Bat peciiliair and appropiate as are the 

 qualities of each individual, the author before 

 lis considers all the possible varieties of hu- 

 man character as assignable to one or other 

 of twelve different classes — that is, one 

 of these characteristics will predominate in 

 each individual, though still existing under 

 boundless subordinate shades of difference. 

 Each individual must be a specimen of 

 one of these twelve genera. The names 

 of nations are used, not on the supposi- 

 tion that every individual of each country- 

 possesses the qualities, in a higher or 

 lower degree, assigned to the natives of 

 that country ; or that even the distinguished 

 individuals of each country may not in rea- 

 lity exhibit the peculiarities of a character 

 allotted to quite a distinct nation ; but sim- 

 ply, because there appears reason to suppose 

 it prevails. 



As we wish strongly to draw our readers' 

 attention to this very able but somewhat 

 mystic performance, we shall furnish them 

 with an abstract of the writer's system, and 

 a sketch of his view of the Irish character, 

 trusting to the interest our specimen will 

 excite to induce them to turn to the book 

 itself. 



Man presents to the observer three main 

 points of view— his intellect, his temper, 

 and his tastes ; and to each of these three 

 divisions, the author assigns foui- subdi- 

 visions. 



I. Of Intellect, the first subdivision 

 is the faculty or quality of the mind which 

 infers, perceives essential dependencies, or 

 cause and effect, and so turns to science ; 

 the second, observes, attends to the jjroper- 

 ties of bodies, matters of fact, producing 

 learning and statistical knowledge ; the ihird 

 separates and classes, giving birth to system 

 and criticism ; and the fourth disposes to 

 mark and dwell upon impressions and sen- 

 sations, producing sensuality. 



II. Of Temper, Will, or Disposition, 

 ti\e first subdivision governs the permanent 

 likes and dislikes of the individual, to which, 

 however diverted, the mind pertinaciously 

 returns. To this class belongs the feeling 

 which arises from the opposite characters of 

 the sexes ; the second prompts us to con- 

 trol external objects, and mould them to 

 our will, the source of industry; the third 

 disposes us to control our intentions and 

 likings for the attainment of some more de- 

 sirable end, constituting courage ; and the 



fourth inclines us to sympathj, begetting 

 consideration, politeness, &c. 



III. Of Tastes, the first subdivision 

 disposes us to contemplate the good and 

 perfect, and produces the sense oi religion, of 

 what is worthy of veneration, and worship ; 

 the second constitutes the power of associa- 

 tion, of lending beauty and virtue to what- 

 ever we suppose connected with beauty and 

 virtue — of uniting casual dependencies dis- 

 tinct from inherent qualities — operating con- 

 spicuously in parties, societies— originating 

 style in literary and musical composition ; 



the third incltnes us to regard things as 

 conducive to our own particular advantage, 

 and shews itself in the ambition of the in- 

 dividual ; and the fourth directs us to the 

 detection of likeness and analogy, and is the 

 source of poetical genius, the power of en- 

 hancing effect by accumulating or selecting 

 correspondencies. 



The Intellect, Temper and Taste, the 

 great divisions of the mind of man, have thus 

 each four distinct qualities, with reference 

 to each of vv'hich the author successively 

 estimates the characters of his twelve 

 nations. 



An attempt is made, at the same time, 

 to assimilate Gall and Spurzheim's divisions 

 to his own. These profound personages 

 assign thirty-three faculties to tlie brain ; 

 our author, with characteristic fertility, 

 quickly discovers three more to make up a 

 multiple of his own twelve. These thirty- 

 six are then separated into dozens, one 

 dozen of which he assigns to each of his 

 own main divisions ; and he is thus enabled 

 to allot to each of his twelve national cha- 

 racters an intellectual faculty, a sentiment 

 and an instinct. This, however, is a mere 

 fancy-piece of the writer, not essential tc 

 his own views, and in his discussions indeed 

 scarcely affecting them. 



THE IRISH OR CARTHAGINIAN CHARACTEU. 



1. Intellect. — 1. In relation to science. 

 It is fitted for temporary exigencies, em- 

 ploying its scientific power upon military 

 tactics, changing its modes of array or 

 principles of conduct, in conformity witli 

 special emergencies, as they may happen to 

 interfere with its immediate aims. Hanni- 

 bal, Machiavelli. 



2. In relation to Observation — likes na- 

 tural history— not the classification, but as- 

 certainment of the habits of animals. Marks 

 events, as they operate in occasioning new 

 arrangements and changes of position ; and 

 from its clear insight into the tendencies of 

 events great and small, liking minuteness 

 in detail. Froissart, Sully. — Has a propen- 

 sity to locomotion for the sake of exciting 

 wonder, by enjoying or experiencing things 

 from which others are excluded. Bruce, 

 Park. — Obliged, in the existing state of 

 geographical knowledge, to limit the indul- 

 gence of this propensity to the discovery of 

 the source of a river, or the site of a town. 

 Humboldt, Pococke, Belzoni. 



3. Relation to System. Leibnitz, the best 

 specimen of its application to system ; his 

 tendency being to view every thing in a de- 

 tached state, and in their capability of operat- 

 ing and existing individually. Berkeley also, 

 from his notion of separate ideas. St. 

 Augustine, from his love of minute anec- 

 dote, or detail of circumstances. Linna;us, 

 not by his power of classification, but by 

 his accurate knowledge of the varieties of 

 animals as shown in the beginning of his 

 System a Naturce. 



4. Relation to Sensuality. It is addicted 

 so much to change, and to variety of con- 



