1828.) 
strating it; and the form of the head of 
those pretended connoisseurs, like the facial 
lines of Lavater, seemed rather coinciden- 
ces than the necessary connexions between 
physics and morals. Gall collected these 
fugitive ideas, and finally imprinted on 
them a scientific form; and from which 
has resulted a system—a system of facts, a 
series of observations, enlightened by reason- 
ing, grouped and arranged in such a manner 
that there necessarily follows the demonstra- 
tion of a new truth, fruitful in useful appli- 
cations, and sensibly advancing the progress 
‘of ccivilization.. Such is the character 
' of the celebrated system of craniology in- 
wented by Gall, and which it may be said 
his genius distinguished almost instan- 
taneously, although confirmed by the force 
‘of immense application ; but, starting from 
this point, the able physiologist lakoured 
incessantly in his painful task, and con- 
seerated the whole of his life with that 
indefatigable ardour, of which men of 
superior minds alone furnish examples; and 
although he has not completely succeeded 
in the difficult enterprise, yet he ought not 
to be reproached ; on the contrary, thanks 
are due to his memory for the mere attempt ; 
for the service he has rendered to philosophy 
is immense; he has prepared immortal 
glory to medical philosophy, in indicating 
the nature of the study which ought to be 
pursued to give intellectual physiology all 
the development of which it is capable ; 
and moral philosophy itself is much in- 
' debted to him, for having diverted it from 
_ speculations foreign to its true end, and in 
which the most trifling prejudice is an 
incalculable loss of time. 
Gall was attended in his lectures by the 
most distinguished persons in Paris, as well 
characterized for their learning, as for the 
eminent digniti¢s they bore in society. 
He died at his country house, at Montrouge, 
near Paris, August 22, at the age of 71, 
and the examination of his body took place 
40 hours after his death, in presence of the 
_ following members of the faculty: Messrs 
Fouquier, J. Cloquet, Dannecy, Fossati, 
Sarlandiére, Fabré-Palaprat, Londe, Cos- 
tello, Gaubert, Casimir-Broussais, Ro- 
bouane, Vimont, Jobert, and Marotti. 
‘The exterior appearance of the body pre- 
sented a considerable falling away, particu- 
larly in the face. The skull was sawed off 
with the greatest precaution. - The sub- 
stance of the brain was consistent, and this 
organ was firm and perfectly regular. No 
trace of ossification was remarked in the 
cerebral arteries, notwithstanding the ad- 
vanced age of the defunct. The cerebral 
ventricles were not opened, the brain being 
rycen ordered to be preserved. 
; e funeral of Dr. Gall took place .at 
Paris, at the burying ground de I’Est, on 
August 27, which was attended by a very 
vonsiderable number of the faculty and 
wned persons. Three éloges or oraisons 
nebres were delivered at the place of in- 
1. New Series.—_Vour. VI. No. 34. 
Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 
433 
terment by Professor Broussais, Dr. Fossati 
and Dr. Londe. 
Professor Broussais informs us, that Dr. 
Gall possessed most of the social yirtues, 
“particularly beneficence and good nature, 
qualities (he observes) precious in all ranks 
of society, and which ought to make amends 
for many defects; but for Gall, they had 
only to palliate a certain roughness of cha- 
racter which might wound the susceptibility 
of delicate persons, although the sick and 
the unfortunate never had to complain; and 
indeed the Doctor ought in strict justice to 
have more merit in our ideas, from never 
having once lost sight in his writings of 
either decency or moderation, particularly 
when it is remembered how severely he was 
attacked in propagating his favourite doc- 
trine. 
SIR HENRY TORRENS. 
Colonel Sir Henry Torrens was born at 
Londonderry, in the year 1779. Having 
lost both father and mother at an early age, 
he was taken under the care of his uncle, 
Dr. Thomas Torrens. He received his 
education at the Military Academy of Dub- 
lin, where, from the hilarity of his dispo- 
sition, he was universally designated “‘ Hap- 
py Harry.” He commenced his profes- 
sional career, by obtaining an ensigncy in 
the 52d regiment, in November, 1793; in 
June, 1794, he was promoted to a lieute- 
nantcy in the 92d regiment ; and, in De- 
cember, 1795, he was removed, with the 
same rank, to the 63d regiment. With 
the latter corps, he proceeded to the West 
Indies, where he served under Sir Ralph 
Abercrombie, distinguished himself by his 
bravery, upon several occasions, and was 
severely wounded in the thigh, at the siege 
of Morne Fortunee. _While in the West 
Indies, he was appointed to a company, in 
one of the native corps then forming ; and, 
through his professional skill, and the gene- 
ral amiableness of his manners, he obtained, 
in an eminent degree, the admiration and. 
love of the officers and men under his com- 
mand. 
Captain Torrens returned to England in 
1798; and, at the close of that year, he 
went to Portugal, as aid-de-camp to Gene- 
ral Cuyler, who commanded a body of 
auxiliary British troops in that country. 
Removed from his West India corps to 
the 20th regiment of foot, he served under 
the Duke of York in the Dutch campaign 
of 1799. In the battle fought between 
Egmont and Haarlem, he was severely 
wounded by a shot through both his thighs. 
On his return from Holland, he was pro- 
moted to a majority in a fencible regiment, 
with which he proceeded to Nova Scotia, 
and remained there till the autumn of 1801. 
He'then exchanged into the 86th regiment 
of foot; and, after taking the command of 
that corps, he marched with it across the 
desert, to India. In consequence of a coup 
de soliel, at Bombay, he was obliged to res 
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