32 British Association for the Advancement of Science. 
but which were too much in detail for perusal before the Sec- 
tion. The conclusion to be drawn from these dissections is, that 
in the brain of idiots the internal structure is always defective, 
and, in many instances, more so than the size or external form ; 
and that in the brains of persons not idiotic, but possessing various 
degrees of intellectual power, very marked differences in internal 
structure may be observed by those who dissect the brain in the 
manner first proposed by Dr. Macartney, in a paper read by him 
before the British Association, and published in their 'T'ransac- 
tions for 1833. It isa most reasonable supposition, from the facts 
just mentioned, and from observation of the structure of the brain 
in animals, that the intellectual and moral character is much m- 
fluenced by peculiarities in the organization of the various plex- 
uses or ganglia, of which the brain essentially consists. Phre- 
nologists have wholly neglected the internal structure of the 
brain, and have confined their attention to the size of certain 
portions at the surface; a method which is calculated to mis- 
ead,—amongst other reasons, because the surface of the brain is - 
not the only part essential to the exercise of the intellectual and 
moral qualities, and size is a very inadequate measure of power, 
unless the structure of the part be also taken into consideration. 
As an example of an erroneous method of investigation, Mr. Car- 
lile quoted an elaborate paper, by the celebrated Tiedemann, in 
the Philosophical Transactions, in which he concludes, from meas- 
urements of the size of the cranial cavity in Negroes and in Eu- 
ropeans, that the faculties of both are alike; whereas, it is well 
known to those who have opportunities of sbeervine the children 
of Negroes and of Europeans educated together at the same school, 
that, as long as the perceptive faculties chiefly are employed, equal 
progress is made by both classes of children; but that as soon as 
the reflecting and comparing powers are required: as in the learn- 
ing of mathematical or other inductive sciences, the inferiority 
of the Negro is almost uniformly made manifest. Mr. Carlile 
concluded, by inviting the attention of physiologists to the exam- 
ination of the minute structure of the brain, and stated his con- 
viction, that by a comparison of its pedubarel with the differ- 
ences of mental capacity observed during life, much light would 
be thrown on the functions of different parts of this organ. — 
The Plague—Mt. a ame a paper, ‘On the Localities 
of the Plague in Yor He stated, as the result of three 
