212 MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 



mental powers. * * * When the sculptors of 

 antiquity formed the statues of their gods, or heroes, 

 to which they were desirous of imparting the character 

 of high intelligence, they endeavored to accomplish this 

 by giving a peculiar form to the head." * * 



" The arguments which have been urged in favor of 

 the science of Cranioscopy,"* continues Dr. Bostock, 

 " are partly anatomical and partly physological. In the 

 first place, it is said that the brain exhibits a very elabo- 

 rate structure, and a very complicated organization, and 

 it is therefore reasonable to conclude, that its different 

 parts must be subservient to the exercise of different 

 functions." 



" Secondly, both metaphysicians and physiologists have 

 been in the habit of referring all the impressions which 

 we receive through the intervention of the nerves to 

 some central part of the brain, but the great diversity of 

 opinion which exists respecting the part which ought to 

 be regarded as this common centre, affords us at least a 

 strong presumption of its non-existence, while on the 

 contrary, if we suppose that there actually is such a cen- 

 tral spot, we are at a loss to assign any use to the 

 remainder of the brain." 



" Thirdly, we are in possession of a number of obser- 

 vations upon the partial loss of the mental faculties, in 

 consequence of disease or injury of the brain, and 

 although we are not able to trace out the connection 

 between the situation of the injury received, and the 

 defect of the mental powers, yet it favors the opinion 

 that these faculties are distributed over the different 

 parts of which, the brain is constituted. 



" Fourthly, the analogy of the nerves that are con- 

 nected with the external organs of sense is adduced by 

 the cranioscopists in favor of their doctrine. Each of 

 these nerves, in conveying their respective impressions, 

 must exercise a different office, and in the same way, the 

 different convolutions of the brain are supposed to be 

 the organs of the respective mental functions. 



* Dr. Bostock remarks, that this being the term originally employed, 

 and being much more appropriate, than Phrenology, he continues to use it. 



