-04 DISTINCTIONS OF MAN, 



faculties, to be the result of the same cause as that which 

 we assign for the variations in other functions, viz. dif- 

 ference of organization ; and that the superiority of man in 

 rational endowments is not greater than the more exquisite, 

 complicated, and perfectly developed structure of his brain, 

 and particularly of his ample cerebral hemispheres, to which 

 the rest of the animal kingdom offers no parallel, nor even 

 any near approximation, is sufficient to account for. That 

 the senses of man and of other animals will not explain all 

 their varied and wonderful mental phenomena : and that 

 the superiority of man can by no means be deduced from 

 any pre-eminence in this part of his construction ; are 

 truths too obvious to require further notice. 



Some modern inquirers have gone beyond this general 

 statement ; and have ventured to particularize, in the brains 

 of animals and of man, the organ or residence of each 

 propensity, feeling, and intellectual power. I cannot pro- 

 nounce on the accuracy and completeness of the mental 

 and cerebral survey executed by Messrs. Gall and Spurz- 

 heim; nor pretend to judge of the exactness and fidelity 

 with which the numerous positions are marked down in 

 their very complete and well-filled map of the brain. They 

 appeal to observation for the confirmation or refutation of 

 their statements; but my observations are not numerous 

 or varied enough for these purposes. No one can refuse to 

 them the merit of patient inquiry, careful observation, and 

 unprejudiced reflection. They have performed the useful 

 service of rescuing us from the trammels of doctrines and 

 authorities, and directing our attention to nature : her 

 instructions cannot deceive us. Whether the views of 

 Gall and Spurzheim may be verified or not, our labours 

 in this direction must be prodactlve, must bring with them 

 collateral advantages. Hence they may be compared to the 

 old man in the fable, who assured his sons, on his death- 

 bed, that a treasure was hidden in his vineyard. They 

 began immediately to dig over the whole ground in search 

 of it; and found, indeed, no treasure; but the loosening 

 of the soil, the destruction of the weeds, the admission of 



