18 



or politics, or theology, I must confess, that 

 you instantly remind me of Pope's observation : 



One science only will one genius fit, 

 So vast is art, so narrow human wit. 



You have scarcely entered on the subject of 

 your second Lecture, before you display the 

 extent of your attachment to the doctrine of 

 materialism. How far your late friend Dr. 

 Gordon would have admitted * " that Dr. 

 " Spurzheim, on account of the prevalence of 

 " war, was amply justified in having marked 

 " out so considerable a tract in his map of the 

 " human brain, for the abode of destructiveness, 

 " and its near neighbour, and close ally, com- 

 " bativeness," I will not pretend to decide. 

 These are cc high matters" which none but 

 those who are initiated into the mysteries of 

 your profession can determine. As a plain 

 man, however, it does not appear to me why 

 you should blame kings and legislators for pur- 

 suing " a practice so essentially characteristic 

 " of human nature," and to which they are 

 irresistibly determined by the organization of 

 their faculties. It is singular, indeed, that the 

 quakers should be devoid of these celebrated 

 tracts in the human brain, but I see not why 

 they should be praised for this lucky arrange- 

 ment of their cerebra. You are particularly 



* P. 42. 



