382 MENTAL FUNCTIONS OF 



He never once allowed himself to speculate, having early learnt 

 the fallacy of a priori reasoning; but abandoned himself entirely 

 to observation. 



Gall discovered each organ and its faculty either by meeting 

 with individuals very remarkable for the latter, so that he was 

 led to examine their heads ; or by noticing a peculiarity of form- 

 ation in the head which induced him to ascertain their talents 

 and character. He did not examine remarkable persons accord- 

 ing to the views entertained of the faculties by metaphysicians ; 

 but according to points in which the world at large pronounced 

 them remarkable, accordingly as they were courageous, avari- 

 cious, kind-hearted, or excelled as poets, mimics, linguists, 

 philosophers. He would never have made his discoveries, had he 

 not met with persons remarkable in these respects. Sometimes 

 the relation between the remarkable faculty or quality and the 

 local development was tolerably obvious, but generally he had to 

 make numerous observations before he found himself right. After 

 having found two individuals remarkable in the same point of 

 character, and cast their heads, he sometimes examined the casts 

 daily for months before he could discover the precise spot in which 

 they agreed. The discovery being now made, a good organologist 

 will give judgments upon character which must astonish, and in- 

 contestably prove the truth of phrenology ; but the difficulty of 

 making the discovery when all was utter darkness must have 

 been extreme. 11 The indefatigable industry of Gall, during the 

 whole of a long life, constantly observing all persons he met with, 

 and searching after all who were in any mental respect remark- 



of Gall. Dr. Lelut has just published a work which he calls Qu'est ce que la Phre- 

 nologie9 and says thatGall's psychological doctrine is "souvent heureusemcnt cor- 

 rig<?e, mais quelquefois aussi gatee par Spurzheim hj par la phr6nologie." (p. 398.) 

 Yet he mentions ten points of deterioration by Dr. S., and but four of improve- 

 ment, and among these four, two appear to me improvements only because Dr. 

 Lelut is in error as to Gall's opinions. 



h " I had innumerable difficulties to overcome ; as long as a quality or faculty, 

 or even its organ, was not discovered, I was in the deepest ignorance. I never 

 had the slightest idea of what I should at length discover, nor where I should 

 find the organ. A large number of facts was requisite to put me in their way. 

 How often have I not been obliged to reject, after years, what had appeared to 

 me well established ! Often I was tempted to give up all inquiries of this nature, 

 and to declare, with my predecessors, that it is impossible to discover the traces of 

 the operations of the soul." (1. c. 4to. vol. iii. p. 77. sq. See also 8vo. t. in. 

 p. 206. sqq.) 



