THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



191 



much that I was quite shocked at it, it made me quite sick. 

 He had, beyond question, greatly improved the style (for 

 I have none), but he had destroyed the matter. 



I dined at Major Dodd's with a complete set of military 

 gentry, generals, colonels, captains, majors, and, to my 

 surprise, young Pattison, my companion in the coach from 

 Manchester; he was Mrs. Dodd's cousin. I retired rather 

 early, for I did not care for the blustering talk of all these 

 warriors. Sir William Jardine and Mr. Lizars came to my 

 lodgings and announced that I was elected by universal 

 acclamation a member of the Society of Arts of the city 

 of Edinburgh. 



Wednesday, December 20. Phrenology was the order of 

 the morning. I was at Brown Square, at the house of 

 George Combe by nine o'clock, and breakfasted most 

 heartily on mutton, ham, and good coffee, after which we 

 walked upstairs to his sanctum sanctorum. A beautiful 

 silver box containing the instruments for measuring the 

 cranium, was now opened, — the box and contents were a 

 present from the ladies who have attended Mr. Combe's 

 lectures during the past two years, — and I was seated front- 

 ing the light. Dr. Combe acted as secretary and George 

 Combe, thrusting his fingers under my hair, began search- 

 ing for miraculous bumps. My skull was measured as 

 minutely and accurately as I measure the bill or legs of 

 a new bird, and all was duly noted by the scribe. Then 

 with most exquisite touch each protuberance was found 

 as numbered by phrenologists, and also put down accord- 

 ing to the respective size. I was astounded when they 

 both gave me the results of their labors in writing, and 

 agreed in saying I was a strong and constant lover, an 

 affectionate father, had great veneration for talent, would 

 have made a brave general, that music did not equal 

 painting in my estimation, that I was generous, quick- 

 tempered, forgiving, and much else which I know to be 

 true, though how they discovered these facts is quite a 



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