352 Morton^ s Crania Avnericana. 



very apparent. One of the most singular features in the history 

 of this continent, is, that the ahoriginal races, with few exceptions, 

 have perished or constantly receded, before the Anglo-Saxon race, 

 and have in no instance either mingled with them as equals, or 

 adopted their manners and civilization. These phenomena must 

 have a cause ; and can any enquiry be at once more interesting 

 and philosophical than that which endeavors to ascertain whether 

 thai cause be connected with a difference in the brain between the 

 native American race, and their conquering invaders ? Farther, 

 some few of the American families, the Auracanian, for instance, 

 have successfully resisted the Europeans; and the question is 

 important, whether in them, the brain be in any respect superior 

 to what it is in tiie tribes which have unsuccessfully resisted ? 



It is true, that Dr. Gall's fundainental principle, that size in the 

 brain (other conditions being equal) is a measure of the power of 

 mental manifestation, is directly involved in these enquiries ; but 

 we can discover no reason why it should not be put to the test of 

 an extensive and accurate induction of facts. The unphilosophi- 

 cal prejudice that every proposition and fact in physiology must 

 be neglected or opposed, because it bears on the vexed question 

 of phrenology, has been too long indulged. The best interests 

 of science require that it should be laid aside, and we commend 

 Dr. Morton for having resolutely discarded it. He does not enter 

 the field as a partisan, for or against Dr. Gall's doctrines, but as a 

 philosophical enquirer, and states candidly and fearlessly the re- 

 sults of his observations. 



Dr. Morton reports the size in cubic inches, of the interior of 

 nearly every skull described by him. "An ingenious mode," 

 says he, "of taking the measurement of the internal capacity, 

 was devised by Mr. Phillips. In order to measure the capacity 

 of a cranium, the foramina were first stopped with cotton, and 

 the cavity was then filled with white pepper seed^ poured into 

 the foramen magnum until it reached the surface, and pressed 

 down with the finger until the skull would receive no more. 

 The contents were then transferred to a tin cylinder, whicli was 

 well shaken in order to pack the seed. A mahogany rod (previ- 

 ously graduated to denote the cubic inches and parts contained i.i 



* " White pepper seed was selected on account of its spherical form, its hardness, 

 and the equal size of the grains. It was also sifted, to render the equality still 

 greater." 



