136 SYSTEM. 



at the distribution of mankind into natural groups. We must 

 remark that all these cranioscopic classifications rest involun- 

 tarily upon this datum, that the different kinds of men are 

 unequally endowed with intellect. Starting, then, from this 

 principle, that the volume of the brain is in ratio to intelligence, 

 or that intellect is in ratio to the volume of the brain, people 

 tried to find a simple, rather than an easy, method of taking 

 account of such an irregular solid : and Camper opened the 

 way with his famous angle. 



This system was soon followed by others who are less cele- 

 brated, having come after him. We may quote, among others, 

 the interior angle of Walther, described by two lines, the one 

 going from the occipital protuberance to the crista galli pro- 

 cess, the other from the frontal prominence to the root of the 

 nose. There is also the external angle of Mulders, described 

 by the facial line of Camper, and another line going from the 

 base of the process to the root of the nose. And, lastly, that 

 of Daubenton, described by a line going from the inferior 

 margin of the orbit to the posterior region of the occipital 

 orifice, and by another following the direction of the plane of 

 the same.* All these systems are worth as much as Cam- 

 per's. All, including Camper's, are false and worthless, from the 

 mere fact that they pretend to measure a solid by the inclina- 

 tion of two of its boundary-planes one upon the other. After 

 these methods of measurement, and superior to all of them, 

 comes the norma verticalis of Blumenbach ; then the measure- 

 ments of Cuvier, Owen, etc. Here we gain a step ; we endeavour 

 to measure a solid by its outline, or by the area of a systematic 

 division or section. Already had Camper, better gifted than 

 his angle would inform us, endeavoured to compare the dif- 

 ferent diameters of the profile of the skull, as seen in front.* 

 As to Cuvier's division, it is a very happy modification of a 

 former proposed measurement, the incisive-occipital line of 

 Doornick. It is obtained by lowering a vertical line to the 

 plane of the external auditory orifice, and by leading another 



* See, for the explanation and discussion of these different systems, Crull, 

 Dissertatio de Cranio, 1810. 



f Compare Crull, Dissertatio de Cranio, p. 28, 1810. 



