821 
PHYSIO 
In a work tlurs deftituteof argument, we can look only 
to the actual experience of the author for the proofs of 
each feparate propofition. That this experience was of 
no great avail may be-collected from the faCt mentioned 
invol.xi. p.605. where it is recorded, that, Lavateron 
being thown the head of the great Kant, and the head 
of a notorious robber, he found in the latter the mild and 
pious philofopher, in the former the traces of vice and 
immorality. Not that we fhould dwell upon one error, 
Since what Socrates faid of himfelf upon a fimilar occa-. 
lion might be faid alfo of Kant perhaps, viz. that nature 
had endued him with bad propenfities, though philofo- 
phy had fubdued them. But, without dwelling on this 
inftance, we have the confellion of Lavater himfelf, that 
he was continually erring in his decifions on the human 
form ; and the common experience of mankind (and cer¬ 
tainly they paid much attention to the Subject at one 
time) has by no means corroborated the accuracy of his 
observations. Indeed, that Lavater’s experience is not 
much to be depended upon, mult be inferred, not only 
from hisvery illogical modeof reafoning, butfrom thecare- 
lefs manner in which Some of his observations were made. 
We find him, for inftance, enforcing his propofition by re¬ 
ference to the phyfiognomy of Some Roman of whofe 
face only a medallion remains 5 and every one muft know 
how little thefe can be depended on for portraiture ;• and 
yet he tells us in another place, that the hair’s-breadth 
difference in the projection of the forehead-bone will en¬ 
tirely alter the character. 
It muft be confefied, after all, that Lavater’s Phyfiog¬ 
nomy has not had a fair trial; for he had no fyftemaric 
arrangement, he gave no primary rules. His work is 
what it profeffes to be, a Series of fragments, of disjointed 
dogmata, the exceptions to which he has Seldom fhown. 
We ftiall prefently endeavour to lay before our readers a 
Selection of his chief obfervations. 
Phyfiognomy next received a wonderful aid from one 
who was enabled, by a general knowledge of the ftruCture 
as well as the external appearance of the human frame, 
and by a metaphyfical Spirit of enquiry, to pufh his re¬ 
searches to profounder depths than had hitherto been at¬ 
tempted. This was the famous Dr. Gall. Lavater, 
and the other phyfiognomifts who preceded him, had con¬ 
tented t'hemfelves with the Simple alfertion, that, where 
certain appearances are met with externally, certain 
actions or propenfities are manifefted. But they never 
attempted to enquire the canfe of this. Though they 
could not SuppoSe that the projection of the nole could 
immediately canfe one mental perfection, or the projec¬ 
tion of the head another, they never attempted to pulli 
their enquiries to the part So obvioufly prefenting itfelf, 
viz. the brain. This, however, was done by Gall; and, 
in So doing, he could not fail to open a vaft field of en¬ 
quiry as to the nature of the mind, and consequently as 
to all our grandeft Sciences, independently of the afliltance 
he gave to phyfiognomy. 
The account which Gall gives of his progrefs in this 
Science is nearly as follows. Brought up in the midft of 
a numerous family, and naturally gifted with the talent 
for observation, he was Struck, even when a boy, with the 
diverfities of difpofition and of character among his bro¬ 
thers and Sifters, and the companions with whom he was 
educated. He remarked that each excelled in a particu¬ 
lar ftudy, or was distinguished by a peculiar turn of 
mind. One was noted for the beauty of his hand-wri¬ 
ting ; another for his quicknefs at arithmetic; a third 
for his aptitude in learning languages; a fourth for re¬ 
membering every thing that he read in hiftory. This di¬ 
versity was apparent in all that they did ; thus the ftyle 
of composition of the one was remarkable for its flowing 
and elegant periods; of another for its baldnefs and dry- 
nefs; of a third for its condensation and vigour. Many 
displayed talents for arts which had never been taught 
them ; they excelled, perhaps, in drawing, or in the exe¬ 
cution of works of mechanifm ; Some fought for amufe- 
Vol.XX. No. 1371. 
G N O M Y. 
ment in noify Sports, others preferred cultivating their 
gardens; a few placed their chief delight in rambling 
through fields and forefts, and in collecting birds, infeCts, 
and flowers. One was of a Social and affectionate difpo- 
fition : another was Selfifh and referved ; a third was fic¬ 
kle, and not to be depended upon. The great facility 
with which Some of his School-fellows could commit their 
talks to memory, which to him was a work of immenfe 
labour, although in matters of reafoning and judgment 
he felt himfelf their Superior, often proved a grievous 
Source of mortification, and excited in him a ftrong defire 
to know the caufe of this difference. He at length ro- 
marked, that all the boys gifted with this kind of me¬ 
mory had large and prominent eyes. He afterwards 
went to the univerfity ; and, directing his attention to all 
thofe among his fellow-ftudents who prefented the.fame 
peculiarity of feature, he learned that they were all diftin¬ 
guifhed by the tenacity of their memories. This obser¬ 
vation gave rife to others: it fuggefted the notion, that 
other intellectual endowments might alfo be indicated by 
the features ; and Gall, by degrees, came to imagine that 
he had discovered a number of external Signs, which re¬ 
spectively indicated a decided turn for painting,for mufic, 
for mechanical arts,or other objeCts. 
He had by this time commenced the ftudy of medicine, 
and, in the courfe of his academical instructions, he heard 
much about the functions of the mufcles and vifcera; 
but nothing was taught about thofe of the brain and its 
different parts. It then occurred to him, that the differ¬ 
ences he had already noticed in the external configura¬ 
tion of the head, as connected with certain difpofitions of 
mind, were occafioned by differences in the form of the 
brain. Delighted with the profpeCl which this idea 
opened to him of discovering the functions of particular 
parts of this organ, and of obtaining an infight into the 
connexion between the mind and the body, he formed the 
resolution of profecuting the refearch, till he had either 
accomplished his objeCt, or Satisfied himfelf that it was 
not to be attained by that method. Natural hiftory, 
which had long been his favourite ftudy, furnifhed ample 
Scope for the exte.nfion of thefe inquiries. He had been 
in the practice of collecting plants and animals of various 
kinds, and of arranging them, not according to the arti¬ 
ficial methods of claflification detailed in books of Science, 
but according to their more obvious refemblances. He 
now ftudied the relations between their external forms 
and their natural habits and difpofitions. Dogs Showed 
him the greateft diverfities in their capability of being 
educated. He remarked that fome were naturally expert 
at the chafe, while others, even of the Same breed, could 
not be trained without the utmoft difficulty: that Some 
perpetually loft themfelves, while others found their way 
home from great distances. In birds, he obferved that 
one would lilten with attention to a tune which it heard, 
and immediately learn it; while another of the very Same 
brood would Sing nothing but the note that was natu¬ 
ral to it. 
He next Set about examining all the Ikulls he could lay 
hold of, that had belonged to individuals whofe hiftory 
was known. He looked out for all perfons in any way 
distinguished for a peculiar talent or moral quality : he 
examined their heads with great attention, and noted the 
peculiarities in their Shape. He alio collected observa¬ 
tions on other individuals who were remarkable for the 
weaknefs of any faculty ; and then compared together the 
positive and negative indications. On the other hand, 
when he chanced to meet with a head that prefented Some 
Singularity in Shape, he was at much pains to obtain in¬ 
formation as to the moral and intellectual charaCterof 
the perfon to whom it belonged. When he had no other 
refource, he did not Scruple, as Dr. Spurz.heim informs 
ns, to addrefs his queltions direCtly to the perfon in whofe 
head he obferved any dillinCt protuberance. We are alfo 
told, that he was in the habit of collecting around him 
the boys he met with in the Streets of Vienna, and of in- 
4 N ducing 
