329 
PHYSIOGNOMY. 
heim’s opinions. In 1810, Drs. Gall and Spurzheim pub- 
lilhed, in conjunftion, the firft volume, in quarto, of the 
work, they had announced, and which was to contain a 
full account of their doftrines, under the title of “ Ana- 
tomie et Phyfiologie du Syfteme Nerveux en general, et 
du Cerveau en particulier, avec des obfervations fur la 
poflibiiite de reconnoitre plufieurs difpofitions intelleftu- 
elles et morales de Phomme et des animaux par la confi¬ 
guration de leurs tetes.” The firft part of the fecond 
volume appeared in 1812. This work, together with the 
onepublilhed in 1815, by Dr. Spurzheim, entitled, “The 
Phyfiognomical Syftem of Drs. Gall and Spurzheim, 
founded on an anatomical and phyfiological examination 
of the nervous fyftem in general, and of the brain in par¬ 
ticular, and indicating the difpofitions and manifeltations 
of the mind,” contain the only authentic account of their 
fyftem. Information on the fuhjeft may, however, be 
derived from the following books. The belt of the fo¬ 
reign works is that of Profeffor Bifchoff, entitled “ Dar- 
ftellung dar Gall’ fchen Gehirnund Schadellehre, neblt 
Bemerkungen fiber diefe Lehre, von D. W. Hufeland ; 
Berlin, 1805.” At Drefden, in 1806, Bloede publilhed 
a fimilar work, “Galls Lehre fiber die Verrichtungen des 
Gehirns, nach deffen zu Drefden gehallenen Vorlefun- 
gen j” and at Paris, in the lame year, we have, from the 
pen of Demangeon, “ Phyfiologie Intelledluelle, ou De- 
vellopement de la Doftrine du Profeffeur Gall.’'’ A fmall 
traft in Englilh, entitled, “Some Account of Dr. Gall’s 
new Theory of Phyfiognomy, founded upon the Anatomy 
and Phyfiology of the Brain, and the Form of the Skull,” 
appeared in London in 1807 ; and is chiefly taken from 
Dr. BifchofPs work, including the critical ftriftures of 
Dr. Hufeland. Soon after the publication of Dr. Spurz- 
heim’s book, a fmall volume, principally reprinted from 
a fliort traft in the Pamphleteer, was given to the public 
by Mr. Thomas Forfler, under the title of “Sketch of the 
New Anatomy and Phyfiology of the Brain and Nervous 
Syftem of Drs. Gall and Spurzheim, confidered as com¬ 
prehending a complete Syftem of Zoonomy, with obfer¬ 
vations on its tendency to the improvement of Education, 
of Punilliment, and of the treatment of Infanity.” Two 
pamphlets in oppofition to thefe doftrines were publilhed 
by ProfefTor Walter of Berlin, in 1805, of which, as well 
as of BifchofPs work, a Ihort account is given in the 
Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal for July 1806. 
Dr. Spurzheim, having conceived that he was unfairly at¬ 
tacked in fome of the Reviews, thought proper to publilh 
a reply, in a pamphlet which made its appearance at Edin¬ 
burgh in 1817, entitled, “ Examination of the Objeftions 
made in Britain againft the Doftrines of Gall and Spurz¬ 
heim.” To thefe authors we may add the refpefted names 
of Mackenzie and Abernethy, both of whom have taken 
favourable views of the fcience. It is proper to obferve, 
that the above-named Mr. T. Forfter was the firft who 
changed the term Craniology for one of higher preten- 
iions; to wit, Phrenology. The firft term appears to 
iis the beft; and it (hows, as we have arranged it, but one 
(livifiqn of Physiognomy. It is certain, however, fhat 
Phrenology is at prefent the word in moll general accepta¬ 
tion. An inftitution has been recently formed at Edin¬ 
burgh, called the Phrenological Society; and 
they-have juft publilhed (1823) the firft number of “A 
Phrenological Journal and Milcellany.” From the fame 
fource alfo has emanated a volume of “ Tranfaftions.” 
Judging from thefe works, one might fuppofe that the 
epithet Phrenological applies (lucus a non lucendo) 
to the perfeft deftitution of (pprw they exhibit. 
Of the Phyfiognomy of the Head, and Bony Outline of the 
Face, 
The head is to be contemplated in four afpefts; viz. 
from the fide, the front, above, and behind, as reprefented 
on the Engraving. To obtain precife views of thefe 
points, it is advifeable to make fome geometrical mea- 
furement. To mealure the lateral dimenlions of the 
Vol. XX. No. 1371. 
head we ufe two lines; the firft of which is drawn from 
the meatus of the ear to the alveolar procefs of the inci- 
fores teeth of the upper jaw (or juft to the bottom of the 
nofe) ; the other from the latter point to the moft promi¬ 
nent part of the forehead. Thus fituated, thele lines 
form an angle the acutenefs of which is in inverfe ratio 
to the development of the forehead. This angle is the 
invention of Camper. When meafured by it, the Greek 
ftatues prefent angles fomewhat obtufe, but they afe no 
doubt unnatural and exaggerated. The moft beautiful 
of the prefent races difplay an angle varying from 80 to 
90 degrees ; and this gradually diminilhes as we defcend 
in.the fcale of animals, till it is entirely loft. We have 
before faid, that the prominences of the jaw will alter the 
angle independently of the brain; and it may be alfo re¬ 
marked, that thofe prominences over the eyebrows which 
mark the cavities of the forehead-bone that are called the 
frontal fnufes, will produce equal error by the oppofite 
effeft. The facial angle, therefore, though it may do to 
meafure beafts with, cannot be applied to man, whofe 
face varies fo much in different inftances as completely 
to render it unlefs. We think, however, that a fimple 
mode of meafuring the aftual fize of the cerebrum, and 
the aftual projeftion of the forehead, may be eafily de- 
vifed. It is this. Put one leg of a compafs in the fite 
of the meatus of the ear, and with other ieg defcribe a 
circular line from'any given point of the head to another. 
The approximation of the various parts of the head to 
the circular line will enable us to determine the aftual 
fize of the forehead, vertex, and hind-head in profile, 
quite independently of the face; recollefting, however, 
that the fize of the circle fliould in all cafes be the fame. 
The meatus, or orifice of the ear, is chofen as the ftand- 
ard point of this meafurement, for this reafon : In the in¬ 
terior of the fkull a bony wedge, called the os petrqfum, 
is fituated juft oppofite the orifice of the ear, and ferves to 
divide the parts of the brain. It has before it the mid¬ 
dle and fore lobes of the brain; and a line drawn from 
the occipital protuberance to the fame point, has the 
hindmoft lobes above,,and the cerebellum below. Hence, 
of courfe, this opening forms a very ftriking indication 
of the internal parts of the brain ; and is one which can 
never lead to error. 
We have projefted thefe two-lines on Plate II. at fig. 
5, ab marks the line going from the ear to the occiput, 
and b e the circular one, which in this figure begins at the 
termination of the former. This meafurement does not 
of courfe give any information as to the proportion be¬ 
tween the head and face ; it gives only the aftual fize of 
the different parts of the fkuli in profile. 
In proportion to his body, the head of man, when com¬ 
pared with that of other animals, is extremely large. At 
one time it was faid that man, had a larger brain than 
any other animal. This being found falfe, it was then 
faid that he had the largeft in proportion to' the fize of 
his body. This alfo being difproved, it was next afferted 
that he had the largeft in proportion to the medulla ob¬ 
longata and medulla fpinalis: but here the dolphin 
formed an exception. Laftly, it is affirmed that that fu- 
perior portion of.brain in which the intelleftual faculties 
are fuppofed to refide is larger, in proportion to the reft 
of the nervous fyftem in man than in any other animal. 
The Craniologifts do not fail to make ufe ol this laft faft 
as an argument in their favour; but, in pufhing the con- 
clufions beyond the fimple one “that man has more in. 
telleft than animals,” we are obliged to enquire how it is 
that men who have the largeft heads are not more fen Able 
than thofe who have the brain of fmall dimenfions. It 
is anfwered, that, casteris paribus, larger brains have 
greater power than fmall ones under certain' limits, 
(which limits however are not defined ;) but that the lim¬ 
pidity which we find belonging to fome men with great 
heads is owing to the faft, that in thofe inftances the 
brain is nor delicately organized; that it is in a ftate that 
arifwers to obeli ty in the limbs; and it ia. allowed, that 
4 P increafe 
