the cerebellum, 3 oz.; together, 2 lbs. 11 oz. In the third, the brain weighed 2 lbs. 5 oz.; the cerebellum, 5 oz.; together, 2 lbs. 10 oz. In the Appendix to Dr. Monro's work on the brain, Sir William Hamilton states the average weight of the adult male Scotish brain and cerebellum to be 3 lbs. 8 oz. troy. Again: a difference in mental power between men and women, is also generally admitted to exist, and there is a corresponding difference in the size of their brains. Sir William Hamilton states the average weight of the adult female Scotish brain and cerebellum, to be 3 lbs. 4 oz. troy; being 4 oz. less than that of the male. He found one male brain in seven to weigh above 4 lbs.; and only one female brain in a hundred exceeding this weight. In an essay on the brain of the negro, compared with that of the European and the ourang-outang, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1836, part II, Professor Tiedemann, of Heidelberg, adopts the same principle. After mentioning the weights of fifty-two European brains, examined by himself, he states that "the weight of the brain in an adult male European, varies between 3 lbs. 2 oz. and 4 lbs. 6 oz. troy. The brain of men who have distinguished themselves by their great talents, is often very large. The brain of the celebrated Cuvier weighed 4 lbs. 11 oz. 4 dr. 30 gr. troy, and that of the distinguished surgeon Dupuytren weighed 4 lbs. 10 oz. troy. The brain of men endowed with but feeble intellectual powers is, on the contrary, often very small, particularly in congenital idiotismus. The female brain is lighter than that of the male. It varies between 2 lbs. 8 oz. and 3 lbs. 11 oz. I never found a female brain that weighed 4 lbs. The female brain weighs on an average from four to eight ounces less than that of the male; and this difference is already perceptible in a new-born child." We have adduced these proofs and authorities in support of the proposition that size influences power, because we conceive it to be a principle of fundamental importance in every investigation into the natural history of man, founded on the physiology of the brain; and also because in the hasty zeal of many of the opponents of phrenology, to undermine the discoveries of Dr. Gall, it has been denied with a boldness and pertinacity more allied to the spirit of contentious disputation, than to that of philosophical inquiry. Its importance in a dissertation on national crania is very apparent. One of the most singular features in the history of this continent, is, that the aboriginal 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 civilisation. These phenomena must have a cause; and can any inquiry be at once more interesting and philosophical than that which endeavours to ascertain whether that cause be connected with a difference in the brain between the native 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 the tribes which have unsuccessfully resisted? It is true, that Dr. Gall's fundamental principle, the size in the brain (other conditions being equal) is a measure of the power of mental manifestation, is directly involved in these inquiries; but we can discover no reason why it should not be put to the test of an extensive and accurate induction of facts. The unphilosophical 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 inquirer, and states candidly and fearlessly the results 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, which was well shaken in order to pack the seed. A mahogany rod (previously graduated to denote the cubic inches and parts contained in the cylinder) being then dropped down, with its foot resting on the seed, the capacity of the cranium, in cubic inches, is at once read off on it." Dr. Morton gives also measurements of particular regions of the brain, as indicated by the skull; and in this portion of his work, the phrenologists alone can claim precedence of him. Secondly, The most distinguished philosophers on the mind, divide the human faculties into the active and intellectual powers; and some "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." admit even subdivisions of the feelings into propensities common to man with the lower animals, and moral emotions; and of the intellect, into observing and reflecting faculties. Dr. Thomas Brown's division. of the intellectual powers into simple and relative suggestion, corresponds with this last classification. If, then, the mind manifest a plurality of faculties, and if the brain be the organ of the mind, it appears to be a sound inference that the brain may consist of a plurality of organs. The presumptions which arise, in favour of this idea, from the constitution of the external senses and their organs, are strong. Each sense has its separate nervous apparatus. Nay, when the function of a part is compound, the nerves are multiplied, so as to give a distinct nerve for each function. The tongue has a nerve for voluntary motion, another for common sensation, and the best authorities admit a third nerve for taste, although the precise nerve is still in dispute. The internal nostrils are supplied with two nerves, the olfactory, and a nerve of common sensation, ramified on the mucous membrane, each performing its appropriate function. The spinal marrow consists, by general consent of physiologists, of at least two double columns, the anterior pair for voluntary motion, and the posterior pair for common sensation. Sir Charles Bell has demonstrated the distinct functions of the nerves procceding from these columns. Farther, every accurate observer distinguishes diversities of disposition and inequalities of talents, even in the same individual. The records of lunatic asylums show numerous instances of partial idiotcy and partial insanity. These facts indicate that the brain consists of a plurality of organs, and this idea is countenanced by many high authorities in physiological science. “The brain is a very complicated organ," says Bonnet, "or rather an assemblage of very different organs."* Tissot contends that every perception has different fibres ;† and Haller and Van Swieten were of opinion that the internal senses оссиру, in the brain, organs as distinct as the nerves of the external senses. Cabanis entertained a similar notion,§ and so did Prochaska. Cuvier says that " Certain parts of the brain, in all classes of animals, are large or small, according to certain qualities of the animals ;"|| and he admits that Gall's doctrine of different faculties being connected with different parts of the brain, is no wise contradictory to the general principle of physiology.¶ * Palingénésie, I, 334. † Euvres, III, 33, † Van Swieten, 1, 454. § Rapports du Physique et du Moral de l'Homme, 2de Edit. I, 233, 4. Anatomie Comparée, tome II. Rapport Historique sur les Progrès des Sciences Naturelles, &c. p. 193. (To be continued.) ARTICLE II. An Inquiry concerning the Diseases and Functions of the Brain, the Spinal Cord, and the Nerves. By AMARIAH BRIGHAM, M. D. Published by George Adlard, No. 168 Broadway, New York. 12mo. pp. 337. The above title is peculiarly calculated to attract the attention of the phrenologist. Whatever is published relating to the structure, organisation, and functions of the brain, however uninteresting to others, cannot fail to excite his interest. But we must confess our disappointment, in turning from the title of the work before us to an examination of its contents, to find only three pages (!) devoted to the subject of phrenology. It is unnecessary here to vindicate the merits of its advocates, either by pointing out the particular discoveries which they have made in this department of science, or by showing that we are indebted to their labours for some of the most important and valuable knowledge which we possess of the nervous system. It would seem hardly possible for an individual, acquainted with the history and progress of phrenological discoveries, to write a work of more than three hundred pages on the "Diseases and Functions of the Brain," without devoting more than three pages to the consideration of phrenology in its bearings on this subject, and we must think that Dr. Brigham, as he himself has frankly acknowledged, has had neither opportunity nor leisure to examine this science thoroughly and do it justice. He shall have, however, full credit for what he has said respecting its merits. The work is designed more especially for members of the medical profession, though it is by no means devoid of interest to the general reader. The author opens the work with some general remarks on the importance of understanding the structure and functions of the brain, after which he proceeds to examine the various methods which have been employed for determining its functions. The several methods mentioned by Dr. Brigham, such as chemical analysis, dissection, experiments on living animals, comparative anatomy, &c., have each, in themselves, proved entirely ineffectual. He has devoted the chief space of his work, under this head, to pathological observations. Dr. B. has here collected and detailed, at some length, many interesting facts, which afford the strongest possible evidence that the brain is composed of a congeries of organs, and moreover, that the external parts of this viscus perform the functions of mental manifestations, while the more interior parts are intimately connected with the muscular system, and the powers of locomotion. The last method noticed by Dr. B. for determining the functions of the brain, is that of "external examination of the cranium, or phrenology;" and here we present the reader with his three pages on this subject, which were alluded to above. We should not omit to state, that honourable mention is made throughout Dr. B.'s work of the labours of Drs. Gall and Spurzheim, as anatomists and physiologists. Dr. Gall should be considered the first who directed attention to this method of studying the functions of the brain. Many, I am aware, have condemned and ridiculed this method, but it appears to me eminently deserving of attention. One of the most distinguished of modern philosophers and metaphysicians observes, "There seems to be but little doubt that general inferences concerning the intellectual capacity may be drawn with some confidence from the form and the size of the skull, and it has been imagined by some, that corresponding to the varieties of intellectual and moral character, there are certain inequalities or prominences on the surface of the skull; and it certainly is a legitimate object of experimental inquiry to ascertain how far this opinion is agreeable to fact." With such high authority in favour of thus investigating the functions of the brain, surely we should not deem this method unworthy of our notice. For my own part, I see nothing unreasonable or unphilosophical in it, but can say in the language of one of the most celebrated modern anatomists, that the whole subject of phrenology appears to me of far too much importance to be discussed without the most rigid and impartial examination of the immense body of facts adduced in support of it; and this I have not hitherto had leisure to undertake. I shall therefore only say that, so far as I an acquainted with the subject, I do not see it as otherwise than rational and perfectly consistent with all that is known of the functions of the nervous system." It appears to me that Dr. Gall proceeded in a philosophical and cautious manner in forming his system, and that he is entitled to the praise of fairness and candour, as well as that of unsurpassed industry. He acknowledges the difficulties of the subject, and declares that, "to speak correctly of organology and cranioscopy, it is necessary to acquire a knowledge of it by a long and practical study." He fully notices the objections brought against his system, indeed, he was the first to state these objections, and that in certain cases the external table of the cranium is not parallel to the inner one, that sometimes the crania of men of very limited capacity are exceedingly thick, even when this condition is not the result of advanced age or mental disease, both of which produce variations in the thickness of the cranium, and he declares that it is impossible to determine with exactness the developements of certain convolutions by the inspection of the external surface of the cranium. Besides, Dr. Gall never pretended that he was able to determine the character of men in general by the external examination of the head. "I have never pretended," says he, "to distinguish the influence which modifications of the forms of the cranium slightly marked, may have on the character, or how its corresponding shades may be traced. My first observations have only been made upon persons who were distinguished from other men by some eminent quality or faculty. I easily perceived * Dugald Stewart on Natural Language |