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PHRENOLOGY IN HASTINGS, N. Y.-"It is of no use to try to make money in this business. We must labor for the good of the CAUSE, and look for a reward in the increasing intelligence and happiness of the society that surrounds us. We look to Phrenology as the star destined to lead us from mental night into the perfect light and liberty of the sons of truth. People here are just beginning to inquire what they are their origin, dignity, and destiny; and to find that the road to happiness is perfectly plain and easy-that this world is a vale of tears only because men make it so, not because God designed it."

L. F. S.

SURGERY AND MAGNETISM.-Dr. James Ashley, of New York, has per formed upward of FIFTY SURGICAL OPERATIONS on different persons without pain to the patient, within the last two months, and in every case yet attempted. The following is from the Gazette of the Union: ·

"We know the Doctor to be an honorable, learned, and high-minded gentleman, and a regular and distinguished practitioner, and therefore feel a degree of confidence. We have no doubt that MESMERISM in the hands of skilful and honest men, such as Dr. Ashley, may be used with much success in many cases of disease."

"THE SCOTLAND COURSE OF LECTURES"-drew out all classes-old and young, religious and liberal-for many miles around, and filled the church in which it was held fuller than it was ever known to have been before. Such a concourse, in spite of the weather, in so thinly populated a district, night after night, from first to last, and such increasing interest and general assent to the truths delivered, show that the people are coming en masse to investigate this new doctrine, to examine which is to believe. A general expression of gratitude was made to Mr. McElroy and others for serving up so rich a treat to their fellow-citizens. About one hundred and fifteen subscribed fifty cents each for a ticket admitting themselves and families, beside which from twelve to twenty dollars were taken at the door, so that the expenses were more than covered by the receipts. The surplus was tendered to Mr. Joshua Hutchinson, one of the celebrated singing family, who kindly treated the audience to some of that soul-inspiring music so peculiar to this gifted family.

JUDGING OF CHARACTER BY THE HANDWRITING.-With the request, often made by correspondents, that we would predicate their characters from their handwriting, we can rarely comply for want of time. Such applicants must not, therefore, complain if we do not accede to their solicitations. The principles laid down in our article on this subject, will enable all such to become their own chirologists.

A PHRENOLOGICAL SOCIETY has just been formed in Republic, Ohio. Its object is to qualify every member to become a PRACTICAL PHRENOLOGIST. A worthy object truly, and we hope they may succeed in sending forth many strong and well-trained teachers to spread the glorious truths of this science throughout the vast regions of the West. A. H. Westbrook, President; O. E. Page, Vice President; H. Bromley, Secretary; E. B. Page, Treasurer, Daniel Norton, Librarian.

APPLICATIONS FOR LECTURES are almost daily reaching us from east, west, north, and south, or else inquiries respecting our terms. To save the time of answering all these letters separately, and to give those who may wish the services of the editor or his brother, all required information, we repeat, that our terms are ten dollars per lecture, or six lectures for fifty dollars; and in that proportion for as many more as may be required. When this sum is pledged, one of us can generally give the course, unless the distance or expense is too great.

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We stipulate for the fifty dollars, not because we cannot generally make on our own hook"-for neither of us have yet given a single course the receipts of which did not pay our salary after defraying all expenses, and they generally far exceed both-but in order to awaken a PERSONAL interest among the citizens, so that our lectures may do the more good. We feel that our strength is too precious to be wasted, and therefore prefer to visit those places where the way has been previously prepared, and we are wanted. We require the fifty dollar subscription not so much on account of the money itself, as of the co-operation of subscribers, and the character thus given to the course.

Several inquiries have been sent us to ascertain whether we will visit places in Ohio, or Michigan, in case the required fifty dollars should be raised. Our answer is that, though the travelling expenses would exceed the receipts of one or two courses, yet if a sufficient number of subscriptions should be raised to warrant it, one of us might, perhaps, be induced to spend next winter in the West, where we have so many cordial co-workers. Those, therefore, who would secure our services there, may set subscriptions on foot, with some prospect of our being able to pay them a visit. We love the West and its spirit, and should be delighted to sow phrenological seed in soil thus rich and congenial. Send on your applications, and we will answer as soon as we see whether there is sufficient interest to warrant our going. One suggestion touching the mode of raising such subscriptions. Sometimes from ten to fifty persons pledge themselves to make up their proportion of whatever amount the receipts may fall short of the expenses, and share equally any surplus, and fix the price of admission. At Scotland, Pa., subscriptions of fifty cents entitled the subscriber to attend the course and bring his family; and after ninety had been obtained, they felt certain that the receipts would cover the balance, yet pledged their proportion if they did not.

Though we will let all such associations pursue their own course, yet allow a suggestion. TO DO GOOD is the great object of the lecturers. PHILANTHROPY, not money, should control the conditions. Hence, why not let the subscriptions run something as follows:

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We, the undersigned, agree to pay the sum placed opposite to our respective names, for a course of lectures to be delivered by Messrs. O. S. or L. N. Fowler, on Phrenology, provided their services can be procured.

Let the lectures be free, and if thirty or forty dollars only are subscribed, over the expenses of room, notices, etc., three or four lectures only will be given; whereas, if sixty or eighty are subscribed, seven or eight will be given. This will also allow subscriptions to be added, and the course to be extended, or repeated, at the option of the citizens.

OPEN DOORS, though they may crowd subscribers out of choice seats, will nevertheless secure the attendance and conversion of many who would not

otherwise go, and show that liberality and nobleness of spirit so pre-eminently inculcated by Phrenology, and every way enhance the usefulness of the course. Yet, where pay lectures are deemed best, we will furnish tickets. We can also strike bills, at a trifling cost, from our stereotype plates.

The editor's duties, and the preparation of his works, precludes his lecturing so much as his brother, whose devotion of his whole time to lecturing and examining the better prepares him to excel in them.

"PLEASANT AND PROFITABLE.-A lecturer on Phrenology called upon us the other day to hold an argument upon his 'science.' After we had spent some time in a very foolish attempt to convince him that it was all a 'delusion,' he said, 'Well, sir, we find it a very pleasant and profitable humbug, and so long as we continue to do so, we shall stick to it.' (1) 'No doubt of it,' we told him; and after he had informed us that he sells ten thousand of each of his publications, he took his leave.

"This is the secret of the zeal for these various and kindred schemes of imposition. (2) Between two and three thousand copies are eagerly bought of any tract, book, or paper that may be put forth by the Sweden-Mesmer-clairvoyant school of philosophers in this city, and so long as there are so many to buy, there will be plenty of men to make the books to sell. If a learned writer should now make a book on the doctrine of justification by faith, or the divinity of Christ, there might not be copies enough sold to pay the printer's bill. But make a book to show that a boy who never had six months' schooling can quote Hebrew when he is asleep, and see the rings around the moon, and the book will be sold by the thousand." (3)—N. Y. Observer.

(1) Misrepresented, till it is untrue. Such varying from strict truthfulnes is not exactly the thing for a standard CHRISTIAN paper. But it refutes itself; for who, not greener than a June squash, would make such a confession, were it even true, and to a professed enemy to his cause at that?

(2) And may not one "secret" of the Observer's zeal be found in its being so “profitable?” Is that paper which has amassed a princely fortune just the one to condemn others for making "profits?" To make money is the order of the day, but to amass a HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND dollars by speculating in His religion who had not where to lay his head, is bad enough, in all conscience. Let such profit-loving, glass-house tenants take care how they throw profitcondemning stones.

(3) The "secret" reason why these books on sectarian themes do not "sell enough to pay the printer's bills," while a single phrenological work has sold this year, not by the ten thousand, but by the HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND, is because the former do not reach the INNER TEMPLE of the human soul; while the latter gives its readers something TANGIBLE AND SOULINSPIRING. Dry, didactic, sectarian dogmas do not go home to the MOTIVES AND CONDUCT or mankind, while Phrenology tells men what they are by constitution, and how to CULTIVATE their god-like powers. This is the "secret" reason why the Observer party, according to its own confession, is running down and running out so alarmingly fast. This fact, thus incidentally confessed, is so palpable, that it might have spared itself those piteous wailings "before men," for we knew it before. But if it cries so piteously now, what will it do ten years hence? Why has the Observer's subscription list declined six thousand, while that of the Jurnal has increased from three hundred to over twelve

thousand? The following extract from a letter of one of our correspondents

answers:

"MIDDLETOWN, FRED. Co., VIRGINIA, January 27, 1847. "MY DEAR SIR:-The works and papers sent me by you have arrived in good order, and are quite to my mind in all respects. I can now say I have every work written and published by our distinguished friends, O. S. and L. N. Fowler, that is at all "pleasant and profitable," save the first four volumes of the Journal.

"Please present my very best compliments to Mrs. Wells, and assure her that she will always be borne in kind remembrance by me, if prompted by no other consideration as long as the history of Volume V. of the Journal is retained in my recollection. Excuse me for persuading myself to call upon her to recommend to me a religious newspaper, as I am utterly at a loss to make a selection, being, as they generally are, so far in the rear of the age, as is aptly illustrated by your august contemporary the New York Observer, which paper I have recently very pleasantly and profitably" ordered to be discontinued. Should she hesitate to specify any particular one, request her to send a number of that one her brother O. S. F. thinks most worthy of patronage, whenever an opportunity is afforded.*

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"Your friendly brother in Phrenology,

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And this decline of the Observer and its satellites, and increase of Phrenology, is destined to go on. The inquiring spirit of the age is fast patronizing MERIT, not antiquity. Phrenology shines the brighter the more it is examined. To this investigating ordeal the Observer and its dogmas must submit. Men, excepting a few blind followers, will not hereafter. as heretofore, be deterred from thinking for themselves by the bulls of either Popes or Observers. Retard our cause you cannot. All you say will only weaken your position, but strengthen ours. TRUTH is mighty. You yourself provoked the existing warfare between your spurious Christianity and Phrenology, and must abide the issue.

PHRENOLOGY IN PHILADELPHIA.

The editor has just closed two most successful courses of lectures on Phrenology in this eminently scientific city. The large lecture-room of the Chinese Museum, in which Combe lectured, was filled every night of the last course; the average attendance exceeded five hundreD, although the lectures were continued every successive evening for twenty nights. The applicants for professional examinations were much more numerous than could possibly be waited on-an additional proof that the progress of Phrenology is triumphant.

An incident occurred, the last evening but one, worthy of narration. After the lecture, an“ Observer” disciple came forward and requested permission to

* No such a religious paper as our correspondent requests us to recommend, is, to our knowledge, published-all being devoted to some one-idea-ism, destitute alike of Christianity and philosophy. Phrenology demonstrates the existence of moral faculties, and thus proves that they should be exercised, and by locating the moral by the side of the reasoning organs, shows that the two should be exercised together. Hence, wo require a religious paper which shall base its moral appeal on the nature of things, and present and enforce the observance of all the laws of our being. No such paper exists, yet is the great desideratum of the age. But wait a little.

address the audience, which was granted. After admitting that the lecture was full of wholesome moral truth, he went on to weep because itwas directing attention from the heart to the HEAD-that the head was of little account, so that the heart was only right; that we must be converted or be damned; that this needed change occurred instantaneously, but that the "bumps" exhibited no such sudden change, and therefore Phrenology was in conflict with religion; and much more to the same effect. Meanwhile some of the audience began to scrape and hiss. I raised my hand and requested them to hear him through, though his remarks were ill-timed, and added that it ill became phrenologists to restrain freedom of speech by force, etc. At the conclusion of his zealous effusion, I remarked that I had always supposed, yet might possibly be mistaken, that the heart circulated the blood, and did nothing else, while all mental operations, religious emotions included, were exercised by the head; and appealed whether the lecture of that evening had not conveyed as much moral truth—as much incentive to both morality and holy aspiration-as any sermon they ever heard; whether Phrenology was not pre-eminently entitled to the countenance of the religious, because it enforced practical piety and goodness in the strongest terms, yet that religionists were its principal opponents. I also showed that Phrenology did not conflict with his alleged sudden "change of heart," because this change did not increase or diminish the POWER of the faculties, but simply changed their DIRECTION; that is, that it neither enhanced nor decreased the musical, or the reasoning, or any other powers, but simply made the secuar singer a religious singer, and the reasoner on worldly matters a reasoner on religion, but never made poor singers or reasoners good ones, or good ones poor, and thus of all the other faculties; that, in short, it simply changed the DIRECTION of the faculties, not their power, and therefore required no change in the organs, and hence did not conflict with the change in question; and referred, for a full exposition of this subject, to my works on Religion and Phrenology, 60,000 copies of which were before the public. I added that those who knew so little of this science, as his objection presupposed, were not exactly the ones to condemn it, yet were generally loudest in their denunciations.

While I was replying, he and several of his brethren left; on which I called the attention of the audience to their destitution of good manners, to their consciousness of their own weakness in running as soon as they had fired their popgun, for fear of getting shot if they stayed, and especially to that consummate bigotry, which, while it spoke where it had no right to speak, closed eyes and ears against all examination of this subject—a course not altogether unknown to his clique.

LECTURES IN NEW YORK.-The editor will commence a course of lectures on Phrenology, Physiology, and their applications to human improvement, self-culture, juvenile education, intellectual discipline, matrimony-or selection, courtship, and married life-the character of woman, hereditary descent, etc., at Clinton Hall, the first Monday in March, and continue it three weeks, every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday evenings. A good opportunity is thus furnished to those who would enhance their phrenological knowledge, or fit themselves for practicing the science, or securing phrenological examinations, to do so.

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