call in question the power and precision of their judgments? It has also been a maxim with most philosophers, that judgment and imagination cannot both be good in the same person. This is a proofless position. Shakspeare was a good judge of human character, and his poetic discrimination was unequalled. Burns was also a good judge of patriotism, and Moore of amorousness. Philosophers should specify what class of judgments they mean. A man, with all the organs active, and a good temperament, would be a connoisseur in all matters. Voltaire was a specimen in point. John Q. Adams has a correct judgment of poetry, wit, satire, politics, morals, etc.

Will, according to Locke, is a self-determining power of the mind. In the abstract, this definition may be accurate. But it has been said that a weak will accompanies a weak intellect, judgment, or understanding. This is not true, as a principle in psychological science. Melancthon and Erasmus had judgments or intellects superior to Luther; yet they were vacillating and effeminate in point of volitionary power, while Luther was a man of most indomitable daring, resolve, and perseverance. Many persons of minds almost approaching idiocy, have frequently great strength of WILL-by which I understand A DECISION TO ACT, and perseverance IN ACTION TILL ITS OBJECT BE ATTAINED; the consummation of which is the result of large Firmness and Continuity, or Concentrativeness. The WILL, too, is frequently contrary to the judgment; thus, an inspired writer has said, "For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." This is a truth written in the numerous facts that daily occur around us. How often do we engage in actions, urged on by INCLINATION and PROPENSITY, which are interdicted by our understanding? Thus we often wILL to do what we know to be contrary to propriety and rectitude of conduct. With a great philosopher, we must admit, that "hitherto there has been much philosophizing, and but little philosophy." But the time is nigh when men will be taught to THINK as well as BELIEVE. The superstitious reverence and veneration with which mysterious and mystified holiness have been regarded, shall soon be buried in the grave of things that were, and man will emerge from a night of dark centuries to the enjoyment of the faith which is an exercise of reason.

PHILO VERITAS.

ARTICLE XXIII.

PHRENOLOGY A HELPMATE TO RELIGION.

MR. O. S. FOWLER:

DEAR SIR.-I hope you will pardon the liberty a stranger thus takes in intruding upon your time, which, no doubt, might be more profitably employed than in reading this epistle. About six years since, I was skeptical on the subject of Phrenology. I heard, without examining, the hackneyed phrase, Fatality, fatality! I thought, however, I would give the system one trial, and about six years ago called at your office, (at that time I resided in New Jersey,) and you examined my head, and so perfectly accurate were you in reference to what I knew of myself, that my prejudices

so far gave way as to leave me in a state of mind to investigate the subject. I have investigated, and I need not tell you the conclusion, for it is only in my case what it would be in every man's who will allow himself to give the subject a candid hearing-I am a firm believer in the system, yea, science. All on the subject to which I could have access I have read, and read with the deepest interest. I have read and studied nearly everything that has been written on mental philosophy, and have gathered much information from Brown, Reid, Stewart, etc.; but all was like a ship making her way through a fog, without a compass-uncertainty, uncertainty! Phrenology has thrown a light on the mental phenomena brilliant as the sun at noonday. It gives us a data from whence to start, and conducts us, with great simplicity, to the causes that give rise to the diversified character of our race. In, or through it, I can learn man, and what so important to learn? I love it because, after investigation, I find it beautifully harmonizes with the Bible, yet does not place itself as man's redeemer, but, as does the Bible, impresses man with the importance of having the bitter distillations of sin neutralized by the grace of the Gospel. As a father, a member of society, a minister of the Gospel, money could not purchase the little knowledge I have of the subject. As a father, and a minister, I find it of vast importance. By know. ing my children through Phrenology, I can adapt myself to them; knowing my congregation through the same source, I know generally what class of truths will reach them, and how to best manage minds; and I know I have been vastly more successful under the light this subject— Phrenology-has given me than before it shone on my path. I know I can preach more pointedly, more comprehensibly, more effectually, by studying Phrenology than when I knew nothing about it. But, dear friend, how this system suffers by quackery-unintelligent men professing to tell character by BUMPS, destitute of all knowledge of Anatomy, Phrenology, etc. I have really been so hurt, in this western world, by the injury done to the cause by such lectures, that was it not for fear of adding insult to injury, I would have embarked in its defence.

I have recently preached a phrenological sermon, as it was called, to my people, and which I think produced an excellect effect. My theme was, to account for the diversity of character observable on phrenological principles, and to account for the classifications in the wide universethings with a like organization are kindred spirits. I have half a mind to send you the manuscript, and would, but you might consider it a display of egotism.

We do not give the name of this correspondent, but hereby request his permission to do so, and to solicit a copy of the sermon he mentions in his communication.

66

Messrs. Observer & Co., what say you now about Phrenology as conflicting with religion? Or even your version of it? for our correspondent is a minister of your own sect, and signs himself "Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in ." Still, as the Observer man never sees"" Phrenology, of course he knows ever so much more about its moral tendency than our correspondent, who has carefully studied it so many years, and knows EXPERIMENTALLY how efficient a religious co-worker it is.

This correspondent asks whether, in our opinion, judging from a forwarded copy of the examination mentioned in the letter, he could succeed as a phrenological lecturer. We answer, YES. What a lecturer most requires, is to be imbued with its SPIRIT. Nor, if he embarks in this cause, will he be the only Reverend who will soon be in this field of reform. Several ministers-Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptists, and one Episcopalian-the latter a man of literary and clerical eminence—are fitting themselves for this glorious work. And those who do, will accomplish incalculably more than they can do in their respective parishes. The editor studied for a Presbyterian divine.

He engaged in Phrenology for the same reason that many of his poor classmates did in teaching-to procure the means of prosecuting his clerical studies. Nor did he abandon his ministerial intentions till he had practiced Phrenology for several years, and saw that he could do a hundred-might he not say a thousand-fold more GOOD-the sole object of his life-in this field than that. Think not that, because he puts in such articles as 66 TINKERS," and comes out on the Observer & Co., he despises religion. He confesses his utter disgust of the Observer & Co.'s VERSION of it; but the time is at hand when a much-needed discrimination will be made between pretensions and realities. The Observer's religion is no more like the religion of Jesus Christ than sawdust is like that beautiful mahogany of which it is only the torn and detached fragments. The religionists of the day have torn his doctrines all to tatters, both practically and theoretically. And the world shall yet know wherein. "Wait a little longer," and "the truth as it is in Christ Jesus" shall supersede this sawdust religion which now occupies the temple, and cries, "I am holier than thou."

ANOTHER MINISTERIAL ADVOCATE.

OWEN SOUND, Lake Huron, Canada West, Feb. 2, 1847. MESSRS. FOWLERS AND WELLS:

A Methodist missionary on Lake Huron, laboring among the Indians, writes you, wishing to take your Phrenological Journal for this year, for which you will find inclosed a one dollar bill, as good a bill as I could obtain. I have before me a copy of your almanac, in which I see a prospectus. I would humbly suggest that you add Physiognomy as a necessary department in your useful paper. In my little experience of six years, I have found it useful to connect them. My phrenological library consists of Combe's Constitution of Man, Fowler's Phrenology Proved, etc.; but years before I had a work of the kind (I have never met with a professor yet) I had my own opinions on faces and heads.

B. J. GRAY, having relinquished his school, again devotes his time and talents to the promulgation of Phrenology.

ARTICLE XXIV.

LETTER FROM GEORGE COMBE.

ANY THING, from the pen of this great apostle of Phrenology, as adapted to our country and its institutions, deserves a place in our columns; and this letter in particular. We should like to append

comments, touching the great industrial interests on which it treats, but at present must leave the reader to comment for himself, simply suggesting that this subject deserves the earnest and philosophical consideration of republican America.

The following letter was received in reply to one requesting the author s opinion of the principle of Association, as expounded by Fourier and others, or what the laboring mass of mankind can do for their own elevation.

Another consideration should be added to those contained in the letter, viz: the laws of hereditary descent, or the laws which govern the transmission of qualities from parents to their offspring. If these laws were understood and OBEYED, it would accomplish more in human elevation than all other means. When parents are brought to realize their accountability in this respect-to KNOW and FEEL that THEY are responsible for the dispositions and characters of their children, we may THEN expect to see mankind attached to the locomotive, of improvement-to make some progress toward the much talked-of millenium.

EDINBURGH, November 25th, 1846.

MR. EBEN. AVERY, South Reading, Mass., U. S. A. :

DEAR SIR.-Your letter dated in July reached me only in October, and I beg to thank you for it, and the translation of Fourier's work which accompanied

it.

I agree in your view of Fourier's system as far as I understand it, and regard it as impracticable in the present state of society. You ask "What else can the laboring population do for their own elevation and improvement, and the removal of the iron hoof which at present grinds them into the earth?" In answering this question, I submit two views to your consideration.

1st. INDIVIDUALS cannot change suddenly the condition of the society in which they live. Even Peter the Great, of Russia, and Joseph II., of Austria, although sovereigns armed with despotic power, and men of great energy of character, could not succeed in reforming the administration of their own governments and civilizing their own people. And the reason of their failure was, that the individuals who composed these nations were rude, ignorant, and superstitious, and preferred modes of life and action which were in harmony with their own low mental condition to higher habits which would have been at variance with it. The only way to produce a great social improvement, is by degrees to infuse new principles into the mass. and to teach them to the children. It requires three generations at least to operate an important social change.

This, you say, presents a poor prospect to individuals who, like yourself, perceive the imperfection of the present state of things, and suffer from it. I acknowledge that it does so, and wish that it were otherwise; but the cause of the evils which you endure lies in the moral and intellectual condition of the CLASS to which you belong. The great majority of them are still low in their moral and intellectual attainments, and prefer their present external condition to the pain of preparing themselves for a higher. There is only one unsurmountable obstacle, for example, to all the operatives in a Lowell cotton-mill, forming themselves into a joint-stock company, performing all the work them

selves, and dividing the profits—and this one obstacle is the low condition of their moral and intellectual faculties, which would render them incapable of a rational, moral, and efficient co-operation. Were such a scheme tried, you would see the ambitious men aiming at power in the management, for their own gratification, irrespective of their real capacity to direct the work with advantage to the general interests; you would find the selfish men aiming at some extra advantage to themselves, jealous of others, and discontented; the indolent men, idle, and the profligate men, reckless. This occurred at Orbiston, where Mr. Owen's system was tried; and would probably happen again at Lowell, if not tried. I state this as the only UNSURMOUNTABLE obstacle to the success of the supposed scheme; because I am convined that if the operatives had only full confidence in each other's intelligence, business talents, and good faith, there is CAPITAL enough among themselves to set up and manage such an establishment. The sums in the savings' banks belong chiefly to the laboring class, and why do they prefer a low rate of interest from one of these banks to a higher rate from a joint-stock association of their own people, except that they have not confidence in their honesty and business talents? Moreover, 1 am satisfied that only the same want of confidence stands in the way of ordinary capitalists lending money to such associations.

Is there, then, any remedy for these deficiencies in the working classes? There is none that I know of except education, or intellectual instruction and moral training. Your board of education, with the Hon. Horace Mann at its head, is using the most effectual means that can be devised to promote the elevation and improvement of the people of Massachusets. The working-classes scarcely see the benefits tendered to them in education in a sufficiently strong light. For my own part, I can discover no cause why capital and its advantages are found so exclusively in the hands of the middle and higher classes, except their superior intelligence, business talents, and good faith. Wherever these qualities have been wanting in them, ruin has overtaken THEM, just as it has overwhelmed associations of the operatives. In this country, the benefit societies, for providing against sickness and death, too often fail in the hands of the operatives, while in those of the middle classes, under the name of Life and Annuity offices, accumulate enormous wealth. The causes of the different results are easily traced. The poor man's club is founded in a tavern; the landlord is often the treasurer; the rates adopted are not calcalated on any accurate data in proportion to the risks; and the whole scheme is too often managed by ambitious busy-bodies whose vanity far exceeds their intelligence; and so the scheme perishes. The Life Associations of the middle classes have no connection with the tavern; they are managed by men of the highest intelligence in that department who can be found, and who are adequately paid in proportion to their skill; their rates are founded on data scientifically ascertained; the funds are scrupulously invested in good securities; and the managers conduct the whole concern IN GOOD FAITH for the benefit of ALL the members; and hence their success.

I may take another example. In some of your States, joint stock Banks were instituted in great numbers. In many instances the cashiers and directors applied the funds to their own use, lost them, and the Banks failed. Want of INTELLIGENCE and HONESTY was the cause of their ruin. Wherever, on the other hand, these qualities prevailed in the management, the Banks prospered. In Massachusetts you had fewer Bank failures than in other States, and why? Solely because moral and intellectual cultivation was farther advanced there among the class who make and manage Banks, than in the other States. In Scotland, only four or five joint stock Banks have failed since 1800, and I know the history of every one of them. They were small provincial establishments, and the managers of them applied the funds to their own purposes and lost them.. In short, all these Banks perished THROUGH DISHONESTY.

In course of my experience during thirty years in the profession of the law, in connection chiefly with the middle class of society, I had abundant proofs