He not only does not love his sweet and gentle little sister, but annoys her in every way that he can. Look at his countenance, and tell me if you think he is happy. This little boy has large Destructiveness. So have all animals that have sharp teeth, and are carnivorous, or feed on flesh. It is a fact that lions, bears, and other animals of that class, have broader heads than the sheep and other domestic animals. "I would not have you think that Destructiveness is a bad organ, and ought never to be exercised. Every organ and faculty which God has given to us, is good in itself, and was given us for a good and definite purpose; it is only the perversion of an organ that produces bad effects in society. 66 By the perversion of an organ I mean the improper use of it; for example, our hands were given to assist us in doing a great many things necessary for our support and happiness; our feet were given us to enable us to walk; but if we strike each other with our hands, or kick animals, or each other, with our feet, we pervert the use of these instruments given us for our own good. So with Combativeness and Destructiveness. These organs, if rightly exercised, produce spirit, force, and energy of character. They help us to overcome the many difficulties which are thrown in our way. With these, we are less affected by heat or cold, when we wish to do anything; they help us to tame wild animals, and kill them if necessary for food. "Without these, people would be tame and insignificant creatures, and, especially, would never succeed in any plans or inventions, if Concentrativeness be small also. We should not have had any railroads or steamboats; the seaman would never have left his home to be absent three or four years to catch the mighty whale, and bring us oil; and all the great enterprises of the day would not have been undertaken. "If children had no Destructiveness, they would never wish to play, or do anything that required any exertion, but would remain quietly at home with their mothers. But be very careful not to exercise this organ by striking each other, by being angry and revengeful, or by exhibiting bad tempers when you are young; for all those bad men and women who finally die on the gallows, or are sent to our prisons, were permitted, when young, to indulge these bad feelings till they had committed some crime for which they were arrested and punished. "Gibbs, the pirate, when a boy, amused himself with dog-fighting, and all other kinds of rough plays, to such a degree, that the coarser feelings of his nature obtained the ascendency over the higher, better, and moral. "You may say that if you have this organ, you must use it, and so cannot help yourself. But this is not so; for although some are naturally more inclined to deeds of wickedness or kindness than others, yet all can restrain their passions if they wish, and should strive against the indulgence of their wicked feelings. "I know a little boy who was naturally inclined to destroy and trouble all the cats, dogs, etc., he saw. His parents were aware of this propensity, and explained to him that it was wrong to torture the innocent merely for his own pleasure, and often conversed with him on this subject. This produced so good an effect, that in the course of a few months his disposition in this respect was changed, and he is now one of the kindest-hearted boys I ever saw, and beloved by all who know him." PHRENOLOGY IN THE WEST.-A Phrenological Society has just been formed in Janesville, Wisconsin. Messrs. Kellogg and Richmond have spent some two weeks in this place, where they have delivered a number of instructive lectures, which, together with the interest previously created, has led to the formation of this Society, now in so flourishing a condition. The "Journal" is liberally patronized by the inhabitants of this "village in the far west." Our friend, Orrin Guernsey, deserves much credit for his efforts in behalf of the science. May he be rewarded. MISCELLANY. DIFFERENCE ON THE TWO SIDES OF THE HEAD. I would like to hear, in some number of the Journal, the reason or reasons for a particular organ being more fully developed upon one side of the head than the other. I believe this to be the case sometimes, and have examples on my own head, and have noticed the same fact in relation to other heads repeatedly during the past year. There appears as much difference as between the right and left arm, in many instances; and this has led me to think one side may be exercised, while the other remains at rest, as well as one side of the body. An explanation of this would be satisfactory to me for one, and I have seen others of the same opinion as myself, who would like to have this difficulty cleared up in their own minds. W. ANSWER. This difference is often quite apparent, yet no more strange than that one hand or one eye should possess more power than the other. Its causes will generally be found to be, first, in having lain more on one side than on the other in childhood, and perhaps in mature life; and, secondly, in the greater exercise of the given organs on one side than the other. Why not use the right lobe of Combativeness, for example, more than the left, as we often use the right hand or eye more than we do the other? Yet this presents no insuperable barrier to correct observation; for, in gen eral, the largest side is the true measure of the functional power.-ED. 66 December 21, 1846. DEAR SIR:-During the past summer a friend of mind sent me a copy of your work on Memory." It was the first of your publications I had chanced to meet with, in a manner to call my attention. The gratification I experienced from reading it, I would not attempt to describe; but rather recommend its perusal to ONE and ALL. Any one who will give it a CAREFUL, attentive perusal, cannot fail to be benefited thereby. To me it was a light shining far into the darkness; breaking through the bonds that superstition, fashion, and adherence to ancient forms and customs, had thrown around us, and taking a MIGHTY STEP towards that perfection for which man was originally designed by his Creator. The remarks on instructions, in particular, find an echo in my heart; and must in the minds of all who read. I feel satisfied that nothing will tend more to the promotion of a knowledge of Phrenology-and thereby the improvement of mankind-than the circulation of this work. The plan that I had in view to place it within the reach of all, in many of the States at least, is through the medium of the district-school library. I would presume to advise that you charge your agents to give particular attention to this situation. I know of no place where a single copy could do so much good. They usually apply some ten or fifteen dollars, annually, to the increase of their library; and any man of sense cOULD NOT OBJECT, nay, must be pleased with having such a book placed where it might be widely circulated. It is, in my opinion, one of the most humane and charitable operations in which one could be engaged; for how could one be better employed than in ELEVATING and CULTIVATING the MIND of a NATION, preparing it for HIGHER and more EXTENSIVE enjoyments, and causing man to approach NEARER and NEARER to that state of existence for which he was designed by his Creator?—cultivating the IMMORTAL part of man, which is not only capable of enjoyment of a superior kind while here, but which is destined for a NEVER-ENDING existence of PERFECT BLISS or wo hereafter. J. H. B. For the American Phrenological Journal. For some two or three years past, I have been interested and profited by the perusal of your valuable "Journal;" and have been silently making my own observations on those with whom I am acquainted, often to my surprise at the correctness of those principles. The following confirmatory fact very recently came under my notice : While in conversation with a friend, the subject of Phrenology was incidentally mentioned, and my opinion relative to its claims requested. I replied that, as far as my observations extended, I believed its general principles to be true. A young German, but a few months from his "Fatherland," being near, my friend beckoned him to us, and asked me what, according to Phrenology, were the leading traits in his character. The young man was to me a total stranger, and on removing his cap, I exclaimed, with astonishment, "What immense Tune! Why, he's all music!" My friend replied, "You are right. Music is his only hobby. He will learn almost any air by hearing it once; and he is almost continually singing or whistling, from morning till night." Upward, and a little backward from the external angle of the eye-precisely where phrenologists locate the organs of Time and Tune-was, on each side of his head, a dome-like elevation, about the size of a half-dollar, exceeding in prominence anything of the kind that I had ever before seen. Another peculiarity was his unusual breadth and fulness between the eyes, and indeed the whole intellectual lobe, from which I inferred a great facility for committing to memory, and the power of retaining that which had been once learned; all of which was confirmed by my friend, who had been acquainted with him for some weeks. Many persons are willing to investigate this subject, but are withheld by fear that it would subject them to ridicule; and no wonder, when such sentiments as the following are promulged from the pulpit : 'Phrenology teaches that there is NO WILL, capable of exercising an energetic control over the mind; that theft is the result of the overgrown fulness of some portion of the head, and that a man with such a head MUST, AS A MATTER OF NECESSITY, continue to steal, unless he can, by some powerful means, raise up a counterbalancing 'bump,' on some other portion of the head. I warn you against entertaining such false principles. They are the step-stone to infidelity." He proceeded to say, "The idea that corporeal punishment is unnecessary in the government of children, needs no argument to show its falsity. It is inconsistent, erroneous, absurd-contrary to common sense, and contrary to the word of God." In the course of his remarks, however, he lost sight of the position he had taken, and related the following fact from his own experience in the capacity of teacher, which, as it illustrates so forcibly the principles of government, as taught by phrenologists, I will relate it : Having engaged to teach a certain school for a term, he was informed that he would have one scholar-a girl, some nine or ten years of age, who for several previous terms had been unusually refractory, so much so that almost daily inflictions of punishment with the rod were considered absolutely indispensable. Under this course of treatment she became more stubborn still, until she at last began to look upon her frequent flagellations as a necessary evil. 66 Under these circumstances," said our narrator, "I formed the resolution not to punish that child corporeally, let what would happen, but rather strive to win her to duty by reason and kindness, and succeeded beyond my most sanguine anticipations. and a more faithful scholar was not in my school." H. N. R. FIRST LESSONS IN BOTANY, OR CHILD'S BOOK OF FLOWERS, for families and schools, illustrated with engravings. By Theodore Thinker. This excellent little work is just THE thing for those who wish to acquire a knowledge of the first principles of the science of Botany. The author has a peculiarly happy faculty of adapting his language to the comprehension of children, and at the same time conveying much valuable instruction to readers of a more mature age. Mailable; pp. 108, 18mo. Price 18 cents. Address FOWLERS & WELLS. 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"THE BOOK OF THE FEET: A History of Boots and Shoes, with Illustrations of the Fashions of the Egyptians, Hebrews, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, and the prevailing Style throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, down to the present Period; also, Hints to Last-makers, and Remedies for Corns, etc. By J. SPARKS HALL, Patent Elastic-Bootmaker to her Majesty the Queen, the Queen-Dowager, and the Queen of the Belgians. With a History of Boots and Shoes in the United States, Biographical Sketches of eminent Shoemakers, and Crispin Anecdotes." Much has been said and written concerning the HEADS and BODIES of men, while comparatively little attention has been given to those very important members, the FEET. In this work, we have a full account of the treatment which they have received, from the earliest stages of civilization, and the causes and cure of corns, and various other maladies to which the feet are subject. It is beautifully got up, forming a duodecimo of 216 pages, in lithographic paper cover. Mailable. Price fifty cents. THE WATER-CURE MANUAL.-A new and original work, bearing the above title, has just been issued by Dr. Shew, who has just returned from Graefenberg, the fountain-head of Hydropathy. It contains, of course, a new and accurate account of the discoveries of Vincent Preissnitz, and also a fine lithographic portrait of this remarkable man. Mailable from our office. Price fifty cents. |