—
Since Spurzheim’s visit to
America, this science has attracted the attention of the curious and the
learned. Dr. Gall is the founder of the system Dr. Spurzheim, though he
did not first start the system, became so able an auxiliary and associate
of Dr. Gall, that these two gentlemen may be regarded as the individuals
who have actually founded a new system of philosophy.
The science is said not to have been reared at once, by lively
imaginations, but gradually to have attained its present maturity by the
careful collection of facts and observations.
It divides the head into various compartments, and asserts that the mental
and moral powers and dispositions may be known by the inspection of these
compartments.
The common and more universally received division, or map of the head,
contains thirty-three compartments, which have appropriate names. This is
called Dr. Spurzheim’s order of the organs.
In the present number, we give Mr. Wilson’s scale, intending hereafter to
furnish an outline of the new system of Gall and Spurzheim.
There are twenty moral and twenty intellectual powers. Passing by the
arrangement of classes, which can be taken up again, we furnish a table to
the wood-cuts of the heads.
1. Philoprogenitiveness, the love of offspring, is situated immediately
over the hollow of the neck. Its uses are, the preservation of the
species, connecting with it parental affection and sympathy. Its abuse,
the spoiling of children by excessive indulgence.
2. Amativeness, the root of conjugal affection. Its abuse is, immoral
desires, the fountain of innumerable evils. It lies rather beneath and on
each side of the former.
3. Destructiveness, the taking away of life. Its use is the removal of
obstacles and the annihilation of evil. Its abuses are cruelty, murder,
wrath, severity of manner and speech. Its organ is behind the back and
upper part of the ear.
4. Constructiveness, the power of putting together. Its use is in the
mechanical arts, &c, and its abuse is in spending time over useless
and unprofitable inventions. Its organ is at the temple, over the outer
part of number:
5. Concentrativeness, the power of bringing the mind to bear upon given
subjects. Its use is in steadily performing the social and relative
duties, and in reasoning. Its abuse is over-abstraction of the mind ;
excessive attachment to particular objects or places. Its organ lies over
the middle of Philoprogenitiveness.
6. Attachment: this is the root of friendship, and, combined with
Amativeness, produces marriage. Its organ is on each side of the previous
one, being closely allied to it.
7. Combativeness, the inclination to meet danger, and to resist attack.
Its abuses are a love of contention, and willingness to dispute or
assault. Lies behind the ear, upward from Amativeness.
8. Ideality: this gives a taste for the beautiful and sublime, and is
large in poets and imaginative writers. Its abuses are, a too great love
of change, extravagant ideas, and a disposition to neglect the duties of
life, and live in the region of romance. It lies on the side of the head,
between Faith and Constructiveness, with its fore-part resting on Music.
9. Self-esteem, confidence in our own power and worth, enabling us
properly to estimate our true value. Abuse, love of dominion, pride,
arrogancy, egotism. Situated in the middle of the head.
10. Approbativeness accompanies Self-esteem, and corrects the abuse of it.
But, when too large, produces an excessive wish for praise, vain-glory,
notoriety. It lies on each side of Self-esteem.
11. Cautiousness: this is easily understood. Its abuses are jealousy,
unfounded apprehensions, and with deficient firmness, occasions
irresolution, wavering. It lies outward from the former.
12. Faith: this, properly directed, holds up the mind, amid earthly
trials, and inspires a devout trust in the Deity. Its abuses are,
credulity, a disposition to believe any thing, leading to superstition.
Lies upward from Ideality, and backward from Congruity.
13. Firmness: this is easily understood. The abuses of Firmness are,
self-will, obstinacy, stubbornness. Situated on the upper crown, above
Self-esteem.
14. Conscientiousness: neither is this difficult of being understood. Its
abuses are, remorse for innocent mistakes, and great grief for trifling
errors; and when abused by education, leads people to persecute, under the
impression that they are doing what is right. Lies on either side of
Firmness.
15. Secretiveness: so also is this easily understood. Its abuses are,
cunning, ability to hide our designs till they are ripe for execution,
&c. Lies downwards from Cautiousness, and above Destructiveness.
16. Imitation; easily understood.
17. Veneration: the proper object of this is Deity, but it also produces
respect for authority, &c. Abuses, undue regard for old customs,
opinions, authority, &.c. Lies at the opening of the head, between the
organs of Hope, which is numbered as
18. And easily understood. Abuses, absurd or extravagant expectations,
deceitful promises, &,c. Lies outward from Veneration, and forward
from Conscientiousness.
19. Acquisitiveness; both the use and the abuse easily understood. When
this organ is largely developed, and accompanied with deficient
Benevolence and Conscientiousness, it produces Covetousness and Theft.
Lies forward from Secretiveness.
20. Benevolence: the previous twenty numbers, all belong to the feelings,
or affective faculties.
21. Comparison. 22. Eventuality. 23. Casualty. 24. Congruity. 25.
Individuality. 26. Locality. 27. Time. 28. Order. 29. Form. 30. Size. 31.
Weight. 32. Color. 33. Natural Language. 34. Artificial Language. 35.
Number. 36. Tune. 37. Motion. 38. Touch. 39. Scent. 40. Aliment.