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Before any impartial person joins our enemies in bestowing upon us the epithets of presumptuous, severe, merciless, cruel, or any other of the list which delinquents always have in readiness for a well-deserved retribution, let him call to mind, the long and heavy account of aggression which we have to settle, and he will not only not grudge us our revenche, but cheer us, if we bear us well in the contest. It is likely, that our punitory establishment will deter incipient delinquents; but old offenders we do not expect to reform. The philosophers of the punch-school especially are committed, and bound to proceed with their refutation of our induction-with their "arguments with a vengeance," and their personalities, till their fabric of folly is completed; and "fool and anti-phrenologist" shall be held by universal consent to be convertible terms.

But we must not conclude without a word of expostulation with men of real scientific habits, who know what induction is, and can appreciate a system built upon that basis. The sooner they cease to scorn, and begin to learn, the better for themselves. We tell them that they do neither well nor wisely to neglect phrenology—that they act absurdly to prejudge it. We tell them-disdain us as they may—that it is to be disgracefully behind the science of the age, to live in Chinese-like contempt of an inquiry which deeply engages a number of men in no way their inferiors, either in philosophical acuteness, or powers or habits of just reasoning. The inquiry is too far advanced to make this insolence of office longer safe. The system is greatly too near its certain destination of being deemed the most important discovery of modern times, to leave it prudent for even the greatest philosopher to entrench himself against it in his imagined strong-hold, where, if he remain, he must soon make a very ridiculous figure, and run the risk of being a by-word to every school-boy, as one of those who, in

• Drunkenness, as an excuse, will on no account be listened to.

the nineteenth century, opposed the progress of the true science of mind.

One sign of the times is worth the regard of the most securely established philosopher. The doctrine, which he unwisely despises, is rapidly taking hold of the reason, and delighting the imaginations of the rising generation. They have no exclusive theories which they love better than truth; no philosophic dignities and reputations in jeopardy; no pride to be offended by the success of a system which they have not committed themselves by contemning. Phrenology is rife among the young men. They discuss it in their friendships, study it practically in themselves and in each other, debate it in their societies, and evince their opinion of the truth of its principles by their votes. Let their philosophical instructors remember, that these youths will soon be men, who will look back on Alma Mater with a contempt for her doting metaphysics, which will turn their sons from her gates to the schools of the phrenologists.

THE

PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

No I.

ARTICLE I.

SUPPRESSION OF PHRENOLOGY.

"In eldest times, ere mortals writ or read,
"Ere Pallas issued from the Thunderer's head,
"DULNESS o'er all possessed her antient right,
"Daughter of CHAOS, and Eternal NIGHT.
"Fate in their dotage this fair Idiot gave,
"Gross as her sire, and as her mother grave;
"Laborious, heavy, busy, bold, and blind,

"She ruled in native anarchy the MIND,

"STILL HER OLD EMPIRE TO RESTORE SHE TRIES,
"For, born a goddess, Dulness never dies.”—DUNCIAD.

SOME time ago, we heard an eminent philosopher give it as his decided opinion, "that the pestiferous nonsense Phren

OLOGY Ought to be put down by the hand of power." This opinion made the greater impression upon our minds, that it came from one who had an important interest in maintaining his title to the philosophic character, by a strict adherence to the rule, neither to adopt any matter of knowledge upon trust, nor to reject it without examination. We therefore presumed that he had, with suitable patience and care, with due fairness and candour, investigated the numerous facts on which Phrenology is said to be founded, VOL. I.-No I.

A

2

and had either proved them to be fallacious, or overturned them by the force of his own counter-observations. Although we did, for a moment, hesitate to think that the Magistrate's interference would, in such circumstances, be necessary, it was plain to us that the authoritative would give signal vigour to the scientific refutation; and we therefore applauded the opinion as the result of absolute philosophic wisdom.

So laudable a proposition could not long remain a mere opinion. Some serious measures have lately been taken by the regularly endowed and official guardians of truth, whose duty it is to obviate or extirpate error; and we are happy to have it in our power to make our readers acquainted with the progress of an undertaking so suitable to the light and liberality of the nineteenth century. The result, we doubt not, will be as complete as the means have been wise and energetic.

As it naturally occurred to the projectors of this great measure, that any local, or even national authority was of too limited jurisdiction to interfere, with effect, in a matter which concerned scientific truth in general, they concluded that a power ought to be sought for of more extended sway, to pronounce and execute judgment. The Society for the Suppression of Liberty, then met at Verona, was sounded; but the members of that august body gave no encouragement, not only because they had other heresies to put down, but because to them there appeared no difference between the nonsense called phrenology and the nonsense called metaphysics. This was the decided opinion of the Emperor of all the Russias, and, as he could answer, of the whole Russian population. The other potentates concurred, for themselves, in that opinion, without giving the same assurance of the assent of all their subjects. No other society, or body corporate possessing sufficient power, presented itself; and thus some painful delay was experienced. At last, it was determined by those more immediately concerned in the early and effectual extinction of a sedition which threatened to involve al

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