Puslapio vaizdai
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Josephine, the beauteous and beloved wife of Napoleon, and the origin of his good fortune, but who was wickedly sacrificed to his inordinate ambition. From the day of his divorce, his good fortunes deserted him, and at last he died a wretched exile on a barren rock. So, ambitious, soulless men, beware how you treat your wives.

Metaphysicians, who have argued the unlimited power of the soul over the body, or that man can begin and carry through a series of actions, independent of all cause and motive, we think were entirely ignorant of natural laws, as revealed by the operations of these organs on the animal economy, as we conceive they are an entire and complete refutation of such an opinion. In illustration of this view, we shall find the greatest and best of men have, at various times and in all ages, committed follies, and even crimes, under the strong impulsive power of this passion of love. These phenomena are perfectly incredible on the supposition of their actions being entirely independent of their organization. History furnishes so many singular facts, illustrative of the strength of this passion, in all ages and in all countries, that it has become a proverb, and it would here be work of supererogation to enumerate them. Sufficient to say, the very wisest and best of persons who ever lived have been, at some seasons, vanquished by this irresistible love.

One of the most instructive lessons for avoidance of this error, is probably afforded us in the history of those pious and holy, but mistaken men, who, imagining they were doing God service, have, under strong religious excitements, vowed eternal celibacy, in order to propitiate, as they erroneously imagine, the favor of Heaven, by outraging one of the best and holiest feelings implanted in our nature. The confessions of their tortures are almost appalling, and make us blush for the ignorance of poor human nature, and the misconceptions of duty and religion men fall into when they abandon nature for their guide. We can only regard such persons as monomaniacs, whose ardent love of religion, (as they interpret it,) has disordered their brain, or produced a morbid excitement of the moral organs, and who erroneously conceive the animal organs are their deadliest foes, because excesses have been committed when left unrestrained, and they think to repress them altogether. By so doing, they convert one of God's holy ordinances into a chimerical and most horrible phantom; and the impulse of this divine feeling they have tortured into the temptations of the Evil One himself, in resisting which they supposed they were "fighting the battles of the Lord," to win for themselves a glorious immortality.

How profoundly ignorant are such persons of the physical and organic laws which the truths of Phrenology are laying open to our view! This teaches us these organs of the propensities are among the holiest and best when directed by the intellect and sentiment; and in illustration of this fact, it will be found those nations who possess the highest or largest developments of the moral and intellectual faculties, are the most observant of their matrimonial obligations, and cherish these as the choicest boon from Heaven to man. Matrimony is also an institution of God himself, and by which woman is placed more nearly on a level with the boasted

"lords of the creation;" for, amongst savages of all nations, she is treated as the slave of his passions and caprices, and from the degradation in which she is held by her brute tyrant-master, her whole being becomes deformed and deteriorated. Travellers frequently, in describing the brutal and hideous appearance of these savage men, sometimes inform us the women are still more repulsive in their appearance. [See Appendix.] How strikingly is this contrasted with woman here and in other highly civilized countries, where they are usually distinguished no less for their physical than their sentimental beauty. [See chapter on Physiognomy, also Admeasurements.]

This unquestionably results, in a great measure, from the superior respect consideration shown them, which thus adds to their beauty and goodness, whereby all the superior sentiments are called into action. In this respect woman in this country may take precedence of all others, as woman here possesses greater freedom than elsewhere.

By a phrenological analysis of woman's character, she is not yet, we conceive, all she might be and is susceptible of realizing. We think she ought to be, in every respect, on a perfect equality with man, and every disability, political or otherwise, under which she labors, ought to be removed. Many employments, from which tyrant custom has excluded her, ought to be thrown open, and where nature or inclination points the way let her be free to exer cise her gifts.

It is by the diffusion of knowledge, particularly Phrenology, the character of woman will be elevated and improved in the intellectual and physical organs. They are at present almost too much debarred from free air and exercise. Something might be learned from Physiology in this respect. We can conceive no reason why ladies should be entrusted with the very highest political power in Europe, and yet be excluded from many other subordinate trusts and employments. As the advocates of religion, temperance, morality, and virtue, they are, and would be still more, their efficient advocates and supporters.

How

But we are digressing. However men may differ in some respects on these points, all will be unanimous in the opinion that women are eminently qualified by nature to render the home of man literally "a little paradise" and home of the affections. much do we not owe to her superior, soft, attractive graces, or higher sentimental character, [see Admeasurements,] in promoting the love of home, virtue and happiness! Indeed, no man can be said to possess a home, without a woman to grace and adorn it, and his happiness must necessarily be incomplete without her. Woman can be the only sincere friend of man in the hour of need. Man constitutionally cannot possibly feel that sympathy for man which

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A perfectly formed Female Head, with superior temperament.

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HUMANITY.

page 80. No. 1, Reptile, ascending to No. 4, Orang. This page, No. 5, Idiotic Human Animal, ascending to No. 8, Apollo,

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