66

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

"SIR,-From a paper on Concentrativeness which appeared in the 44th number of your Journal, I am induced to submit to you some views which do not appear to be hinted at there, or, as far as I know, admitted to any extent elsewhere. On reading Mr Combe's admirable System of Phrenology some time ago, I was presumptuous enough to differ from him, in some measure, in his remarks upon this faculty; for I recollected that four of my own immediate acquaintance were in contradiction to his theory. From the observations I have made upon these four cases, as well as on many others which have come under my notice, I would, with the greatest deference, submit to phrenologists, whether the organ in question is not that which gives the feeling of constancy in character, as opposed to fickleness. The first of the cases above alluded to has a very large Concentrativeness, but no ease, I may almost say no capability, of concentrating his thoughts upon a given subject, though he possesses an extraordinary constancy of thinking or meditating upon a few subjects which have been the unvarying occupation of his life. The other, with large Concentrativeness, has no particular concentrative faculty, but a similar propensity to continue in the exercise of the same thoughts and employments, and frequently reads the same book two or three times following with increased pleasure. The third case, with very small Concentrativeness, has great power of thinking on one subject, or employing his whole energies on one particular branch of science; but for a short time only a few weeks or perhaps months. It then loses its charm for him, and he turns to something else; and though possessed of a favourable organization and considerable intellect, he is ever stigmatized as fickle, and wanting in perseverance. The fourth case is another of small Concentrativeness, in which I have never remark. ed any want of immediate concentration, but rather a closeness, earnestness, and tenacity of argument; this case is combined with large Firmness and moderate Intellect. But the possessor of it is as fickle as the wind, and changeable to a proverb-arguing for a point to-day, and against it to-morrow, never following one object or one pursuit long enough to gain mediocrity in it-if in town languishing for the country, if in the country languishing for town; in short versatile in every thing. These facts, if my observations are correct, as I believe they are, militate very much against any faculty of Concentrativeness. The objection of Mr Deville to this name, and the faculty of the organ, struck me as very forcible. He says, 'It presents a difficulty in the part chosen ; and indeed its situation seems almost an insuperable objection to the faculty with which Mr Combe is disposed to invest it. According to his theory, Concentrativeness must at

least have the strictest connexion with the intellectual faculties, if it be not absolutely one of them; and if so, it would much deface the harmony of arrangement by being placed in the very midst of the organs or the propensities so far from those of intellect. It may be objected that Firmness is constancy; but I do not think that is the case. Firmness seems to me to cause perseverance in an object, but then it is always perseverance with an effort or determination to carry a thing through, however irksome or tedious-it is the feeling which prompts to the expression I will.' Constancy appears to me altogether distinct from Firmness; having nothing of determination or effort in it, prompting to a continuity of action pleasing to the actor and resulting simply from inclination, as involuntary as the activity of Cautiousness or any other sentiment or propensity. I would therefore suggest, whether Constancy is not a primitive propensity acting on every faculty, producing that attachment to accustomed usages which is called habit, and as regards the intellect, not concentrative thinking, but continuity of thought. In the two first cases I have mentioned as possessing large Concentrativeness, there is a great propensity to follow the same pursuits, and retain the same customs: in one of the cases, where the intellectual faculties are weak and little cultivated, this tenacity of ancient usage amounts to the ridiculous; in both, any study or pursuit once taken up becomes more charming the longer it is pursued, and frequent change of occupation is an effort. I have even remarked its effects on the presumed faculty of Alimentiveness, when the two with large Concentrativeness have excited the ridicule of the rest at table, by declaring that the longer they eat of one thing the better they like it, and that they would be well content to dine off one dish all the year round. The two with small Concentrativeness are by no means rambling in conversation or argument, but yet are remarkable for fickleness entering upon pursuits with the greatest ardour, and tiring of them almost as soon as begun. I suspect, therefore, that all persons who follow one unvarying round of existence, with continually increased pleasure in it, will be found to have a large Concentrativeness, or, as I am rather disposed to say, a large Constancy, with deficient Wonder. This faculty of the organ in question would bear out, and even give additional effect to, what has always appeared to me one of the most beauti ful facts of the phrenological system-I mean, the exquisite harmony and perfect propriety with which the organs classed themselves, as, one by one, they were brought to light by diligent observation of nature. Constancy would here be immediately above Philoprogenitiveness, and on each side of Attachment; giving permanence to the warm breathings of friendship, and continued strength to the fond feelings of affection; spread

ing a patient endurance and an abiding hope over parental tenderness; and even fostering that pure and exalted patriotism which says, This is my own, my native land: whilst its remoter effects are felt on every faculty, rendering it constant to one object till Intellect is satisfied with its consideration, or till Wonder, with a still stronger impulse, prompts to novelty.

I send you this suggestion, that constancy may be the primitive faculty of the organ now called Concentrativeness, as one which appears to me probable, though I do so with the greatest deference, submitting it entirely to your discretion as to whether its own probability, or any effect it might have to excite farther observation, fits it for publication in your Journal. is possible that this view of the organ may have been propounded and refuted before, or you may at once perceive it to be false: if so, you will of course think nothing farther of it. My only object is, an humble endeavour to elicit the truth, and advance the interests of phrenological science. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

WM. HANCOCK Jun."

WINELISCOMBE, SOMERSETSHIRE, July 22. 1835.

We are inclined to look with favour on the views expounded by our ingenious correspondents in the foregoing communications. If constancy, love of pursuit, or (what has been suggested as a preferable name) love of object, be the faculty manifested by the organ No. 3, it will certainly afford the means of explaining phenomena which without its intervention have an aspect of much difficulty. For although other faculties unquestionably give a love of certain classes of pursuits or objects, we have still to account for predilections in favour of individual pursuits or objects of the same class, to the neglect of others. In many cases this is explicable by the faculties which are strong in combination with that giving fondness for a class of pursuits; thus Acquisitiveness, which is a general propensity to hoard, of ten takes the direction of antiquities when combined with a powerful Veneration. In other cases, however, of which examples are given by Mr Hancock, such an explanation seems inadmissible, and we are forced either to have recourse to the faculty contended for, or to confess our inability to account for the phenomena. The similarity of the views of our two correspondents is to some extent a presumption that both are on the right path; and an additional presumption to the same effect arises from the circumstance, that such a faculty as the love of pursuit and object would form an antagonist power to the sentiment of Wonder, which delights in novelty and change. Nature makes great use of antagonist forces in the human mind, apparently in order

that they may not run into excess by being allowed to operate without a check. This is the case especially with our strongest and most active powers. Combativeness and Destructiveness, for instance, are antagonized by Benevolence; Self-Esteem by Veneration; and Secretiveness and Acquisitiveness by Conscientiousness. Now, as Wonder is a very influential faculty, and, when disproportionately strong, gives a craving for novelty and change which is incompatible with the due performance of the duties of life, it is natural to suppose that this sentiment also may be restrained by a special antagonist. On this subject, however, we forbear to enlarge; the point must be settled by observation, and not by argument.

ARTICLE V.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSIOLOGY WITH REFERENCE TO EDUCATION. BY ANDREW COMBE, M.D.*

WHEN we last met, I said that I was much gratified to see the recently formed Association of Teachers ranking physiology first among the subjects which it was important for them as professional men to be acquainted with-and the reason. I gave was the simple fact, that all the moral and intellectual functions stand in the same relation to one part of our organized structure, viz. the brain, as the physical power of motion or exercise does to another, viz. the muscles; that consequently to educate the moral or intellectual faculties successfully, we must have the same constant reference to the laws under which organization acts, as we have in educating the muscles and training them to any of the ordinary exercises of walking, dancing, fencing, or riding; and that hitherto this grand principle had been overlooked, and many modes of training the intellect and feelings resorted to, which, being contrary to the laws of organization, could not succeed.

I gave the muscular system as an example, and stated it as a law of organization, that to keep a part in health and vigour it must be duly and regularly exercised. If it be too little, the blood flows languidly through it, the nervous energy in it is enfeebled, and the part becomes weakened and INDISPOSED TO ACT without some strong stimulus. If it be too much exercised, its vessels and nerves become feeble and irritable from exhaustion, and INABILITY to act with vigour ensues. If it be exercised to

This article was originally written as a private letter to a friend who desired the explanations which it contains, and it is now published in the belief that it will not prove uninstructive to our readers at large.-EDITOR.

a proper extent, the circulation through it becomes animated, it receives more blood, and consequently more nourishment; its nerves act with more tone, and IT BECOMES STRONGER, READIER FOR ACTION, and after a time fitted for repose. If, however, the exercise be not resumed after sufficient repose, then weakness of necessity follows as above.

To apply this principle to the exercise of a bodily power. Suppose that A B walks ten or fifteen miles every Monday morning, and during the other six days of the week not at all, and that, finding himself greatly fatigued by the exertion, he roundly asserts that exercise is hurtful-what answer would be made? He would be told that as he sowed so had he reaped -that as he had infringed all the laws of exercise so had he suffered the punishment due to the infringement: 1st, By walking much farther than his constitution was fit for, he had induced debility from exhaustion; 2dly, By remaining inactive the other six days, he had induced debility, with indisposition to action, dependent on a sluggish circulation and low tone of vitality. Had he wished to strengthen his muscular system, the laws of exercise required that he should employ his muscles to a sufficient degree to increase their tone, and regularly resume the exercise after adequate repose. The very gradual and regular way in which horses are prepared for the race-course or hunting-field is an excellent illustration of the importance attached to the observance of the law of Nature in training animals.

In training the mental powers, precisely the same principle ought to guide our efforts, because God has made the mind as dependent on the brain for its action during life, as he has done the power of motion in the muscles; and therefore we are doubly bound to follow the law which He has given us for our guidance. According to this principle, then, every mental power may be weakened by too little, and also by too much exercise; because the brain, through which it acts, may be left sluggish or be exhausted by excess of exertion. In the first case, the mental faculty becomes indisposed to act; and in the second it becomes incapable of acting vigorously and steadily. It may be excited to action, but the latter will be irritable, and unsteady, and unprofitable-not permanent, enduring, and available, such as attends the medium or right degree of exercise.

To apply this to moral education. It is evident, that, granting the truth of the principle (which can be demonstrated), every moral feeling which we wish to strengthen and cultivate must be duly, regularly, and systematically exercised before full success can be attained-just as we see done with the intellectual faculties of music, painting, language, and memory of facts. We have no choice in the matter. Either we must obey the law