The Estate “Under the Hat”

Phrenology is that science which may be said to provide a chart or map for the discovery of the treasures existing in the “estate under the hat.” It is of Greek origin (phren, the mind; and logos, science), and is closely allied to craniology (Gr.: kranion-logos, skull-science).

The difference between these terms is as follows:—Craniology is a mere acquaintance with the skull. Phrenology is a full and detailed knowledge of its contents.

This study is not founded on superstition, and the phrenologist is neither charlatan nor magician, for, just as a man’s mind may be revealed by the contour of his features, the twitching or tightening of his lips, a frowning or smoothing of the brows, so the physical formation of his skull reveals the propensities, talents, virtues, and weaknesses peculiar to his nature. The thin leather of a bulging purse indicates an amount of coin; a closer observation demonstrates of what this coin is composed—cents, dimes, or dollars—and in the same way the skin of the skull bulges, and close study and knowledge of the locality of its developments show the various qualities endowed.

The student must possess a chart ([Fig. 1]), and memorize it before he essays to indicate character by means of phrenology, for its kingdoms are as well defined as the counties on a map.

Fig. 1.—Phrenology chart.

There are forty-two faculties or organs in all—some more prominent than others, according to the disposition, temperament, education, profession, and personal inclination of the individual.

1.Amativeness15.Self-esteem29.Size
2.Conjugal love16.Firmness30.Weight
3.Parental love17.Conscientiousness31.Color
4.Friendship18.Hope32.Order
5.Inhabitiveness19.Spirituality33.Calculation
6.Continuity20.Veneration34.Locality
7.Vitativeness21.Benevolence35.Eventuality
8.Combativeness22.Constructiveness36.Time
9.Destructiveness23.Ideality37.Tune
10.Alimentiveness24.Sublimity38.Language
11.Acquisitiveness25.Imitation39.Causality
12.Secretiveness26.Mirth40.Comparison
13.Cautiousness27.Individuality41.Human nature
14.Approbativeness28.Form42.Suavity

These may be divided into six important classes:—

1. The social region, which includes—

A. Amativeness.—Normal—interest in and love for the opposite sex. Too prominent—material. Too small—coldness and indifference.

B. Conjugal affection.—Normal—constant and faithful love. Too prominent—jealous and selfish. Too small—fickle and inconstant fancy.

C. Parental love.—Normal—self-abnegating love for children. Too prominent—indiscreet monopolizing. Too small—absence of tenderness.

D. Friendship.—Normal—sociability, warm attachments. Too prominent—too exacting, infatuations. Too small—inability to make friends.

E. Inhabitiveness.—Normal—love of home and native land. Too prominent—intense dislike to travel. Too small—a desire for constant change of scenery.

F. Continuity.—Normal—the power of concentration. Too prominent—the prevalence of one idea, self-centered. Too small—lack of concentration.

2. The selfish propensities—

A. Vitativeness.—Normal—vitality, joy of living. Too prominent—extreme dread of illness and death. Too small—callous of calamity.

B. Combativeness.—Normal—courageous, antagonistic instincts. Too prominent—quarrelsome. Too small—want of mettle, cowardly.

C. Destructiveness.—Normal—hardness and durability. Too prominent—vindictive. Too small—lack of interest, inability to endure pain or misfortune.

D. Alimentiveness.—Normal—good and healthy appetite. Too prominent—gluttony, fastidiousness. Too small—want of appetite.

E. Acquisitiveness.—Normal—thrift and economy. Too prominent—avarice. Too small—extravagant, a spendthrift.

F. Secretiveness.—Normal—reserve, tact, discretion. Too prominent—deceit, intrigue, falsehood. Too small—indiscreet revelations, thoughtlessness.

G. Cautiousness.—Normal—apprehension, prudent care. Too prominent—timid, over-anxious. Too small—reckless, foolhardy.

3. Self-controlling faculties—

A. Approbativeness.—Normal—appreciation of public opinion, courtesy, manners, good breeding. Too prominent—ostentatious, “playing to the gallery,” undue love of adulation. Too small—ignoring of general opinions, unconventional.

B. Self-esteem.—Normal—individuality, personality, a proper sense of personal importance and ability. Too prominent—conceit, egoism, tyranny. Too small—sense of inability and incompetency.

C. Firmness.—Normal—will-power, assertion of self, determination, fortitude. Too prominent—overbearing, perverse, illogical. Too small—inability to concentrate or overcome.

4. Moral sentiments—

A. Conscientiousness.—Normal—high regard for honor and duty. Too prominent—morbid hypersensitiveness. Too small—want of principle.

B. Hope.—Normal—optimistic trust and buoyancy. Too prominent—foolish disregard of experience. Too small—an inclination to despair, sad and melancholy.

C. Spirituality.—Normal—trust, faith, religious, devout, reverential. Too prominent—fanaticism. Too small—cynicism.

D. Veneration.—Normal—chivalry towards the old, admiration for the great, modest, quiet demeanor. Too prominent—obsession. Too small—disrespectful, irreverent.

E. Benevolence.—Normal—philanthropic inclinations, humane, charitable, generous. Too prominent—imprudent giving, waste of sympathy. Too small—selfish blindness and indifference.

5. Intellectual faculties—

A. Individuality.—Normal—a desire for knowledge, respect and regard for the feelings of others. Too prominent—over-curious, spying. Too small—lack of humor.

B. Form.—Normal—ability to remember faces, shapes, and general appearance of buildings, &c. Too prominent—sensitiveness to want of beauty and contour. Too small—inability to observe shapes carefully.

C. Size.—Normal—the power of judging proportions at a glance. Too prominent—too much sense of comparison. Too small—incapable of judging length and breadth.

D. Weight.—Normal—mechanical and mathematical inclinations. Too prominent—great regard for the laws of balance and gravity. Too small—awkward movements, want of harmony.

E. Color.—Normal—the art of blending colors, delight in nature. Too prominent—hypersensitive of uncongenial environment; the clashing of colors is torture. Too small—a want of artistic sensibility, taste, and appreciation; perhaps color-blind.

F. Order.—Normal—ability to plan, to arrange, to discover the best method for doing business, &c. Too prominent—prim, fussy, fastidious, the mind obsessed by little things; extremely fretted by want of method in others. Too small—slovenly, chaotic, Bohemian; duties performed or left according to mood and inclination.

G. Calculation.—Normal—the power of mental arithmetic, the summing up of events. Too prominent—self-interest, any kind action done for the sake of some return, cold, distrustful. Too small—financial imprudence, inability to make accounts balance.

H. Locality.—Normal—swift sense of strange surroundings, an observation of streets and buildings. Too prominent—a passion for explorations. Too small—want of observation of new things.

I. Eventuality.—Normal—interest in present events. Too prominent—undue regard for trivial incidents. Too small—inability to remember recent events.

J. Time.—Normal—memory of periods and length of time, love of punctuality. Too prominent—inordinate importance attached to dates, &c. Too small—slackness in punctuality.

K. Tune.—Normal—sense of euphony in speech, harmony in music. Too prominent—passionate love of music. Too small—want of appreciation.

L. Language.—Normal—fluent and attractive speech. Too prominent—prosy, garrulous. Too small—inability to express thoughts clearly and concisely.

6. Reasoning faculties—

A. Causality.—Normal—power of fathoming and understanding what is read or heard. Too prominent—theoretical knowledge rather than practical. Too small—deficiency in arriving at independent conclusions.

B. Comparison.—Normal—acquiring of sound knowledge and discarding what is worthless; discriminating between what is true in art and literature and what is false. Too prominent—undue importance attached to words, carping criticism, invidious, harsh. Too small—credulous, easily imposed upon.

The student will at first find considerable difficulty in determining the exact position of the different faculties. It is only by close study of his chart, practice on human heads, and experience, that he will at length achieve unerring ability to distinguish, blend, and separate the different characters, inclinations, intellects, and emotions with which the human mind is gifted.