RULES FOR FINDING THE ORGANS.
Pre-eminently is Phrenology a science of FACTS. Observation discovered it—observation must perfect it; observation is the grand instrumentality of its propagation. To be convinced of its truth, nine hundred and ninety-nine men out of every thousand require to SEE it—to be convinced by INDUCTION, founded upon experiment. Hence the importance of giving definite RULES for finding the organs, by which even disbelievers may test the science, and believers be confirmed in its truth, and advanced in its study.
The best mode of investigating its truth, is somewhat as follows: You know a neighbor who has extreme Firmness in character; who is as inflexible as the oak, and as obstinate as the mule. Now, learn the location of the phrenological organ of Firmness, and apply that location to his head—that is, see whether he has this organ as conspicuous as you know him to have this faculty in character; and if you find a coincidence between the two, you have arrived at a strong phrenological fact.
You know another neighbor who is exceedingly cautious, timid, safe wise, and hesitating; who always looks at the objections and difficulties in the way of a particular measure, instead of at its advantages; who always takes abundant time to consider, and is given to procrastination. Learn the location of Cautiousness, and see whether he has this phrenological organ as conspicuous as you know this faculty to exist in his character. By pursuing such a course as this, you can soon arrive at a sure knowledge of the truth or falsity of phrenological science; and this is altogether the best mode of convincing unbelievers of its truth, by means of the marked coincidence between the Phrenology and character of those they know; and it is not possible for the human mind to resist proof like this.
To promote this practical knowledge—the application of this science—we give the following RULES FOR FINDING the organs, fully assured that we can fill our pages with nothing more interesting or useful. Follow these rules exactly, and you will have little difficulty in finding at least all the prominent organs.
Your first observation should be made upon TEMPERAMENT, or organization and physiology, with this principle for your basis: that when bodily texture or form is coarse, or strong, or fine, or soft, or weak, or sprightly, the texture of the brain will correspond with that of body, and the mental characteristics with that of brain. Still, it is not now our purpose to discuss the influence of various temperaments upon the direction of the faculties.
The second observation should be to ascertain what faculties CONTROL the character, or what is the dominant motive, desire, object, or passion of the person examined; in phrenological language, what faculties predominate in action; and it should here be observed, that the relative size of organs does not always determine this point. Some faculties, though very dominant in power, cannot, in their very nature, constitute a motive for action, but are simply executive functions, simply carrying into effect the dominant motives. For example, Combativeness rarely ever becomes a distinct motive for action. Few men love simply to wrangle, quarrel, and fight for fun, but they exercise Combativeness merely as a means of obtaining the things desired by the other dominant faculties. Few men have for their motive the mere exercise of will—that is, Firmness is generally exercised to carry into effect the design of the other faculties; and instead of subjecting the other faculties to itself, simply keeps them at their work, whatever that work may be. And thus of some other faculties. But Amativeness, Friendship, Appetite, Acquisitiveness, Benevolence, Veneration, Conscientiousness, or Intellect, Constructiveness, Ideality, or the observing faculties, may all become dominant motives. And it requires much phrenological shrewdness to ascertain what single faculty, cluster, or combination of faculties, leads off the character.
Let us take, then, for our starting point, the outer angle of the eye, and draw a line to the middle of the top of the ears, and Destructiveness is exactly under this point, and it extends upward about half an inch above the top of the ears, and in proportion to its size will the head be wide between the ears. And if Secretiveness be small and Destructiveness large, there will be a horizontal ridge extending forward and backward, more or less prominent, according to the size of this organ.
Three quarters of an inch above the middle of the top of the ears, Secretiveness is located. When this organ is large, it rarely gives a distinct projection, but simply fills and rounds out the head at this point. When the head widens rapidly from the junction of the ears as you rise upward, Secretiveness is larger than Destructiveness; but when the head becomes narrower as you rise, it is smaller than Destructiveness.
To find these two organs, and their relative size, place the third fingers of each hand upon the head just at the top of the ears; let the lower side of the third finger be even with the upper part of the ear; that finger then rests upon Destructiveness. Then spread the second finger about one eighth of an inch from the other, and it will rest upon Secretiveness. Let the end of your longest finger come as far forward as the fore part of the ears, and they will then rest upon these two organs.
Take, next, this same line, starting from the outer angle of the eye, to the top of the ears, and extend it straight backward an inch and a half to an inch and three quarters, and you are on Combativeness. This organ starts about midway to the back part of the ears, and runs upward and backward toward the crown of the head. To ascertain its relative size, steady the head with one hand, say the left, and place the balls of your right fingers upon the point just specified letting your elbow be somewhat below the subject’s head, which will bring your fingers directly ACROSS the organ. Its size may be ascertained partly from the general fullness of the head, and partly from its sharpness, according as the organ is more or less active; yet observers sometimes mistake this organ for the mastoid process directly behind the lower part of the ears. Remember our rule, namely: a line drawn from the outer angle of the eye to the top of the ear, and continued an inch and a half or three quarters straight back. Follow that rule, and you cannot mistake the position of this organ; and will soon, by comparing different heads, be able to arrive at those appearances when large or small.
To find Philoprogenitiveness, extend this line straight back to the middle of the back head, and you are on the organ; and in proportion as the head projects backward behind the ears at this point, will Philoprogenitiveness be larger or smaller.
About an inch, or a little less, directly BELOW this point, is the organ which controls MUSCULAR MOTION; and in proportion as this is more or less prominent, will the muscular system be more or less active. Those who have this prominence large, will be restless, always moving a hand or foot when sitting, and even when sleeping; will be light-footed, easy-motioned, fond of action, and willing to work, and possessed of a first-rate constitution. But when that prominence is weak, they will be found less fond of physical action and labor.
To return to Philoprogenitiveness. Three fourths of an inch ABOVE this point, Inhabitiveness is located. When this organ is large, and Continuity is moderate, there will be found a prominence somewhat resembling an angle of a triangle, with the angle at the middle of the head, together with a sharp prominence at this point. But when Inhabitiveness is small, there will be a depression just about large enough to receive the end of a finger, with the bow downward. An inch on each side of this point is Adhesiveness. Or thus: taking the backward termination of that line already drawn, erect upon it a right-angle triangle; let the right angle be on Philoprogenitiveness, and the two sides which inclose this angle be about an inch and a half or three quarters each, and the other two angles will be on the two lobes of Adhesiveness—the hypothenuse, or long side, being about two inches, or two and a half inches, in length. When Adhesiveness is large—especially if Inhabitiveness and Continuity be small—there will be found two swells, somewhat resembling the larger end of an egg; but if small, the head will retire at this point.
Directly above Inhabitiveness and Adhesiveness, Continuity is located. When small, a depression resembling a new moon, with the horns turning DOWNWARD, surrounding the organs of Inhabitiveness and Adhesiveness, will be found. When Continuity is large, however, there will be no depression, nor any swell, but simply a FILLING OUT of the head at this point.
Amativeness may be found thus: Take the middle of the back part of the ears as your starting point; draw a line backward an inch and a half, and you are upon this organ. Yet the outer portion next to the ear probably exercises the more gross and animal function of this faculty, while the inner portion takes on a more spiritual tone.
To find Cautiousness, take the back or posterior part of the ears as your starting point; draw a perpendicular line, when the head is erect, from the extreme back part of the ear, straight up the side of the head, and just where the head begins to round off to form the top, Cautiousness is located. This organ is generally well developed in the American head, and those swells, generally seen at this point, are caused by a full development of this faculty.
To find Alimentiveness, take the upper and forward junction of the ear with the head as your starting point; draw a line half an inch forward, inclining a little downward, and you are upon this organ. Then rise three quarters of an inch straight upward, and you are on that part of Acquisitiveness which gets property. Yet a better rule for finding it is this: Find Secretiveness in accordance with the rule already given, and Acquisitiveness is three quarters of an inch FORWARD of the point, and about an inch above the middle of the tip of the ear. Or thus: Take the middle of the top of the ear as your starting point; draw a perpendicular line three quarters of an inch upward, and you are on Secretiveness; and then about an inch forward, and you are on Acquisitiveness. The back part of Acquisitiveness seeks partnership and ACQUIRES, while the fore part HOARDS money. When the head widens rapidly as you pass from the outer angles of the eyes to the top of the ears, Acquisitiveness is large; but when the head is thin in this region, Acquisitiveness is small.
Sublimity, Ideality, and Constructiveness, can be found by the following rule: First find Cautiousness by applying the rule already laid down for that purpose, then pass directly forward an inch, and you are on Sublimity; extend this line on another inch, and you are on Ideality; then an inch downward brings you upon Constructiveness.
It should be remembered that Cautiousness, Sublimity, and Ideality are just upon the turning of the head, or between the top and the sides of the head. Usually the head is much wider at Cautiousness than at Sublimity, and at Sublimity than Ideality. When, however, the head is as wide at Ideality as at Cautiousness, the subject will be found possessed of unusual good taste, purity, refinement, elevation, and personal perfection. Half an inch forward of Ideality is the organ which appertains to dress, and secures personal neatness. In those who care but little what they wear, or how they appear, this organ will be found small.
Firmness can best be found by the following rule: Let the subject sit or stand erect, and hold the head in a line with the spinal column; then take the opening of the ear as your starting point, draw a line straight upward till you reach the middle line on the top of the head, and you are on the fore part of Firmness. When this organ is large, and Veneration is small, you will find its forward termination to resemble, in shape, the fore part of a smoothing-iron, rapidly widening as it runs backward; the organ is usually about an inch and a half long.
To find Self-esteem, take the junction of this perpendicular line with the middle line of the head, and an inch and a half backward will be found the upper part of Self-Esteem, which gives a lofty, aspiring air, magnanimity, and a determination to do something worthy of itself; while half an inch farther back will be found another part of Self-Esteem, which gives WILL, love of liberty, and a determination not to be ruled.
On the two sides of Self-Esteem, about an inch outwardly, Approbativeness is located. These two lobes run backward toward Adhesiveness, and upward toward Conscientiousness.
The relative size of Approbativeness and Self-Esteem may be found thus: Place one hand, say the left, upon the forehead, and steady the head; point the finger from above directly down upon Firmness; then move it two inches directly backward, and place the balls of the second and third fingers upon the points just found. If Self-Esteem be small, these balls will fall into the hole which indicates its deficiency, while the ends of the fingers will strike upon the swells caused by Approbativeness, if this organ be large; and the middle of the second joint of these fingers will apprehend the size of that lobe of Approbativeness which is next to it. Or thus: Stand behind the patient, and so place your fingers upon his head that the second finger shall reach upward to the back part of Firmness, then lay the first and second joints of that finger evenly with the head, and place the first and third fingers upon the head alongside of it. If Self-Esteem be larger than Approbativeness, the second finger will be pushed up farther than the others; but if the two lobes of Approbativeness be larger than Self-Esteem, the second finger will fall into a hollow running up and down, while the first and third fingers will rest upon the two lobes of Approbativeness. Or thus: In nineteen females out of every twenty, Self-Esteem will be found small and Approbativeness large, and by applying this rule to their heads, a hollow will generally be found at Self-Esteem and a swell at Approbativeness, by which you can localize these organs; and a few applications will soon enable you to form correct ideas of their appearance when large or small.
Hope and Conscientiousness are found thus: That line already drawn to find Firmness passes over the back part of Hope, which is on each side of the fore part of Firmness, while Conscientiousness is just back of that line, on the two sides of the back part of Firmness, joining Approbativeness behind.
As these two organs run lengthwise from Firmness down toward Cautiousness, and are near together, it is sometimes difficult to say which is large and which small. The upper part of Conscientiousness, next to Firmness, experiences feelings of obligation to God, or sense of duty to obey his laws; while the lower part creates a feeling of obligation to our fellow-men.
Near the middle of the top of the head is Veneration; or about an inch forward of the point already described for finding Firmness; while Benevolence is about an inch forward of Veneration. When, therefore, the middle of the top head rounds out and rises above Firmness and Benevolence, Veneration is larger than either of these organs; but when there is a swell at Benevolence, and a depression as you pass backward in the middle of the head, and another rise as you pass still farther back to Firmness, Veneration is smaller than Benevolence or Firmness. The back of Benevolence experiences a desire to do good and to remove evil, while the fore part bestows minor gifts in the family and neighborhood. The fore part of Veneration gives respect for our fellow-men, while the back part supplicates and depends upon a Deity. The fore part of Firmness, working with Conscientiousness, gives moral decision; while the latter, acting with Self-Esteem, gives physical decision, determination to accomplish material objects, and what we commonly call perseverance.
On each side of Veneration, Spirituality is located. It may be found by the following rules: Standing behind the subject, who should be seated, so place your fingers that the first fingers of each hand shall be about an inch apart—that the ends of your second fingers shall be about three quarters of an inch forward of a line drawn across the middle of the head from side to side, and the balls of your fingers will be on Spirituality. Or reversing your position, so as to stand in FRONT of the subject, so place your hands that the first fingers of each hand shall be as before, about an inch apart, and the ends of your longest fingers shall just touch the fore part of Hope, and the balls of your second and third fingers will rest on Spirituality. This organ is generally small, so that it may usually be found by that depression which indicates its absence. When it is large, the head is filled out in this region, instead of sloping rapidly from Veneration. Its two lobes are about an inch on each side of Veneration, and directly above Ideality.
Imitation is upon the two sides of Benevolence, directly forward of Spirituality. The best rule for finding it is this: Standing in front of the subject, place your hands so that the first fingers of each hand shall be separated about three quarters of an inch, and that the end of your longest finger shall reach a line drawn through Veneration and Spirituality—that is, through the middle of the head from side to side—and the balls of your fingers will be on Imitation. It will be found large, or very large, in almost all children; so that the ridge usually found in their heads at this point, may be taken as the location of this organ. It runs from Benevolence downward toward Constructiveness. The upper part, toward Benevolence, mimics; the lower part, toward Constructiveness, is the organ for making after a pattern, copying, etc.
We are now brought to the intellectual lobe. Take the root of the nose as your starting point; the first organ we meet in passing upward is Individuality. It is between the eyebrows, and when large, causes them to arch DOWNWARD at their inner termination.
Three quarters of an inch upward, and slightly below the centre of the forehead is Eventuality, which in children is usually large, and in adults generally small. From this centre of the forehead, Comparison extends upward to where the head begins to slope backward to form the top of the head; at which point, or between Benevolence and Comparison, Human Nature is located, which is usually large in the American head, as is also Comparison. Agreeableness is located about an inch on each side of the organ of Human Nature, and is usually small; so that we can ascertain its location by observing its deficiency. When both of these organs are large, the forehead will be wide and full as it rounds backward to form the top head, or where the hair makes its appearance. Causality is located about an inch on each side of Comparison; and Mirthfulness about three quarters of an inch still farther outwardly toward Ideality. Form is located internally from Individuality, just above and partly between the eyes, so as to set them wider apart, in proportion as it is larger or smaller.
Size is located just in the turn between the nose and eyebrows, or beneath the inner portion of the eyebrows; and when large, causes their inner portions to project outward over the inner portion of the eyes like the eaves of a house, giving to the eyes a sunken appearance. Size can generally be observed by sight, yet if you would test your sight by touch, proceed as follows: Place the end of your thumb against the bridge of your nose, with the lower part of your hand turned outward, and your thumb lying nearly parallel with the eyebrows, and the balls of your thumb will be upon Size. And if this organ be large, you will observe a fullness in this region, as if half a bean were beneath your thumb.
To find Weight and Color, proceed as follows: Let the eyes be directed straight forward, as if looking at some object; draw an imaginary line from the middle of the eye to the eyebrow; internally from this line beneath the eyebrows Weight is located, while Color is located beneath the eyebrows just outwardly from this line. Order is located just externally to Color; and Time is located partly above and between Color and Order. This organ is small in most heads.
Calculation is located beneath the outer termination of the eyebrows, and in proportion as they are long and extend backward to the eye, will this organ be more or less developed. Three fourths of an inch ABOVE the outer angle of the eyebrow, Tune is located. Spurzheim’s rule for finding it is this: Stand directly before the subject, and if the head widens over the outer eyebrow as you rise upward, Tune is large; but if you observe a hollow at this point, Tune is small. I have generally found this organ small in adults, so that it is difficult to find its relative size, but in children it is very easily found; its decline is consequent on its non-exercise. Time and Tune join each other, while Time, Tune, and Mirthfulness occupy the three angles of a triangle, nearly equilateral, the shortest side being between Time and Tune.
Language is located partly above and partly behind the eyes. When it is large, it pushes the eyes downward and outward, and of course shoves them forward, which gives them a full and swollen appearance, as if they were standing partly out of their sockets, and causes both the upper and under eyelids to be wide and broad. When the eyes are sunken, and their lids narrow, Language will be found small.
By following these rules exactly and specifically, the precise location of the organs can be ascertained, and a few observations upon heads will soon teach you the appearance of the respective organs when they are large, small, or midway in size. Some slight allowances are to be made, however, in calculating the size of the head, or the relative size of the organs. Thus, the larger Combativeness is, the longer the line from Combativeness to the ear; yet large and small Combativeness do not vary this line over from a quarter to half an inch; so that there will be but little difficulty in finding the precise location of this organ.
Probably the most difficult point of discrimination is between Hope and Conscientiousness, and it should be distinctly borne in mind, that Hope is generally placed too far forward. Between Hope, Cautiousness, and Approbativeness, there probably exists an organ, the natural functions of which has not yet been fully established. There are doubtless other organs yet undiscovered, especially in the middle line of the head, between Benevolence and Philoprogenitiveness, and also between Imitation and Causality. Phrenology is yet in its infancy. Though it is perfect in itself, yet our KNOWLEDGE of it is not yet perfected. As every successive generation make advances upon one another in Astronomy, Chemistry, and other departments of science, so Gall and Spurzheim have discovered only the landmarks of this science and have left much to be filled up by us and those who come after us.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Other than the corrections noted by hover information, printer’s inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained.
Punctuation has been corrected without note.
The scans of the original text were difficult to read in several places. Thus, the following points are noted:
The date on the title page reverse is illegible and has been noted as “18__.”
On page 34, in the phrase “are all on fire, ready to ignite,” “on” is a best guess as the intended wording. Based on the original scans, “on” might also be interpreted as “of.”
On page 40, in the image caption “Jaco the Orang-outang.,” “Jaco” is a best guess as the intentional wording. Based on the original scans, “Jaco” might also be interpreted as “Jaso.”