“The question which naturally arises is, whether the above developments correspond with the character of Burke? It is not our intention to enter into any controversy on this subject; yet we cannot help remarking, that it may be interpreted, like all developments of a similar kind, either favourably or unfavourably for phrenology, as the ingenuity or prejudices of any individual may influence him. We have the moral organs more developed certainly than they ought to have been; but to this it is replied, that Burke, under the benign influences of these better faculties, lived upwards of thirty years, without committing any of those tremendous atrocities which have so paralyzed the public mind. He is neither so deficient in benevolence nor conscientiousness as he ought to have been, phrenologically speaking, and these organs, which modified and gave respectability to his character for as many as thirty years, all of a sudden cease to exercise any influence, and acquisitiveness and destructiveness, arising like two arch fiends on both sides, leave the state of inactivity in which they had reposed for so long a period, and gain a most unaccountable control over the physical powers under which they had for so many years succumbed. But, is the size of the organ of destructiveness in Burke larger than it is found in the generality of heads?—and are his organs of benevolence and conscientiousness less developed than usual?”
While dealing with this question of phrenology, it will be interesting to give the
Phrenological Development of Hare,
taken the night before his release from prison:—
Development.
The organ of destructiveness is large in Hare, but certainly rather below than above the average size. The organ of acquisitiveness is also large, but its true development cannot be ascertained in consequence of the size of the temporal muscle, under which it lies. Secretiveness is large. Benevolence is well developed, in proportion to the size of the head. Conscientiousness is full. Cautiousness is large. Combativeness is large. Ideality is very large. Causality is large. Wit is full.
CHAPTER XXX.
Hare’s Position after the Trial—Warrant for his Commitment Withdrawn—Daft Jamie’s Relatives seek to Prosecute—The Case before the Sheriff and the Lords of Justiciary—Burke’s Confessions and the “Courant”—The Lord Advocate’s Reasons for Declining to Proceed against Hare—Pleadings for the Parties.