Christian Phrenology: A Guide to Self-Knowledge

by Joseph Bunney

Common to man and the inferior animals.

1. Amativeness. Love.

This organ is situated in the cerebellum, about half way between the centre of the occipital bone and the large long process behind the ear. It manifests itself by the thickness or width of the back part of the head; it is produced as the human frame approaches full developement, being small in children, and generally on the increase between the ages of sixteen and twenty four,—it frequently diminishes in old age. USE,—This organ is properly exercised in virtuous affection:—the endearments of a domestic circle, and the society of those we love;—it softens the proud, irascible, anti-social principles of human nature, and aids the benevolent affections,—it causes a respectful, and honourable deference to the softer sex;—inspires the poet in his best conceptions of the purity, and self devotedness of Love, and produces that quiet but effectual influence in society, which is shown in the kind interest taken by either sex in the proceedings of the other. When abused, or allowed only to act as an animal propensity, the absence of the higher feature is a very unamiable trait in the human character,—no deference is paid to age or sex and woman regarded only as the minister to illicit lust. Love to God is shown by overcoming these baser feelings, “they who love me, are such as follow my commands” were the words of the Christian’s pattern, and the exercise of this mental faculty is best shown by those who practise charity or universal love without which we are but as “a sounding brass or tinkling cymbal.” ABUSE.—An encouragement of animal and debasing sensuality which soon leads to a loss of modesty, and personal respect, and virtue: the worship due to the Creator is lavished on the creature; Jealousy and its myriad evil attendants originate chiefly in the abuse of this faculty.

2. Philoprogenitiveness, Love of Offspring.

In animals this organ is termed instinct, and instinct means an original propensity impelling an animal to a particular action without intention or purpose. This organ is situated over the cerebellum, and corresponds to the protuberance of the occiput, rather above and between the duplex organ of amativeness. As a faculty inherent in the human race it is beautifully shown in parental affection; women have it larger than men, and it is found to be larger in the female, than in the male skulls of animals. The interest of this feeling is often proportionate to the helplessness of infancy;—a mother doats on her infant in the earliest months of existence when few beside herself can see any attractions in it: it is generally manifested in large families where the youngest is invariably the favourite, unless when sickness causes another to share in maternal tenderness. It seems probable that the fondness lavished by maiden ladies on animals, originates in this faculty: for they often nurse and pamper their pets quite as excessively as parents do children. The mutual love or affection for the same offspring is the bond of union in marriage—a step-parent seldom exhibits any thing more than regard towards the child of another: it has been observed by Spurzheim that he found it small in 29 infanticides whom he had been able to examine: but as the faculty in its proper use produces feelings of the most delightful and exquisite character so is it the more liable to ABUSE. Children are thus spoiled by indulgence, their prospects are raised by a parent’s mistaken affection; and instead of protection and happiness to children and attention and deference from them, it too often terminates in a spoiled child on the one side, and disrespect towards the other. Through mistaken opinions parents often prefer to make their children rich rather than good thus sacrificing their temporal and eternal welfare, leading them to put their trust in things “which the moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves do break in and steal,” rather than in that Rock of ages without whose knowledge not one sparrow dies.

3. Adhesiveness, Attachment.

This organ is located at the middle of the posterior edge of the parietal lobe, or each side of Concentrativeness, higher than Philoprogenitiveness, and just above the lambdoidal suture. USE—This faculty is marked in those individuals who exhibit permanent attachment to beings and objects around them—it gives a permanence to friendship, a steady adherence to opinions, and a dislike to change whether of objects or persons: a person with this faculty well developed will manifest friendship to another even in the greatest depression of fortune when friendship is most severely tried: it is on the average larger in females than in men, and this is shewn in the permanence of their attachments, “Man,” it is said “may love, but it is too often with a view to his own gratification, but when a woman loves, she does so with all her soul.”—The absence of this organ shews an individual to be of a cold, indifferent character in his friendship, and one not to be depended upon in the hour of misfortune, it is only where the organ is well developed that an attachment is sustained through evil report and good report: when regulated by judgment rather than passion, it produces the noblest examples of disinterestedness and devotion.—The ABUSE of this organ is shown in the unworthy attachment of man to the fleeting things of this life—he places not his affections upon high, but on the conections of party, the interests, the advantages of this life—he loves life to an erroneous extent, perhaps degenerates into a recluse, shews a devoted attachment to the good things of this life and but little for him who was the true friend as “the way, the truth, and the life.”

4. Inhabitiveness.—Love of Home.

Inhabitiveness is by many persons considered as a modification of the preceding organ or of Concentrativeness: it can hardly be considered a definite organ, or a distinct mental faculty: it is observed particularly in the attachment of individuals to some particular spot,—their home, country, or abode of those whom they love;—as the Swiss have been known to pine for the mountain heights of their father land, or, as all men desire their ashes to repose at the side of their dearest kin. Dr. Spurzheim in his late work published in America is inclined to attribute a more extensive sphere of action to this organ than can be yet decided; and in fact, it is a decided manifestation of mental energy in many persons—a dislike of change, especially of abode; a disinclination to travel, an attachment to the place of birth, of long residence, or the spot where life has been spent, leads many persons to live and die in the same spot where their fathers lived and died before them;—it is this organ that gives a Home to Englishmen, Home, for which some languages have not even an expression, Home, in defence of which, Englishmen have so bravely fought, so nobly died. Many animals are attached to peculiar situations, the chamois, on the Alpine cliff,—the eagle, soaring to his eyrie,—and the beaver located by some unfrequented stream, give evidence of a similar tendency.

The faculty when ABUSED, or allowed to be excessive leads to peculiarity of disposition, an avoidance of strangers, a dislike to necessary duties that interfere with domestic arrangements, nervous ideas, susceptibility of insult, and in some cases, by the neglect of external objects, the mind dwelling upon its own internal emotions only, has declined to monomania or even temporary alienation.