Man is a complex being, “fearfully and wonderfully made,” having, besides his bodily powers, some principle which keeps the machine in motion, and some unseen, yet evident power of volition by the aid, and at the command of which his several actions are performed.
In what part of the system that power is deposited was long held to be doubtful; but, it is now generally allowed that the seat of that power is the brain, and several industrious and learned men have, of late years, been carefully engaged in endeavours to understand the anatomy of that part of the human frame.
The result of their inquiries, as might be supposed, has been variously stated by different individuals; among other ideas, some have supposed they were able to trace, with tolerable correctness, the various parts of the brain which impelled the individual to various actions; and they endeavoured to assign to each class of human sentiment and faculty its peculiar portion which they have designated Organs.
They have, in pursuance of their Theory, mapped out the human scull into compartments, to each of which they have assigned a particular faculty or sentiment, and they profess to tell, with some degree of accuracy, the individual character by the peculiar formation of the head.
The reader will bear in mind, that I profess not even to conjecture, in this argument, the truth or fallacy of the system, that Phrenologists have laid down; I am only endeavouring to disabuse the mind of the serious and pious man of any fears for his Religion, on the possibility that Phrenology should be found true.
No man can have observed human Nature, with even common or ordinary care, but must have been impressed with the fact, that there is as much diversity in the development of mind as is apparent, to common observation, in the structure of the body. One man is mentally competent to, and would excel in one department of Art or Science or of ordinary Business in which another would certainly fail, while the first would be equally deficient in another department, not by any means requiring more than common sagacity to insure success. This is a matter of such common observation that I need not enlarge upon it.
My position then is this; That allowing, as we must, the great diversity of mental, human character, it will do no damage to Religion if Phrenology should succeed in exhibiting that, minutely and in detail, which we already admit in the mass.
The Milky Way is not the less brilliant because to the Telescopic eye it exhibits a cluster of beauties, while to common observation, these minutiæ are concealed.
It can release no man from the common obligations which all owe to God, who judgeth not according to the sight of the eye: but, who “judgeth righteous judgment.”
If Phrenology be true, it may indeed teach us lessons of forbearance and charity to human frailty; but can in no respect affect our duty and obligations toward God.