Buchanan's Journal of Man, November 1887 Part 4

(_Continued from page 32._)

The map of Gall presented here is taken from his large work published from 1809 to 1819 (price 1000 francs), the latter part being finished without the co-operation of Spurzheim. The great imperfection is apparent at a glance. Gall simply published what he saw, or thought he saw, and being a very imperfect, inaccurate observer of forms and outlines, he attached himself chiefly to the idea of prominences (or b.u.mps) at certain localities, and to his mode of presenting the subject we are mainly indebted for the ridicule of phrenology as a science of b.u.mps. I have taken much pains to a.s.sure my students that cerebral science has little or nothing to do with b.u.mps, that b.u.mps upon the skull belong to its osseous structure, which presents certain protuberances with which they should be acquainted, and do not indicate development of brain, which is indicated by gentle changes in the contour of the skull, the form of which shows how much room there is for special convolutions.

To Gall's drawing, which was by no means accurate, I have added the names of the organs as he recognized them, and given definite boundaries to the organs which he represented by a shaded drawing, conveying the idea of a central elevation. I have given them the whole s.p.a.ce allowed by his shading, and this leaves considerable s.p.a.ce unoccupied, as if he did not know what lay between them. Spurzheim, on the contrary, attempted to cover the entire ground, and had a more harmonious arrangement than Gall, in whose map we see the inventive faculty running into murder, and avarice into music and poetry. Yet even Spurzheim retained avarice in contact with ideality, invention, hope, and conscientiousness. Neither seems to have realized that there is no example in the brain of a single convolution perfectly h.o.m.ogeneous, and even intermingled in its minute structure, suddenly changing its essential functions into something entirely opposite, when there is not the slightest separation or differentiation of the cerebral matter. When such marked differences are perceptible, it is due to the separation of the convolutions by the furrows or anfractuosities into which the pia mater descends, making a substantial separation. But this nice survey of the convolutions and their boundaries was obviously impossible by cranioscopy, which, at the best, could only recognize considerable differences of magnitude.

Psychometry alone is capable of minute exploration of functions, the results of which I published in a large map of the head in 1842.

The chart of Spurzheim needs no further criticism at present. In contrast with the chart of Anthropology, the reader will observe that the latter presents the functions of the entire basilar region of the brain, which are marked upon the face and neck in the most proximate locations. The catalogue of Spurzheim is as follows:

AFFECTIVE I. PROPENSITIES.--[dagger] Desire to Live.

* Alimentiveness. 1. Destructiveness. 2. Amativeness.

3. Philoprogenitiveness. 4. Adhesiveness. 5. Inhabitiveness.

6. Combativeness. 7. Secretiveness. 8. Acquisitiveness.

9. Constructiveness.

AFFECTIVE II. SENTIMENTS.--10. Cautiousness. 11. Approbativeness.

12. Self-Esteem. 13. Benevolence. 14. Reverence. 15. Firmness.

16. Conscientiousness. 17. Hope. 18. Marvellousness. 19. Ideality.

20. Mirthfulness. 21. Imitation.

INTELLECTUAL I. PERCEPTIVE.--22. Individuality. 23. Configuration.

24. Size. 25. Weight and Resistance. 26. Coloring. 27. Locality.

28. Order. 29. Calculation. 30. Eventuality. 31. Time. 32. Tune.

33. Language.

INTELLECTUAL II. REFLECTIVE.--34. Comparison. 35. Causality.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE OLD PHRENOLOGY COMPARED WITH ANTHROPOLOGY.

ORGANOLOGY OF SPURZHEIM, 1832.

In this bust we see the psychological functions of the brain. To state its physiological influence on the bodily functions would require a separate bust or chart.

ORGANOLOGY OF BUCHANAN, 1842-1887.]

In presenting a psychological map of the brain it is almost impossible to separate psychology entirely from physiology in the nomenclature, as the basilar organs relate more to the body than the soul.

Alimentiveness or appet.i.te, Virility, Sensibility, Hearing, Vision, Turbulence, all imply physical operations. At the same time all the higher emotions, which we express in psychic terms, have their physical effects on the body, which are very important and enable us to understand PSYCHIC THERAPEUTICS, a science which has been blindly cultivated under the name of Mind Cure. A thorough understanding of the double functions of the brain and body enables us to solve all the great problems of mind and body, and apply our solution to the business and duties of life and organization of society.

It is not proposed to present here a complete view of the new Anthropology, as the functions and locations of organs will be presented fully hereafter, but merely to show by a brief catalogue how large an addition has been made to the old system to fill all the vacant s.p.a.ces left on the surface of the cranium and on the basilar surfaces of the brain which are reached through the face and neck, the functions of which are therefore designated on the external locations on the face and neck through which they are reached.

In the intellectual region our more thorough a.n.a.lysis gives us for the higher understanding, not merely Comparative Sagacity and Causality, but Foresight, Sagacity, Judgment, Wit, Reason, Ingenuity and Scheming or planning. At present I merely state the facts that such organs are demonstrated by experiments. The philosophy, beauty and perfection of the new Anthropology will be made apparent as the subject is developed hereafter. Behind the region of understanding are found several semi-intellectual organs,--Ideality and Marvellousness, which have been recognized in the old system, and above them Imagination and Spirituality, which in connection with Marvellousness make a group to which I have given the name of Genius, as when largely developed they give great brilliance and expansion of mind. Immediately above Reason is a region producing Pliability and Versatility, which greatly a.s.sists the reasoning faculty in mastering unfamiliar truth.

Admiration, adjacent to Imagination, gives great power of appreciation and recognition of merit. Sincerity and Candor or Expressiveness also add much to the capacity for attaining truth; and Liberality, between Foresight and Benevolence, adds much to the expansion of the understanding.

The middle intellectual region gives us Intuition and Clairvoyance at the inner face of the front lobe, then Consciousness and observation, running into recent and remote Memory, above the region of Phenomena which recognizes the changes in physical objects. Between Time and Invention we have System, lying between Order below and Planning above. Between Invention and Ideality we have Composition or Literary Capacity, and in Ideality a region of Meditation (not marked) running into Somnolence, the region of Dreaming and of Transcorporeal Perception or Impression. This runs into General Physical Sensibility, through Impressibility (not marked), and anteriorly into the sense of Hearing (adjacent to Language and Tune). The organ of Sensibility has many subdivisions unnecessary to mention at present. Below this lies the region of Interior Sensibility, which I have generally called Disease, because it gives so great a liability to morbid conditions, but of course no condition in the human const.i.tution is morbid aside from injurious influences.

In the lower range of Intellectuality we find just below Order and Calculation the sense of Force, which might be called the muscular sense or sense of exertion, by means of which we perceive the action of our muscles and attain great dexterity. Immediately over the pupil of the eye we find the faculty of Vision or sense of Sight, marked Light, which runs into a sense of Shade at the inner angle of the eye, by which two perceptions everything in nature except colors is recognized. Light extends up into Color. The middle of the brow is therefore the seat of Vision, while Hearing is in the temples behind the eye. The eye gives us the external location of the organs just behind it, which I do not call Language, although certainly favorable to the study of languages, in which Gall was practically correct. The anterior surface of the middle lobe, represented by the eye and the face, is a region of natural language or Expression, a tendency to manifestation which is so conspicuous in children, but which becomes subdued in adult life by the higher powers, during which change the infantile fulness of face generally disappears. The prominence of the eye therefore indicates a more active manifestation of intellect and close attention to everything that interests, or thoughtful observation.

The face is marked as the region of Expression, which lies in the anterior surface of the middle lobe, and gives the ready excitability and disposition to manifest our feelings in response to all who approach us. The upper portion of the face corresponds to the expression of the upper surface of the brain, the lower to the occipital region and the posterior inferior portion to the basilar region. Hence the breadth and prominence of the lower part of the face is not a pleasing feature. Ardor or evolution of warmth is expressed by the prominence of the chin, which corresponds to the medulla oblongata. Excitability running into Insanity is expressed below the jaw, and its milder form as Childishness and tendency to Idiocy below the anterior part of the jaw, while Hysterical Nervousness appears below the chin, and s.e.xual Pa.s.sion at the larynx.

On the side of the head we have Modesty and Reverence, the former running down into Bashfulness and the latter into Humility or Servility. Next to these we find Sublimity, which was correctly suggested by the Edinburgh phrenologists. It lies between Reverence and Cautiousness.

Pa.s.sing up from the timid and excitable region of Cautiousness to its upper prudential region we reach a prudent, calm and self-controlling region which is marked Sanity, as it is the power which overrules the pa.s.sionate excitability and gives us self-control and consequent clearness of mind. Next behind Cautiousness comes Coolness or Coldness, which is both a mental and physical quality, behind which we have a region of Repose, the tendency of which is toward sleep. Below Coolness we have a region marked Force, which gives energy and impulse without the violence that is developed lower down.

Immediately over the ear is the region of Irritability, the antagonist of Patience. Going forward, the functions change to Excitability and Sensibility; going back it becomes impulsive and somewhat lawless.

This impulse, antagonistic to Religion, manifests itself as Impulsiveness and Profligacy. Farther back the impulse becomes the Rivalry which is seen in all species of games as well as in the compet.i.tions of all species of business and ambition. Rivalry runs into grasping Selfishness, Acquisitiveness or avarice, and this, through Jealousy and Deceit, into the familiar function of Combativeness.

Pa.s.sing down from Combativeness, Jealousy, and Rivalry, we come to a more intense hostility in Hatred, or the spirit of Domination and Revenge (antagonistic to Love), anterior to which at the mastoid process we find the maximum violence in Destructiveness and Desperation, the antagonists of Hope, and Philanthropy or Kindness.

This is the murderous region, below and behind the ear, which Gall and Spurzheim mislocated above it, whereas it belongs to the inferior face of the brain, where the organs grow downward.

Pa.s.sing forward and inward on the basilar surface, adjacent to the petrous ridge of the temporal bone, and the anterior margin of the tentorium, we reach in front the pa.s.sional region of Rage and Insanity and a little further back, a region of restless and lawless Turbulence, which is marked upon the neck, and which antagonizes the regions of Tranquillity, Patriotism, and the outer portion of Conscientiousness.

Anterior to the Destructive and Turbulent region, but a little more external than Insanity, are the regions of Roguery and Pessimism, which appear immediately at the ear and on the lower angle of the jaw, which is marked as Melancholy on account of its sullen gloom, which looks always on the unfavorable side. The organ manifested behind the jaw through the inner ear or meatus auditorius is one of sensual selfishness which, when predominant, produces Baseness or disregard of all duties for our own indolent and profligate indulgence, antagonizing Conscientiousness. Closely adjacent to this is the tendency to Intemperance, belonging to the organ of Love of Stimulus, at the posterior margin of Alimentiveness. Anterior to Alimentiveness is the indolent region, the organ of Relaxation, between Disease and Melancholy, the antagonist of Energy which gives untiring industry.

Looking at the occiput, we find below Self-esteem or Pride, which was correctly located, the organs of Self-confidence, Love of Power, and Arrogance, extending down the median line to the cerebellum. Parallel to this we find Ostentation (which might be called Vanity) and Ambition, organs which antagonize Modesty and Ideality, as those of the median line antagonize Reverence. Next to Ambition comes the region of Business Energy, a less aspiring and ostentatious element than Ambition. Next to this come the regions of Adhesiveness, the gregarious social impulse, Aggressiveness, the intermediate between Adhesiveness and Combativeness, possessing much of the character of each, and Self-sufficiency, which relies upon our own knowledge and desires to lead others. These three organs are the antagonists of the intellectual, and yet by a wonderful law to be explained hereafter, they co-operate with them. The region between Aggressiveness, Repose, and Force is marked Stolidity, as that is the effect of its predominance. It bears some resemblance to the stubborn character of the upper portion of Combativeness, in which organ we may clearly distinguish five or six different modifications of its energy.

Combativeness, Aggressiveness, and Business Energy run into Dogmatism, a sceptical and domineering impulse. Ambition and Ostentation run down into Loquacity and Fascination, below which we find Familiarity, which runs into Arrogance and s.e.xual Virility. Between the latter and the Turbulent region is the region of pure Animalism, of which Sarcognomy shows the correspondence in the legs. Above this in the region of Hatred is the location of Vital Force, which has its correspondence at the upper posterior part of the thigh. The general sympathy of the thigh is found in the restless and impulsive region at the side of the neck, which antagonizes Cautiousness.

On the superior surface of the brain we find parallel to Religion on each side, Philanthropy or Kindness, Hope and Love, which antagonize Destructiveness, Desperation, and Hate. Anteriorly on each side of Benevolence is a pleasing region antagonistic to Combativeness and Jealousy, and manifesting many pleasing sentiments, which I have grouped under the general t.i.tle of Harmony. In this region Faith and Candor, or love of truth, antagonize Jealousy. Politeness, Imitation, Friendship, Admiration, Pliability, Humor (or Mirthfulness), and Sympathy antagonize Combativeness. The region of Genius antagonizes sceptical Dogmatism.

Behind Love, which self-evidently belongs to the higher region of the brain, where the founders of the science failed to find it, comes Conscientiousness, which was discovered by Spurzheim, and behind that, experiment shows Fort.i.tude, the antagonist of the sensuous appet.i.te, Energy, the antagonist of indolent relaxation, and Cheerfulness, the antagonist of Melancholy, by which I have so often removed depression of spirits, the lack of which leaves us a prey to melancholy. Exterior to Conscientiousness comes Patriotism, or love of country.

Parallel to the posterior part of Firmness lies Heroism, or Hardihood, next to which come Health and Oratory, then Approbativeness and Playfulness, running into Sense of Honor and Magnanimity.

Approbativeness, Playfulness, Honor, Magnanimity and Self-sufficiency might as one group be almost included in the old conception of Approbativeness. Magnanimity is a faculty closely akin to Self-esteem or Pride, but belongs more to interior sentiment and is less external or demonstrative.

All of these new organs and faculties have been discovered, demonstrated and studied since 1835, my first discoveries, which included a great portion of the whole, having been made by the cranioscopic method of Gall and Spurzheim, in which I found no difficulty in detecting the errors of my predecessors, and discovering the truths which are so patent to one who seeks them. But alas, the dispa.s.sionate search for truth is the rarest virtue on earth. Even Gall himself had not enough of this to recognize the discoveries of Spurzheim. Nor had Spurzheim enough to get rid of some of the palpable errors of Gall, such as placing Acquisitiveness in the temples, Mirthfulness in the philosophic group, and reversing the true positions of Tune and Constructiveness, extending the latter into the middle lobe. Spurzheim, however, was a better and more faithful observer than Gall, and greatly improved the science of Phrenology, though he never realized that from the brain we may develop a complete Anthropology.

This hasty enumeration of the psychic portion of the demonstrated functions of the brain, which my predecessors failed to reach, will give the reader some idea of the magnitude of the task to discover all this, to establish its relations to anatomy, and, I may add, to cerebral mathematics, and to organize the whole into a harmonious philosophy, which demonstrates itself, when understood, by a divine perfection which is beyond the power of human invention to originate.

Perhaps some readers may feel that I should have introduced the subject by systematic demonstrations and narratives of experiments. I avoid this because such narratives would not be attractive to readers who are eager to reach a valuable truth, and do not wish to go through the labors of discovery. Nor am I at all concerned about demonstrations. If I have unveiled eternal truths, my successors, if they are faithful students, will be compelled to see what I have seen, and to verify my observations.

I simply KNOW the truth of what I present, from several reasons, each one of which is sufficient in itself.

1. EXPERIMENTAL.--As an experimental investigation I have many thousand times excited the organs of the brain in intelligent persons and made them realize or show the effects as I stimulated the intellect, the emotions, the pa.s.sions or the physiological functions, so as to bring out Memory, Intuition, Somnolence, Spirituality, Love, Religion, Hope to ecstasy, Pride, Arrogance, Combativeness, Avarice, Hunger, Theft, Insanity, Sleep, Mirth, Grief, etc., etc., and the organs that change the action of the heart, the muscular strength and the bodily temperature. These experiments have been made before great numbers of enlightened persons and have been largely repeated by my students. Manifestly I cannot speak with any less confidence of Anthropology than a chemist does of chemistry, when for forty-five years, I have ever been able and willing to demonstrate its principles by experiments on intelligent persons, changing their physical strength, their circulation and their mental faculties.

2. SENSITIVE.--I have felt nearly all the functions of the brain in various degrees of excitement in my own person, and know the positions of the organs as well as the gymnast knows the position of the muscles in which he produces fatigue. My physical sensibility has been so acute as to recognize by local sensations at all times the degree of activity in any portion of the brain, manifested by local warmth and sensibility, by a sanguineous pressure, by vivid sensations in the scalp, with erection of the hair, or by aching fatigue, or by irritations and tenderness in the scalp; or in case of inactivity by the entire absence of sensation, or in case of obstruction by a distinct feeling of oppression.

3. PSYCHOMETRIC.--I have explored every portion of the brain with care and minuteness by the psychometric method, even tracing the convolutions and their anfractuosities, and observing from point to point how beautifully and harmoniously the innumerable functions blend with each other; how the different portions of a convolution vary, and how the different conditions of the brain and different degrees of excitement modify the results; and these investigations have been carried on for years, until results were clearly established and over and over confirmed by psychometry, by experiment, and by consciousness.

4. MATHEMATICAL.--The development of so positive a science enabled me to establish certain mathematical or GEOMETRIC laws of cerebral action, concerning the direction and mode in which all faculties act upon the mind and body, which laws const.i.tute the BASIC PHILOSOPHY of Anthropology, the highest generalization of science. These laws const.i.tute a compact system of science, lying at the basis of all psychology, as the bony skeleton is the basis of the human form. These laws being easily demonstrated, and giving great clearness and systematic beauty to the whole science, are alone a sufficient demonstration. They const.i.tute the science of PATHOGNOMY.

5. CRANIOSCOPY.--In describing characters or const.i.tutions, the new system is continually tested and demonstrated. All whom I have taught find, when they test it, that, in its applications by cranioscopy, the results invariably confirm the accuracy of the science.

6. CORRESPONDENCE.--Sarcognomy demonstrates in the body an entire correspondence to the system of functions and organs discovered in the brain. The same functions, on a lower plane and in corresponding locations, are found in the body.

7. APPLICATION.--In the application of the science, not only to the diagnosis of character and disease but to the solution of problems in human nature, the explanation of temperaments, the determination of relations between persons or sociology, the correction of education, the organization of philosophy, the criticism of literature, the philosophy of oratory and art, the development of a philosophic pneumatology and religion, and, finally, the study of the animal kingdom,--every application gives evidence of its competency and its truth as a supreme science and philosophy.

MASTERING THE SCIENCE.--The large amount of detail of the organology of the brain which has been presented, will, no doubt, strike most readers with a sentiment of mult.i.tudinous confusion, and a doubt of the possibility of their ever applying so complex a science to the study of character. I have the pleasure of saying that the difficulty quickly vanishes when one is rightly instructed, and that I generally succeed in a single evening in making my pupils acquainted with the localities so well as to avoid any material error. The more perfectly any science is developed and understood the easier it becomes to impart its principles. In the next chapter I will show how easy it is to learn the organic locations of Anthropology and apply them to the judgment of character.