creation has nothing in harmony with that which the Deity pronounced "very good."

If the foregoing facts and statements be true, (and opposition to their truth is set at defiance,) there is no scheme of mental philosophy, worthy of the title, which does not essentially partake of materialism. And phrenology does nothing more. It is not pure materialism, any more than the mental philosophy of Locke or Beattie, Reid, Stewart, or Brown. It is what it ought to be, semi-material, and nothing more. It "renders unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's"-concedes to mind, as well as to matter, what justly belongs to it. But to neither does it give, in intellectual operations, a monopoly of influence. For, as already stated, a large majority of phrenologists subscribe to the doctrine of the immateriality of the mind; though they pretend to no definite knowledge on the subject. Nor should any body else; for, as heretofore alleged, no such knowledge is attainable by man. From a consciousness of this, many enlightened and pious Christians, even Christian ministers, have frankly acknowledged that materialism may be true; and that they do not hold a belief in it inconsistent with orthodox Christianity. To this acknowledgment, I have been myself a witness.

Having, as I trust, in the preceding pages, sufficiently vindicated phrenology from the charge of such materialism as is either repulsive or dangerous, I shall now endeavour to show that still greater injustice has been done to the science, by the weightier and more calumnious accusation of FATALISM.

(To be continued.)

ARTICLE II.

CASE OF FRACTURE OF THE SKULL, AND THE SUBSEQUENT PHENOMENA.

The following pathological fact occurred, a few years since, in the city of New York. The fact possesses peculiar interest, as connected with phrenology, in throwing additional light upon the functions of the brain, and its relations to the cranium. As, we believe, it has never been recorded in any medical work or scientific journal, we are induced to present our readers with the particulars of the case, as they were published at the time in the daily newspapers. The statement was drawn up by a committee, appointed by the New York Phrenological Society, and is as follows:-We have kindly been permitted to copy the following extract from a report, recently made to the New York Phrenological Society by its secretary, as one of a committee appointed to investigate the phenomena connected with the fracture of a skull, and the subsequent manifestations. The subject of this committee's examination was a small child of Mr. James Mapes, which, at the time of the accident alluded to, was two years of age.

About two years since, this child, whilst leaning out of the dormant window of the three story brick house, No. 42 Green street, unwittingly lost its balance, and was precipitated headlong to the pavement below. Before reaching the sidewalk, she struck against the iron railing of the steps, by which her skull was most horridly fractured. On removing her to the house, she was supposed by her parents, and the distinguished medical gentleman, Dr. Mott, who had been called, to be irrecoverably injured. Another physician, who had been called, felt desirous to perform an operation, deeming it possible to procrastinate the dissolution; and, by removing the pressure of the skull upon the brain, to effect a temporary restoration of the child's faculties. This would, it was thought, afford a transient satisfaction to the parents at least.

The operation was accordingly undertaken, first by trepanning and afterwards by sawing transversely across the skull, and then laterally, so as to remove a portion of the skull three and a half by four inches square. It was found that the membrane had not been ruptured, and, consequently, that the cerebral organs were uninjured, except from the concussion. The scalp having been carefully laid back and secured, the child soon recovered, and indicated even more than its wonted manifestations of mind.

The most remarkable fact in this case was, that the child previous VOL. II.-5

to the accident-evidently from some mal-conformation-had not manifested the intellectual powers common to children of that age, whereas, on its recovery from the physical disability, it exhibited extraordinary acuteness of perception and strength of the reflective faculties. The sentiments were also remarkably active and susceptible. The committee, on placing the hand upon the integuments immediately covering the brain, and requiring the child's mind to be exercised by a process calling into activity compound emotions, at once perceived the agitation into which the brain had been thrown by the mental effort. The perturbations were rapid and oftentimes violent. Different faculties were called into activity by varying the kind of subjects presented to the mind of the child, and variations in the agitation of the brain followed the change of subject. The motions of the brain were sometimes like the vibrations of a string when violently struck, and at other times like the more equal undulations of a wave.

It is quite apparent in this case, that the faculties, whose cerebral organs were situated directly beneath the cranial fracture, were mostly affected by the accident, and also, that the cause of mental imbecility, previous to that circumstance, is attributable to the pressure of the skull on the brain. This is found to be no very uncommon circumstance. Numerous cases are recorded in the medical books of a similar nature. The agitation of the brain on the excitement of the mind, corresponded exactly with a case of Sir Astley Cooper's, in which the brain being exposed, and the patient made to exercise his mind powerfully, the brain was protruded, by the mental effort, some lines above the skull, but which receded on the relaxation of thought. A case of a similar kind also occurred in this city some time since. A lady having been confined for insanity in the Lunatic Asylum, was visited one day by her husband. Whilst he was in the room, conversing with the keeper, his wife, watching the opportunity, escaped from the door, and springing into her husband's wagon, drove off with so much rapidity, as to render her being overtaken quite impossible. Dashing down the streets, she came to her former residence; when rapidly turning her vehicle into the yard, it was upset, and she thrown head first against the wall of the house, by which her skull was fractured. No other material effect, however, was produced, save the complete restoration of her mind to sanity, and healthful action; and, of course, to the enjoyment of her family and friends. This is but one of many cases, proving insanity to be oftentimes the result of pressure upon the brain, and that always, as a consequence, insanity is caused by the disease or derangement of that organ.

ARTICLE III.

MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE OF INSANITY.-No. 2.

BY A. DEAN, ESQ., ALBANY, N. Y.

Another form of mental deficiency occurs in dementia. This is characterised in all its stages by a general enfeeblement of all the faculties. This is not, like idiocy, congenital, but occurs as the sequel of many diseases, and often at or near the close of life. It is distinguishable from that general decay of mental power that often accompanies extreme old age, by the incoherence with which it is accompanied. Persons, places, times, and circumstances, occur disjointedly, apparently without any order of sequence, or bond of association. Objects are mistaken, times confounded, and circumstances strangely confused. There is a want of fixed data from which to reason. The organs of thought lack the vigour necessary to the integrity of their functions.

There are reckoned four degrees of dementia. The first is characterised by a loss of memory. Events that are recent make little or no impression. They are much less vivid than the ideas of early impressions.

The second is accompanied by a loss or diminished action of the reasoning power. Either the reflective faculties that direct reason become impaired, or the perceptive, that furnishes the material, and the affective, that afford the stimulus, act with diminished energy.

The third is attended by an inability to comprehend the meaning of any principle or proposition, however simple, accompanied usually by a physical activity.

The fourth consists in a loss of instinctive action, the mode of existence becoming merely organic.

The incoherence characterising dementia, is widely different from that which usually accompanies mania. The first consists in the diminution, the last in the exaltation, in the action of the same faculties. The failure of memory in the one, is owing to the obliteration of past impressions, as soon as they are made from a lack of power to retain them. In the other, to the crowding into the mind new ideas, and mingling and confounding them with those of the past. INTELLECTUAL MANIA is characterised by delusion or hallucination, which may be either, 1. Where there is a belief in facts that never existed; or, 2. When facts that do exist are carried to enormous and unfounded lengths.

GENERAL INTELLECTUAL MANIA is accompanied with the utmost

confusion and disorder in the action of the intellectual faculties. The greatest possible excesses occur in rapid and disordered succession. The insane very frequently entertain a full and unshaken conviction of their perfect sanity.

In this form of insanity the ordinary laws of association appear to be suspended. There seems to be a destruction or perversion of that influence which, in a healthy state, is mutually exercised by the faculties over, or in relation to, each other. The mind appears to have lost its control over itself.

One great difference observable between intellectual and moral mania is, that the first is the most manifested in the exaltation or perversion of ideas. the last in singularity and eccentricity of conduct. It is apparent that conduct is mostly influenced by the affective faculties, while ideas are derived solely from the intellectual. Intellectual mania is often complicated with moral mania.

PARTIAL INTELLECTUAL MANIA consists in the perverted or deranged action of some one, or a limited number, of the intellectual faculties. The derangement of those faculties that discern the relations of things, is the easiest perceived, and the most certainly constitutes insanity. Many of the perceptive faculties may be greatly impaired, and yet the soundness of the others may preserve the integrity and sanity of the mind.

The subject of partial intellectual mania is himself generally conscious of his derangement, and often succeeds for a long time in concealing it. The first appearance is usually in the entertainment of some strange and fantastic notion, against which the verdict of common sense would be unqualifiedly rendered. This is often connected with some error of sensation, and more frequently still with the prior habits of the individual. It is sometimes confined to a single topic; and at others, takes a wider range, and embraces within the circle of its action many ideas and relations.

In the present state of our knowledge, it is impossible to mark out, with any degree of precision, the boundaries that limit the insane delusion. So that the enquiry, how far insanity on any one topic ought to disqualify the whole mind, cannot be satisfied in general, and only as the application is made to particular cases. The reasoning powers of the monomaniac, or subject of this partial mania, on subjects not connected with his delusion, do not appear to be impaired.

MORAL MANIA Occurs when the organs of the affective faculties become diseased, and their functions perverted or deranged. This also has a twofold division.

GENERAL MORAL MANIA consists in a general perversion, exaltation, or derangement of function of the affective powers. While the