Strictures on the conduct of Hewett Watson in his capacity of editor of the Phrenological Journal; with an appendix, containing a speculative analysis of the mental functions / by T. S. Prideaux.

  • Prideaux, T. S. (Thomas Symes)
Date:
1840
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Strictures on the conduct of Hewett Watson in his capacity of editor of the Phrenological Journal; with an appendix, containing a speculative analysis of the mental functions / by T. S. Prideaux. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    “ Hues which have words, and speak to ye of heaven, Float o’er this vast and wondrous monument,* And shadow forth its glory. There is given Unto the things of earth, which time hath bent, A spirit’s feeling, and when he hath leant His hand, but broke his scythe, there is a power And magic in the ruined battlement, For which the palace of the present hour Must yield its pomp, and wait till ages are its dower.” With regard to the seat of the feeling, which “ disposes to dwell upon the past,” the evidence I have yet been able to obtain, is far from sufficiently conclusive, to enable me to speak with decision. I am, however, inclined to refer it to the portion of brain before, and above, the organ marked ‘ ? ’f * The Coliseum. f With reference to Mr. Combe’s views on the function of the portion of the brain marked “ ?, ” I may here observe, that I have now before me a cast of the head of a gentleman, which I took in consequence of the unusual developement of this organ, which it presents. Not only is there a decided protuberance at the part, but the head is considerably wider there, than at Cautiousness—a rather unusual circumstance. I am intimately acquainted with this individual, and during a long intimacy with him, have never heard him drop a single expression, which would induce me to suppose that he was much affected by the sublime, but quite the reverse. His Veneration is not by any means large, and I believe him to possess less than an average endowment of the feeling ; he, however, possesses a more than ordinary disposition “ to dwell on the past.” I have heard him say, that he never passes a day, without looking back on the events of his past life ; and he has observed to me that he has often noticed, that whilst he was particularly fond of recurring to, and conversing on, the incidents of his early days, some amongst his friends scarcely ever adverted to the subject. This gentleman’s perceptive organs are large, except Eventuality, which with Ideality, Mar¬ vellousness, and the reflective organs, are but smally developed. If he has any predilection for the dreary, and the lonely, I believe it is only when they are associated with the past, as I never heard him express any partiality for them, beyond once observing, that it would afford him great pleasure to explore the subterraneous passages of an old castle, that had not been opened for ages. His locality is very large. I have shown him the extracts from Mr. Combe’s letter, and the accompanying remarks, and questioned him as to his feelings, and in reply he informs me that he takes little or no delight in the wild, solemn, vast, or dreary, which I fully believe to be the case. Notwithstanding the love of the past is quite a feature in this gentle¬ man’s character, yet I very much doubt whether the feeling is manifested by him, with an energy proportionate to the unusual developement his head presents anterior to Cautiousness. [I have recently been led to adopt some novel views with regard to the function of this portion of the brain, and am at present endeavouring to collect facts on the subject, and I shall be much obliged to any phrenologist who will have the courtesy to inform me, through the medium of the journal, of Sheridan’s developement at this spot.] Whilst reporting cases, I will take the opportunity of observing, that I
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