Observations on the phrenological development of Burke, Hare, and other atrocious murderers; measurements of the heads of the most notorious thieves confined in the Edinburgh Jail and Bridewell, and of various individuals, English, Scotch, and Irish, presenting an extensive series of facts subversive of phrenology / Read before the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh. By Thomas Stone.

  • Stone, Thomas
Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the phrenological development of Burke, Hare, and other atrocious murderers; measurements of the heads of the most notorious thieves confined in the Edinburgh Jail and Bridewell, and of various individuals, English, Scotch, and Irish, presenting an extensive series of facts subversive of phrenology / Read before the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh. By Thomas Stone. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    infamous accomplice Hare correspond with his ac- knowledged character ? III. Ls at possible to distinguish the crania of mur- derers from other crania, by the Phrenological indi- cations attributed to them ? IV. Do the most notorious thieves possess the organ of Acquisitiveness larger, or that of Conscientious- ness smaller, than individuals of pceatga 7] charac- ter ? | - The attention of the public has for some time past dwelt with painful interest on the atrocities that have lately been perpetrated by Burke, and his miserable confederate Hare; and although the hand of huma- nity would willingly draw a veil over the recollection of their enormities, yet, as they have been guilty of iniquities almost unexampled in the annals of crime, therecan be littledoubt that they will long rank among the most notorious and execrable murderers that ever disgraced the history of human nature. The cruel- ties repeatedly committed by them were indeed of the most deplorable and appalling description. They were not prompted by the excitement of provocation, or sug- gested by any frenzied desire of vengeance ;—they were not-committed in moments of sudden or impe- tuous passion, but all, on the contrary, was cold-blood- » ed, selfish calculation ; and no savage in the remotest ‘ wilds of Africa ever heard more unmoved, or exulted more deliberately, over the repeated death-groans of - their victims.—“ After they ceased crying and ma- king resistance,” says the Confession of Burke, “ we