Spurzheim's Lectures on phrenology / edited (with notes and an introduction) by Alfred T. Story.

  • Johann Spurzheim
Date:
[between 1890 and 1910?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Spurzheim's Lectures on phrenology / edited (with notes and an introduction) by Alfred T. Story. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    57/188 (page 45)
    we see men who, in spite of the restraints of education, do follow their natural inclinations ; and see if this cerebral part be not much developed. [The part just above the ear, No. 7 in the bust, when large it causes a great swelling of the skull at this point.—Ed.] Let us begin with animals. If we observe animals in general, we shall find that all herbivorous animals have the brain small hereabout, above and behind the ear. But if you examine the heads of carnivorous animals, as the wolf—and this is the head of a wolf (showing one)—you will find that the greatest quantity of brain is situated just above the ear. If a naturalist were to see the heads of each of these species of animals, he would know from the shape of the head whether the animal belonged to the herbivorous or carnivorous kind. You see that the head of the wolf is much broader than the head of the roe. The chamois has this part narrow, whilst in the fox it is very broad. (Skulls of each of these animals Destructiveness large. Destructiveness small. were shown.) Compare, again, the cat with the hare; the •rabbit with the pole-cat, which you know is an animal fond of destruction. Again, look at the weasel and the quincajou ; go through all nature, and you will find that the more brain hereabout, the more destructive will the animal be found. Look at men : Dr. Gall has observed several murderers, and he has found that their brains are very large hereabout ; that is all, he has noticed the fact. If you find murderers who feel a pleasure in destroying, instead of those who do so to defend themselves or to escape detection, you will find that such persons have great development of brain in this part, above the ear. Here are casts of Stoffel and Keppel, men of this country. The one engaged his companion not to destroy the person they intended to rob; but the other would destroy, and would not spare the life of the individual, and you see that in one this cerebral part is much larger than in the other. I have seen many individuals who have shown great