But there are results still to be noticed which, if less glaring, are not the less prejudicial. I refer to the reflex influence which the misuse of Acquisitiveness by society has upon the criminal. It appears to me that the criminal class cannot be isolated from general society as if they had no features in common; but that, on the contrary, in their distinguishing crime, we may trace an exaggerated likeness of the characteristics of that majority from whom we derive our type of national morals. Well has it been remarked, that "it is not to be supposed that the criminal population is a creation apart; but it springs from the community, and is composed of the weaker and more excitable portion of every class." History confirms this statement: as is the nation, so is the criminal; and do we desire to learn the prevalent form of crime, for the inference we have but to learn the national vice. Thus, for example, in the fighting and plundering Roman patrician, we find the prototype of the turbulent marauding plebeian; and in the lazy lazzaroni of Naples we trace but a vulgarized copy of their indolent sensual aristocracy. In like manner, the ruling vice of British society is the very form of crime which predominates among our criminal population. It appears, by an analysis contained in the 47th Number of the Jurist, that "out of an annual average of 25,987 criminal offences, 22,486, or 0.87 of the whole, are offences directly founded on the desire of acquiring property." Detached from the fact that crime is generally but an enlarged transcript of national vices, such a fearful item in our criminal statistics might well startle; but it does appear that this principle contains the clue to the cause of this disproportion. The proportions might have been reversed; and crimes against the person might have preponderated as in the case of those unhappy countries-Spain and Ireland. But in obedience to the principle, that the punishment consequent on the breach of the natural laws shall be analogous to the _vice indulged, we find, in England, that crime against the person is the exception, and crime against property the rule. I would not be conceived as representing the reflex influence of society as the sole reason why the criminal class are most addicted to the abuse of Acquisitiveness; for, in addition to its being difficult to estimate the precise amount of that influence, it is obvious that poverty and insane* impulse tend *So many cases of acquisitive monomania have been recently submitted for judicial investigation, that if there had been previously any hesitancy as to admitting the existence of this form of lunacy, these facts should suffice to dispel the doubts. But, if judicial cognizance is to be to the crime. But it does appear, that if offence against property, as the characteristic crime of British criminals, is to be considered apart from the fact that abuse of Acquisitiveness is the distinguishing vice of Britain, our calculations as to its cause, and the best mode of repression, will be in vain, for we shall have disregarded an element, the consideration of which might have destroyed our theories. We are too often apt to think, and many of our laws are framed on the supposition, that felons are men who deliberately sit down to consider whether they shall become thieves or not, and who become outlaws merely because the balance of pleasure turns in that direction. The more correct theory indicates that they are simply men of strong acquisitive impulse, without the ability or desire to labour, and devoid of that natural or educated moral sentiment which forbids infringement of the rights of others. A class of men is thus indicated, on whom the general misuse of Acquisitiveness must have a fatal influence; for the fact, that they trace in all classes the same disposition by which they are governed, must add fuel to a fire which it needs the utmost judgment to extinguish. They perceive that men are estimated not by what they are, but by what they have, and that the ability of a man is tested by what he gets, and not by what he does. Is it strange, then, that with the organization predicated, they should fail to discriminate between the legal and illegal gratification of Acquisitiveness? For example, they see so-called respectable tradesmen availing themselves of every paltry device to deceive the equally greedy purchaser, and yet retaining every honour to which affluence can lead; and they find even the leading minds of society, with here and there a bright exception, vending intellect as an article of merchandise; and thus every where the one lesson taught is"Get money; honestly if you can-but get it!" Is it, then, so astonishing, that with brains, perchance, too feeble to compete in this overstocked market, but with impulse strongly pointing in the same direction, they should avail themselves of natural cunning, and steal what they cannot legitimately acquire? Instead, then, of resting contented with bitterly reproaching these pariahs of society, and thinking, that when we have secured their conviction and incarceration we have done all that we ought to do, let us at least enquire-Is not taken of acquisitive monomania, an important question recurs, namely, Are the guardians of such persons justified in allowing them free scope for gratifying the depraved instinct? or ought they not rather be placed under that medical care which would be secured were they subject to any other hurtful form of mania? society reaping the fruits of its own vicious indulgence, and that by the abuse of the very organ which itself most misuses? And farther, Has not society, by its own example, educated the crime which it deplores ? Should this connection of cause and effect be granted, it will follow, that if our marauding criminals are to become extinct, the enforcement of stringent laws by an effective police will not suffice to produce this result. Not only is the disease too deeply seated, but such a remedy would leave the cause untouched. The very fact that society stimulates the organ to the utmost, indicates the existence of a school from whence felons must of necessity emanate, the sole problem being, whether the student shall issue therefrom as the crafty tradesman or the expert thief. Society, then, must cease to teach, by its example and maxims, lessons which the bad heads are but too ready to follow and exaggerate. It must be practically acknowledged, and not merely pulpittaught, that man has higher destinies than those involved in gold-hoarding-and that he who adds but one grain to the sum of human happiness is a wiser and better man, and has done more for the interests of the species, than if he had accumulated the riches of Croesus. Let this be done, and then, at least, our felons could not turn round in bitter scorn and mock our cant, by saying " Physician, heal thyself!" and if our jails were not untenanted, we could at least rejoice in the fact, that the crime had sprung from ungoverned impulse, and had not been learned in the University of the World! March 1845. IV. Outline of a Lecture delivered to the Sheffield Phrenological Society, on 27th November 1844, by CORDEN THOMPSON, M.D., President of the Society, and Senior Physician to the Sheffield General Infirmary.* GENTLEMEN,—The object of these lectures is to illustrate the primary truths on which Phrenology is based. For this purpose, I have shewn that the faculties of man are innate, uniform in character, and determinate in number and properties. I have next shewn that the faculties are connected with This imperfect sketch of Dr Thompson's lecture was drawn up by one of his auditors, and forms a continuation of article II. in our 82d Number, page 11 of this volume.-ED. Ι the organization, and rise and fall with it. In the last lecture I traced the phases of development in man, from infancy to maturity. On these subjects, I spoke of healthy persons, and of mankind in the aggregate, and not of exceptions, caused by disease or otherwise on a future occasion, I shall endeavour to shew that the exceptions are but the results of the same law, under varied circumstances. It was shewn on the last occasion that the moral and intellectual man is developed along with the physical man. We traced man up to maturity; but maturity contains the seeds of necessary decay. Decline begins in one sooner than in another; there is great difference as to the length of time during which the energies of manhood, in different individuals, are maintained. The limits of mature age differ in the sexes: in females, it is usually from thirty to forty; in the male, from thirty-five to fifty. But many exceed or fall short of the usual limits; in short, figures here only indicate the average. In some persons, physical and mental qualities, station in life, exemption from toils and hardships, and from other causes involving serious wear and tear, cause maturity to be prolonged; while in others, harder circumstances and different natural qualities cause them to be more aged at fifty than others at sixty or more. The parts of the body most taxed fail first; and some of the organs of the senses are more delicate than others. In like manner, overworking the body or the intellect, which is, in truth, overworking the brain, produces early decay. A single limb may early decay from excessive use. Under ordinary circumstances, man rises from infancy to manhood, and descends from manhood to decay. The transitions are gradual, and each change, like a dissolving view, seems to vanish into its successor. As man approaches the evening of life, conscious of the diminished power of body and mind, he seeks repose, and avoids the turmoil and the toil he formerly never shunned. His words are, "I am no longer young!"- -a great truth taught by nature. The brain is less active in thought, less agitated with emotion, and the powers are sensibly diminished. Elevated sentiments become blunted, and whatever tends to ennoble man appears in age to shrivel up. The relish for active sports and gaieties is diminished, not merely from physical, but from mental unfitness; both mind and body desire repose. With this change, it seems as if the world had undergone a revolution. Each reasons according to his temperament; age deems itself wondrous wise, and, pressed by a more active race, consoles itself with scraps of philosophy and savoury remembrances. The old man recurs much to the past, the record of many dis 10 appointments; and even where full fruition has been achieved, yet, the power to enjoy being diminished, the mere memory of past enjoyment ill compensates for the loss of the possession, and the conclusion is come to, that life is but a dream. Thus nature teaches truths before known, but never really believed or realised. The perceptive, affective, and intellectual powers, are diminished. It is not satiety and disgust that brings about the change, but age, dulling the edge, and producing a gradual degeneration in the senses and tastes, whether inward or outward. Hence, objects once allengrossing become flat, stale, and unprofitable; but the objects have undergone no change, and will be as much enjoyed by future as by past generations. Gravity and prudence are qualities as natural to age as levity and haste to youth, and equally agree with the organisation. As the passions are daily cooling down, the virtues of abstinence become more attractive, and men are prone to Compound for sins they are inclined to, By damning those they have no mind to." The changes now described come not upon men of one disposition of character only, but on all. The old saying, that an old head cannot be placed on young shoulders, is a truth founded on the inevitable changes which nature produces in men. There is a natural antagonism between youth and age, increasing as age advances. Thus Shakspeare says— "Crabbed age and youth cannot dwell together; The changes of our organization determine the changes of character. (This subject Dr Thompson illustrated by the remarks of many eminent writers, all bearing testimony to the same great truth.) The intellectual powers decline in the same manner as the affective and physical powers. In fact, in those who live long, the brain sensibly diminishes. Thus gradually fall the powers of men, till they sink at length into the weakness of childhood. The corporeal changes that precede and usher in age, are remarkable. The vegetative processes of the frame change. In early life, the fluid exceed the solid parts of the body, and the arterial system the venous. Hence the active nutrition, the roundness of form, and the rosiness of tint in youth. But the sallow complexion, the rigidity of fibre, comes with age. The arterial branches are contracted, and the vessels become daily more rigid, and the finer vessels are impervious to the blood. At the same time, the veins lose their firmness, and are filled with a dark purple fluid, unfit for nutrition, or to carry on life. The arterial |