earth; not a more earthly tenant, but a more heavenly occupant of an earthly dwelling-place. "Religion is emphatically a thing of life, and dwells with living sympathies, and kindles and glows with living emotions. It is caculated not merely for a Sabbath day garment, but for an every day familiar. It is designed to accompany the merchant to his counting-house; the mechanic to his work-shop; the student to his study; and the farmer to his field of labour. It forms the golden dream of youth; the firmer strength of manhood; the supporting staff of age. Without it, fear subsides into dismay, and hope dies in despair; all things contingent are regarded as necessary, and all means transformed into ends; the great mistake is discovered too late to be rectified, and the death that was expected to fold in eternal slumber, on its approach seems rather to awaken to eternal vigilance." MISCELLANY. Examination of a Skull.-After a public lecture on phrenology at the Temperance Hall, in this city, on the evening of March 6th, 1840, two skulls were presented to Mr. L. N. Fowler for examination. Mr. Fowler had no knowledge whatever of the character of the individuals to whom the skulls belonged, and was governed in his examination solely by their cranial developements. We can now give only the results of one examination, though the other was by no means less striking and correct, and may be presented in some future number of the Journal. Mr. Fowler's remarks on the first skull, were as follows: 1st, I should think this was the skull of a male, who had a large brain, and considerable mind, yet was more distinguished for his physical strength and powers of endurance. 2d, His moral sentiments were decidedly weak, particularly Conscientiousness and Hope; and his actions were without reference to the future, or regard for principles of justice. 3d, He had very strong animal feelings and propensities. The strongest of these were Combativeness, Destructiveness, Alimentiveness, and Firmness, which, if perverted, would make him quarrelsome, cruel, desperate, and stubborn in the extreme. He would be disposed to boast, be proud of his strength, and when angry, would be reckless and desperate; was naturally ambitious, yet low-minded, witty, and fond of sport and sensual indulgence; was very self-willed, and had uncommon self-possession and presence of mind; never gave up the object of his pursuit, and would always have his own way, right or wrong. To sum up his character, I should say that Destructiveness and Firmness had a controlling influence, making him cruel, desperate, and possessed of a murderous disposition, and a stubborn, ungovernable will. Such was Mr. Fowler's examination, after which the gentleman who had obtained the skull from Georgetown, Del., stated to the audience some facts in the character of the person to whom it belonged. It appeared that the individual, whose skull was examined, was Robert Morris, who had been executed for murder. The following document contains briefly the facts in the case: State of Delaware, vs. Robert Morris. Witnesses: Samuel Allen, John O'Berry. Court of Oyer and Terininer, Oct. Term, 1831. This indictment was found at the October term, Remarks.-Robert Morris was an Englishman by birth, was shipped at Philadelphia whilst in a state of intoxication, and on being ordered from his berth whilst opposite Lewistown, in the Delaware Bay, was pulled by the captain from the berth in which he was lying, and then stabbed the captain with a long Spanish knife. He was a man of remarkable muscle, and of great firmness. He walked to the gallows, and adjusted the cord about his neck, telling the sheriff where the best place was to fix the knot. The rope broke, in consequence of his request that the sheriff would make the drop long, to kill him instantly. On being taken up again, he offered to place the rope over the hook, remarking, that he would die like a man, and without a struggle. Such was indeed the fact; he never exhibited the least appearance of fear, nor moved a muscle, that could be discovered. He stated, after his conviction for murder, that he had no intention to kill Captain Hilburn, but that he shipped on board the brig whilst intoxicated, and when he become more sober, he wanted to be set on shore, as he was not pleased with being on board so small a vessel and weak manned, having been accustomed to being on board of men-of-war, having been on a four years' cruise with Commodore Hull, of the United States service, who could, if present, testify to his good behaviour and undoubted bravery. I certify the above statements to be truths taken from the record, and personal conversation myself with Robert Morris. In testimony of which, I have hereunto set my hand, this 27th February, 1840, at Georgetown, Del. JOSHUA S. LAYTON. Character inferred from an Examination of the Skull, by Mr. Deville, of London.-The numerous readers of "Jack Sheppard," have doubtless become familiar with the stern, hardened, infamous, and vindictive character of Jonathan Wild, whose skeleton is now in the possession of Mr. Fowler, a surgeon of Windsor, England. The friends of phrenology, and, indeed, the curious portions of society in general, will doubtless be interested in some account of the craniological developements of so extraordinary a villain. We learn, then, that the skeleton, as it stands in case, is five feet five inches; and several medical men who have seen it, have pronounced that Wild, when living, must have stood about five feet eight or nine inches. The skeleton is in a perfect state, with the exception of the thumb of the left hand, and part of the forefinger of the right hand, which are missing. There are three teeth in the head, which are quite sound. Mr. Fowler, anxious to ascertain if the general character of Wild, while living, was borne out by the phrenological developements of the head, sent the skull, some time since, to Mr. Deville, the well-known phrenologist in the Strand; but without giving the most remote hint as to the name and character of the party whose shoulders it once fitted." It was returned to Mr. Fowler, with a "certificate" from Mr. Deville, of which the following is a copy : This is the skull of an individual possessing some useful faculties for mechanical operations, going about and comprehending things readily; but he is a singular character, with a large portion of brain in the region of the propensities. And under disappointment of his own importance, pecuniary difficulties, or intoxication, he would be very likely to commit crime. He would be fond of offspring or children, but not a kind parent, as the mandate must be obeyed. He would be the associate of a female, and probably be a married man, but liable to jealousy, being a doubter of the integrity of others towards himself; and while in this state of feeling, if aroused, he would be liable to do injury to those so offending him, and, if opposed, murder might be the result from such an organisation. He would be conceited, self-willed, and obstinate, and, if opposed in his own views, his passions would run very high. He would, without much hesitation, appropriate to his own use the property of others; but, in so doing, show some ingenuity and cunning, it being difficult of detection. He would, at times, manifest some feeling for religion, and might follow some sect, and at times hold forth upon the subject; but I doubt much the integrity upon it, being more to cover and screen the animal propensities. He would be a talker in his own society-a knowing and conceited individual. He has had some notions of music, and having some command of words, would be likely to become the songster of his society-such an organisation preferring society where he could become the hero of a public-house party. From the character of the bones, it appears to be the skull of an elderly man, whom I consider as having had the power of becoming useful, but from the predominance of the animal, I consider him an aged sinner. It will be perceived by all those who have read the life of Wild, that the above delineation of his character, according to phrenology, is remarkably correct. Noble Sentiment.-Dr. Spurzheim was emphatically the friend of woman. In conversation with a lady at Boston, on the subject of female education, he remarked that woman would have but little influence on society, till the systems of instruction were improved. "And how can they be improved ?" inquired the lady. "By the efforts of yourself, madam, and others of your own sex who take an interest in the subject," he promptly replied. "Men do not, except in very rare instances, feel inclined to promote the mental improvement of females; they fear that they shall lose their empire over you, if you become as wise as men; therefore, you must in the first place educate yourselves-lead the way, and show us, by example, the benefits that result from a good and tho rough system of instruction. I know that reason must be cultivated, in order that persons may understand their moral duties, and the best manner of discharging them; but my sex do not, as yet, care to have women reason; they think it enough if you can only feel. This is wrong; for till women are taught to reason, they cannot cultivate the reasoning powers of their children; and hence it is, that the passions and selfish feelings are made so predominant in the greater part of our race. But women must themselves take the lead in correcting these errors.” Dr. Gall's Visit to the Prison of Berlin.-Dr. Gall was an excellent practical phrenologist, and scarcely ever failed in his delineations of character. The following interesting account of his visit to the prison of Berlin, was drawn up by some of the gentlemen who accompanied him, and was published at the time in Nos. 97 and 98 of the Freymüthige for May, 1805, and afterward's recopied into Gall's large work on the Functions of the Brain: Dr. Gall having expressed a desire to inspect the prisons of Berlin, with a view of making himself acquainted with their arrangements and construction, as well as of observing the heads of the prisoners, it was proposed to him, that he should visit not only the prisons of that city, but the house of correction, and the fortress of Spandau. Accordingly, on the 17th of April, 1805, Dr. Gall began with those of Berlin, in presence of the directing commissaries, the superior officers of the establishment, the inquisitors of the criminal deputation, the counsellor Thürnagel, and Schmidt, the assessors Muhlberg and Wunder, the superior counsellor of the medical inspection, Welper, Dr. Flemming, Professor Wildenow, and several other gentlemen. As soon as Dr. Gall had satisfied himself in regard to the regulations and general management of the establishment, the party went to the criminal prisons and to the salles de travail, where they found about two hundred prisoners, whom Dr. Gall was allowed to examine, without a word being said to him, either of their crimes or of their characters. It may here be remarked, that the great proportion of those detained in the criminal prisons, are robbers or thieves; and, therefore, it was to be expected, that if Dr. Gall's doctrine were true, the organ of Acquisitiveness should, as a general rule, be found to predominate in these individuals. This accordingly soon appeared to be the case. The heads of all the thieves resembled each other more or less in shape. All of them presented a width and prominence at that part of the temple where the organ is situated, with a depression above the eyebrows, a retreating forehead, and the skull flattened towards the top. These peculiarities were perceptible at a single glance; but the touch rendered still more striking, the difference between the form of the skulls of robbers, and that of the skulls of those who were detained for other causes. The peculiar shape of the head, generally characteristic of thieves, astonished the party still more, when several prisoners were ranged in a line; but it was never so strikingly borne out and illustrated as when, at the request of Dr. Gall, all the youths from twelve to fifteen years of age, who were confined for theft, were collected together; their heads presented so very nearly the same configuration, that they might easily have passed for the offspring of the same stock. It was with great ease that Dr. Gall distinguished confirmed thieves from those who were less dangerous; and in every instance his opinion was found to agree with the result of the legal interrogatories. The heads in which Acquisitiveness was most predominant, were that of Columbus, and among the children, that of the little H., whom Gall recommended to keep in confinement for life, as utterly incorrigible. Judging from the judicial proceedings, both had manifested an extraordinary disposition for thieving. In entering one of the prisons, where all the women presented a predominance of the same organ, except one, (then busy at the same employment, and in precisely the same dress as the offenders,) Dr. Gall asked, as soon as he perceived her, why that person was there, seeing that her head presented no appearance indicative of any propensity to steal. He was then told that she was not a criminal, but the inspectress of works. In the same way, he distinguished other individuals confined for different causes besides theft. Several opportunities of seeing Acquisitiveness, combined with other largely-developed organs, presented themselves. In one prisoner, it was joined with Benevolence and the organ of theosophy, the latter particularly large. The individual was put to the proof, and, in all his discourses, showed great horror at robberies accompanied with violence, and manifested much respect for religion. He was asked which he thought the worse action, to ruin a poor labourer by taking his all, or to steal from a church without harming any one? He replied that it was too revolting to rob a church, and that he could never summon resolution enough to do it. Dr. Gall was requested to examine particularly the heads of the prisoners implicated in the murder of a Jewess, which had taken place the preceding year. In the principal murderer, Marcus Hirsch, he found a head, which, besides indicating very depraved dispositions, presented nothing remarkable, except a very great developement of the organ of Perseverance. His accomplice, Jeanette Marcus, had an extremely vicious conformation of brain, the organ which leads to theft being greatly developed, as well as that of Destructiveness. He found in the female servants, Bendendorf and Babette, great want of circumspection; and in the wife of Marcus Hirsch, a form of head altogether insignificant. All this was found to be in strict accordance with the respective characters of the prisoners, as ascertained by the legal proceedings. The prisoner Fritze, suspected of having killed his wife, and appa rently guilty of that crime, although he still stoutly denied it, was next shown to Dr. Gall. The latter found the organs of Cunning and Firmness highly developed-qualities which his interrogator had found him manifest in the very highest degree. In the tailor Maschke, arrested for counterfeiting the legal coin, and whose genius for the mechanical arts was apparent in the execution of his crime, Gall found, without knowing for what he was confined, the organ of Constructiveness much developed, and a head so well organised, that he lamented several times the fate of that man. The truth is, that this Maschke was well known to possess great mechanical skill, and at the same time much kindness of heart. Scarcely had Dr. Gall advanced a few steps into another prison, when he perceived the organ of Constructiveness equally developed in a man named Troppe, a shoemaker, who, without any teaching, applied himself to the making of watches, and other objects, by which he now lives. In examining him more nearly, Gall found also the organ of Imitation, generally remarkable in comedians, considerably developed-a just observation, since the crime of Troppe was that of having extorted a considerable sum of money under the feigned character of an officer of police. Gall observed to him, that he must assuredly have been fond of playing tricks in his youth, which he acknowledged. When Gall said to those about him, "If that man had fallen in the way of comedians, he would have become an actor," Troppe, astonished at the exactness and precision with which Gall unveiled his disposition, told them that he had in fact been some time (six months) a member of a strolling companya circumstance which had not till then been discovered. In the head of the unhappy Heisig, who, in a state of intoxication, had stabbed his friend, Gall found a generally good conformation, with |