Phrenological bust by LN FowlerPhrenological bust by LN FowlerThe History of Phrenology on the Web

by John van Wyhe


George Combe's A System of Phrenology, 5th edn, 2 vols. 1853.

Vol. 1: [front matter], Intro, Nervous system, Principles of Phrenology, Anatomy of the brain, Division of the faculties 1.Amativeness 2.Philoprogenitiveness 3.Concentrativeness 4.Adhesiveness 5.Combativeness 6.Destructiveness, Alimentiveness, Love of Life 7.Secretiveness 8.Acquisitiveness 9.Constructiveness 10.Self-Esteem 11.Love of Approbation 12.Cautiousness 13.Benevolence 14.Veneration 15.Firmness 16.Conscientiousness 17.Hope 18.Wonder 19.Ideality 20.Wit or Mirthfulness 21.Imitation.
Vol. 2: [front matter], external senses, 22.Individuality 23.Form 24.Size 25.Weight 26.Colouring 27.Locality 28.Number 29.Order 30.Eventuality 31.Time 32.Tune 33.Language 34.Comparison, General observations on the Perceptive Faculties, 35.Causality, Modes of actions of the faculties, National character & development of brain, On the importance of including development of brain as an element in statistical inquiries, Into the manifestations of the animal, moral, and intellectual faculties of man, Statistics of Insanity, Statistics of Crime, Comparative phrenology, Mesmeric phrenology, Objections to phrenology considered, Materialism, Effects of injuries of the brain, Conclusion, Appendices: No. I, II, III, IV, V, [Index], [Works of Combe].


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29.-ORDER.

ORDER supposes a plurality of objects ; but one may have ideas about a number of things and their qualities, without considering them in any order whatever. Every arrangement of physical objects is not equally agreeable to the mind ; and the disposition to be delighted with order, and distressed by disorder, is not in proportion to the endowment of any other faculty. There are individuals who are martyrs to the love of order-who are distressed beyond measure by the sight of confusion, and highly satisfied when every thing is well arranged. These persons have the organ in question large. The sort of arrangement, however, prompted by this faculty, is different from, although perhaps one element in, that philosophical method which is the result of the perception of the relations of things. The faculty of which we here speak, gives method and order in arranging objects, as they are physically related ; but arrangement founded on logical inferences, the conception of systematizing or generalizing, and the idea of classification, are formed by the reflecting faculties. Dr Spurzheim mentions, that the Sauvage de l'Aveyron at Paris, though an idiot in a very high degree, could not bear to see a chair or any other object out of its place ; and that as soon as anything was deranged, he, without being excited to it, directly replaced it. He likewise saw in Edinburgh a girl, who in many respects was idiotic, but in whom the love of order was very active. She avoided her brother's apartment, in consequence of the confusion which prevailed in it.

Dr Gall states, that he has met with facts which strongly indicate that " order" depends on a primitive faculty ; but that, on account of the difficulty of observing the organs placed in the superciliary ridge, and the small size of this organ in particular, as pointed out by Dr Spurzheim, he had not been able to collect a sufficiency of determinate facts to authorize him to decide on its situation.1

1 Sur le Fonctions du Cerveau, tome iv. p. 467.

ORDER. 91

I have seen many instances in confirmation of this organ. The late Mr James Law, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, whose mask is sold as an illustration of it, had a large development ; and his love of regularity and order was conspicuous in all his professional and domestic occupations. He observed his appointments in the most exemplary manner ; wrote his letters and papers with the greatest neatness and care ; kept his accounts with invariable regularity ; and was remarkable for his neat style of dress, as well as for the high state of order in which his articles of apparel were always arranged in his wardrobe. On each superciliary ridge of his cast, there is an elevation resembling a small pea, which is frequently mistaken for this organ ; but it appears to be merely a projecting point of the frontal bone, to which some fibres of the temporal muscle are attached. The development of the organ is indicated by a great fulness, producing a square appearance at the external angles of the lower part of the forehead.- This trait of character is hereditary in Mr L.'s family : it was transmitted to him by his father (whose portrait indicates a large development), and has descended in greater and less degrees to the members of a large family of sons. Every article which Mr L.'s father carried about his person had its appropriate pocket, into which it was put with unfailing regularity. It is related of him, that, on one occasion, not finding his penknife in its accustomed place, he summoned his servants and some young relatives before him, and demanded whether they had seen it. Being answered in the negative, he at once unhesitatingly declared that the knife " must have been stolen," and upon being requested to search his other pockets, he actually lost his temper, and exclaimed with great warmth that the knife had not been in any other pocket for twenty years. At length, however, he was prevailed on to search another pocket, and blushed deeply on finding the strayed article. Mr L. had a very equal general development of brain, which aided Order m producing his general regularity of conduct. In the masks

92 EVENTUALITY.

of Mr Douglas, the miniature painter, and of Dr Franklin, both of whom were remarkable for order, the organ is largely developed. I have seen other cases, in which this part of the brain was very small, and the love of order was extremely deficient.

The mode in which a person is trained in youth has a marked influence on the activity of this organ. If brought up by regular and orderly parents, the individual will 'be much more distinguished by the same qualities than if his early years had been spent in the midst of disorder and dirt.

In the skulls of the Esquimaux, the organ is small ; and all the navigators who have visited them agree in describing their habits as most filthy, slovenly, and disgusting.1

On the whole, therefore, I am disposed to admit the organ as ascertained. It is large in the mask marked " French M. D.," and in Humboldt, brother of the traveller ; it is small in Anne Ormerod.

Dr Vimont thinks that the lower animals possess it ; but he has not ascertained the situation of the organ in them.


Vol. 1: [front matter], Intro, Nervous system, Principles of Phrenology, Anatomy of the brain, Division of the faculties 1.Amativeness 2.Philoprogenitiveness 3.Concentrativeness 4.Adhesiveness 5.Combativeness 6.Destructiveness, Alimentiveness, Love of Life 7.Secretiveness 8.Acquisitiveness 9.Constructiveness 10.Self-Esteem 11.Love of Approbation 12.Cautiousness 13.Benevolence 14.Veneration 15.Firmness 16.Conscientiousness 17.Hope 18.Wonder 19.Ideality 20.Wit or Mirthfulness 21.Imitation.
Vol. 2: [front matter], external senses, 22.Individuality 23.Form 24.Size 25.Weight 26.Colouring 27.Locality 28.Number 29.Order 30.Eventuality 31.Time 32.Tune 33.Language 34.Comparison, General observations on the Perceptive Faculties, 35.Causality, Modes of actions of the faculties, National character & development of brain, On the importance of including development of brain as an element in statistical inquiries, Into the manifestations of the animal, moral, and intellectual faculties of man, Statistics of Insanity, Statistics of Crime, Comparative phrenology, Mesmeric phrenology, Objections to phrenology considered, Materialism, Effects of injuries of the brain, Conclusion, Appendices: No. I, II, III, IV, V, [Index], [Works of Combe].

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