descriptions being remarkable for the most delicate and characteristic distinctions and minute individuality; so much so, that the reader ever feels certain, that the portraits so faithful, so true to nature, must surely have had a "local habitation and a name." A writer in the Edinburgh Phrenological Journal, in noticing this beauty, justly excepts to the criticism of Dr. Johnson, who says,-"The characters of other authors represent individuals, those of Shakspeare, entire classes." This supposed eulogium has been echoed and re-echoed, from the philologist's time to the present, by all who praise with more zeal than discrimination; but if it were true, it would reduce the corporeal presence of Falstaff, the actual tangibility of Hamlet, Lear, and Shylock, to the abstractions of the monomanias of Joanna Baillie. Shakspeare's characters smack, indeed, of the common stock, but they are ever so distinctly and beautifully individualised, that it is impossible to confound the revenge of Shylock with that of Iago, or Imogene's love with that of Juliet. In truth, Johnson knew very little about him; he has acknowledged that he never studied him, and that he never appreciated him, his commentations sufficiently prove. Profoundly versed in the scholastic poetry, a better or warmer critic of Dryden and Pope cannot be found, nor a more frigid, captious blunderer over the works of Shakspeare.

Language was wonderfully large and active, and was manifested. not merely in acquiring foreign tongues, its usual direction when unaccompanied by higher powers, but in creating a just and glowing medium of his own, for all the infinite shades and delicate tracery of thought, and for all those combinations and varieties of human feeling and passion evoked by his other faculties. It is the creative power of this faculty we would especially dwell upon, which is shown, not in adapting new and peculiar words-for here the grammarian would equal or excel him-but in that nice and acute perception of the very spirit of his native idioms, and in the manner he has wrought them out into the perfect expression of all the passions which agitate, of all the sentiments which exalt, and of the richest dreams of grandeur, love, and beauty.

Who, acquainted with the real power of the poet in this respect, will not allow that he has affected infinitely more for the English language, than all the philologists who have grafted upon the hardy stock. of Saxon growth, idioms, which as often weaken as they embellish its pristine strength and vigour? Our limits forbid examples, and we can. only refer the reader to his works, where he will find the most powerful passages constructed almost entirely from words of Saxon origin, those expressive symbols which, artfully employed, impart so much force, point, and tripping vivacity to the thoughts.

Comparison, one of his largest intellectual organs, must have been exceedingly active, and, blended with his great perception, gave to his reasoning all the strength of the most accurate analogy, and to his descriptions, all the ornament which "the outward shows of sky and earth" presented to one whose eye was never closed to the beauties of nature.

Eventuality stored his mind with the incidents of all nations, ancient and modern, and supplied the rich resources of his historical plays.

Time does not seem to have been very energetic, and it may be noticed that Action was the only one of the sacred writers of the school he regarded; nor has his contempt of the Aristotelian dogma ever, we believe, been much regretted by those who prefer truth and nature to an adherence to artificial laws, which ought to have been abrogated when the emergency which created them had ceased to exist.

One of the most noticeable instances of the folly of this profound veneration of classic authority, may be found in Addison's Cato, when the "unity of place" is so rigidly observed as to convert it, though originally designed to add probability to the scene, into one of the most improbable fictions.

Veneration, so largely developed in our author, and acting in harmony with his lofty intellect and towering Benevolence, delights us by its beautiful and appropriate manifestation. Though writing under a monarchy, for such, in fact, was England in the age of Elizabeth, it is astonishing how seldom he perverted this noble endowment to servility and flattery. He venerates only what is venerable, and reserves his homage for the glories of nature, or the divine attributes of its author. In what page of theology shall we find a more exquisite picture of mercy than that put into the mouth of Portia ?

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd;

It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd:
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-
That, in the course of justice, none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much,
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice

Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there."

In citing passages which may be rather familiar, the intelligent reader must remember our design, which is to illustrate, by wellknown examples, the phrenological developements of the bard. It would be easy to select others no less applicable, but which, from being less read, might not appear so well adapted to the subject. Need we add a single word about his ever-active Mirthfulness? We fear even the slightest attempt to display the opulence of this faculty would be accepted somewhat as old Sheridan is said to have received a present of the "Beauties of Shakspeare"-"Where," exclaimed the veteran, "are all the other volumes?" We leave the reader,

therefore, to wander at his leisure with old Jack Falstaff, his companions, Nym, Bardolph, and Pistol-to revel with Sir Andrew Ague-cheek, and listen to the amusing volubility of Touchstone, only charging him not to leave the latter until the accomplished clown of courts and cities shall have consummated his nuptials with the rustic Audry. Thus far we have chiefly dwelt upon the intellectual and moral region, so strikingly large in the likeness. For the actual size of other portions of the brain, we must depend upon the relation which generally exists between one portion of the cranium and another, and the appropriate manifestations furnished by his writings. What, but large and active Adhesiveness, could have imparted life and reality to the Imogenes, Juliets, and Desdemonas? What, except Combativeness and Destructiveness, could have created his spirit-stirring battle scenes? Or what, but the blighting force of the latter faculty, completely let loose for the purpose, could have inspired the fitting outburst of the misanthrope Timon, when, rushing from the city of Athens, he thus pours forth his withering curse and sweeping malediction?

"Let me look back upon thee, O thou wall,

That girdlest in these wolves!-dive in the earth,
And fence not Athens! Matrons, turn incontinent.
Obedience, fail in children! slaves, and fools,
Pluck the grave wrinkled senate from the bench,
And minister in their steads!

*

*

* Bankrupts, hold fast;
Rather than render back, out with your knives,
And cut your trusters' throats! bound servants, steal!
Large-banded robbers your grave masters are,
And pill by law!

Son of sixteen,

Pluck the lined crutch from the old limping sire,
With it beat out his brains! piety, and fear,
Religion to the gods, peace, justice, truth,
Domestic awe, night rest, and neighbourhood,
Instruction, manners, mysteries, and trades,
Degrees, observances, customs, and laws,
Decline to your confounding contraries,
And yet confusion live! Plagues, incident to men,
Your potent and infectious fevers heap

On Athens, ripe for stroke! thou cold sciatica,
Cripple our senators, that their limbs may halt
As lamely as their manners! lust and liberty
Creep in the minds and marrow of our youth;
That 'gainst the stream of virtue they may strive,
And drown themselves in riot!"

We must not omit the poet's large Cautiousness and Wonder, which add so much thrilling interest to the dagger scene of Macbeth; nor the extraordinary Imitation which doubtless directed his energies to the drama; for various as are the objects to which this faculty may appropriately be directed, yet, to one in our author's circumstances, none could be more alluring than the theatre, where all the arts conspire

"To raise the genius, and to mend the heart."

Thus we see all the organs which go to form a perfectly developed brain-all the propensities, sentiments, and intellectual faculties, were large, vigorous, and active; and supposing the possessor in the enjoyment of average health, any phrenologist would anticipate the magnificent results of such an organisation. For though there are many degrees between conception, however complete and perfect the embodiment, in passing through which, the poet, painter, and orator, find their greatest labour, anxiety, and despondence; though conception is the gift of nature, and embodiment oftener the reward of infinite toil, the ingenious employment of means, and an enthusiasm which no difficulties can abate, no dangers affright, no allurements betray, yet the phrenologist knows that the true heir of genius has entailed upon him with the gift, an eager restlessness which forbids all repose until the germ of beauty within him be cultured into bloom-until the materials of the grand and noble be brought into the stately and glorious edifice, which is to be at once the attestation of his obedience to the instinct of his nature, and the rich fruit of his industry.

error.

ARTICLE V.

ELEMENTARY PHRENOLOGY.

BY O. S. FOWLER.

To present any science in a plain and simple manner, so that the amateur can readily and fully understand it, requires a better knowledge of its elementary principles than even to treat it learnedly and profoundly. Hence, scientific authors have generally been too philosophical and abstract, to be comprehended by the great mass of mankind, and writers on phrenology have too often fallen into the same Though they have described the different faculties, they have not defined them, whereas a clearer and better idea of their primary functions can be given in a very few brief definitions, than in pages of descriptions. Phrenologists have also classified the faculties, before the learner knew what was to be classified. These two defects the writer proposes to remedy, by substituting definitions for descriptions, as well as by showing what constitutional provision în man's nature, or in his relations to the external world, his mental faculties are adapted to, following, at the same time, what he has considered for many years an improved classification.