torious Bishop, in London, for the same crime as that of Hare.*

In the head of the celebrated Richard Brinsley Sheridan, (of which a cast was taken after death,) we find an example of the three regions of the brain in question, existing nearly in a state of equilibrium. The natural tendencies of such an individual are equally strong towards vice and virtue; and his actual conduct is generally determined by the influence of external circumstances.

Fig. 3. SHERIDAN.

The Life of Sheridan shows, that while he possessed high mental qualities, he was also the slave of degrading and discreditable vices.

The head of Philip Melancthon, the illustrious reformer and associate of Luther, furnishes an example of the decided predominance of the moral and intellectual regions over that of the animal propensities. The drawing is copied from a portrait by Albert Durer.

The following description of Melancthon's head and character is given in Dr. Spurzheim's work on Phrenology in Connection with Physiognomy. It is the brain of an extraordinary man. The organs of the moral and religious feelings predominate greatly, and will disapprove of all

* See Phrenological Journal, vol. vii. p. 446

violence, irreverence, and injustice. The forehead betokens a vast and comprehensive understanding; and the ensemble a mind the noblest, the most amiable, and the most intellectual that can be conceived.' 'Never was any

man more civil and obliging, and more free from jealousy, dissimulation, and envy, than Melancthon: he was humble,

modest, disinterested in the extreme; in a word, he possessed wonderful talents, and most noble dispositions. His greatest enemies have been forced to acknowledge that the annals of antiquity exhibit very few worthies who may be compared with him, whether extent of knowledge in things human and divine, or quickness of comprehension and fertility of genius, be regarded. The cause of true Christianity derived more signal advantages, and more effectual support, from Melancthon, than it received from any of the other doctors of the age. His mildness and charity, perhaps, carried him too far at times, and led him occasionally

to make concessions that might be styled imprudent. He was the sincere worshipper of truth, but he was diffident of himself, and sometimes timorous without any sufficient reason. On the other hand, his fortitude in defending the right was great. His opinions were so universally respected, that scarcely any one among the Lutheran doctors ventured to oppose them. He was inferior to Luther in courage and intrepidity, but his equal in piety, and much his superior in learning, judgment, meekness, and humanity. He latterly grew tired of his life, and was particularly disgusted with the rage for religious controversies, which prevailed universally.'*

With the head of Melancthon may be contrasted that of Pope Alexander VI.

This cerebral organization,' says Dr. Spurzheim, 'is despicable in the eyes of a phrenologist. The animal or * Phrenology in Connection with the Study of Physiognomy, p. 163

gans compose by far its greatest portion.

Such a brain is no more adequate to the manifestation of Christian virtues, than the brain of an idiot from birth to the exhibition of the intellect of a Leibnitz or a Bacon. The cervical and whole basilar region of the head are particularly developed; the organs of the perceptive faculties are pretty large; but the sincipital (or coronal) region is exceedingly low, particularly at the organs of Benevolence, Veneration, and Conscientiousness. Such a head is unfit for any employment of a superior kind, and never gives birth to sentiments of humanity. The sphere of its activity does not extend beyond those enjoyments which minister to the animal portion of human nature.

'Alexander VI. was, in truth, a scandal to the papal chair: from the earliest age he was disorderly and artful, and his life to the last was infamous. He is said to have bought the tiara by bribing a certain number of cardinals, or rather by making large promises, which he never fulfilled. It is well known that, when he became Pope, he had a family of five children, four boys and one daughter. He made a regular practice of selling bishoprics and other eccelesiastical benefices, to enrich himself and his family. Though profane and various religious writers do not all agree in their judgment concerning the disorderly conduct of this man, many atrocities committed by him are wellascertained facts. History will always accuse him of the crimes of poisoning, simony, and false-swearing, of reckless debauchery, nay of incest with his own daughter. In political matters, he formed alliances with all the princes of his time, but his ambition and perfidy never failed to find him a pretext for breaking his word, and disturbing the peace As a singular example of Alexander's arrogance, his bull may be mentioned, by which he took upon him to divide the new world between the kings of Spain and Portugal, granting to the former all the territory on the west of an imaginary line passing from north to south, at one hundred leagues distance from the Cape de Verd Islands. Alexander possessed eloquence and address, but a total

lack of noble sentiments rendered him altogether unfit for his sacred station. Poisoned wine, which had been prepared for certain cardinals whose riches tempted the cupidity of his holiness, was given him by mistake, and ended his profligate career. Some writers have questioned the truth of this account of Alexander's death, but there is nothing in the relation inconsistent with the acknowledged character of this pontiff. Lowness of feelings and lowness of brain are seen together.'*

As an additional illustration of this concluding remark, I subjoin a representation of the head of Vitellius, one of 'he most cruel and depraved of the Roman emperors.

This lead is very broad in proportion to its height: indicating a very great development of the base of the brain with deficiency of the organs of the moral sentiments.

*. Op. cit p. 71.