character for benevolence and justice!" "Thou complainest of my law of hereditary descent?" said Jupiter; "hast thou derived from thy father any other quality besides liability to gout?" "Doubtless, O Jupiter," replied the sufferer, “I have derived nerves that feel sweet pleasure when the gout ceaseth its gnawing, muscles that execute the purposes of my will, senses that are inlets of joy, and faculties that survey and rejoice in thy fair creation: But why didst thou permit gout to descend from him who sinned to me?"

"Shortsighted mortal," said Jupiter, "thy father was afflicted because he infringed my institutions; by my organic law thou hast received a frame constituted as was that of thy father when thy life commenced; the delicate sensibility of his nerves transmitted the same susceptibility to thine; the vigour of his muscles has been transferred into thine; and by the same law, the liability to pain that existed in his bones from debauchery, constitutes an inseparable element of thine: If this law afflict thee, speak the word, and I shall suspend it as to thee."

"Bountiful Jupiter!" exclaimed the sufferer; "but tell me first-if thou suspendest thy law, shall I lose all that I inherited by it from my father; vigour of nerves, muscles, senses, and faculties, and all that constitutes my delight when the gout afflicteth me not?"-" Assuredly thou shalt," said Jupiter; " but thy body will be free from pain."

"Forbear, most bounteous deity," replied the sufferer; "I gratefully accept the gift of thy organic laws, with all their chastisements annexed: But say, O Jupiter, if this pain was inflicted on my father for transgressing thy law, may it not be lessened or removed if I obey?"

"The very object of my law," said Jupiter, "is that it should be lessened. Hadst thou proceeded as thy father did, thy whole frame would have become one great centre of disease. The pain was transmitted to thee to guard thee by a powerful monitor from pursuing his sinful ways, that thou mightst escape this greater misery. Follow a course in accordance with my institutions, and then thy pain shall abate, and thy children shall be free from its effects."

The heir expressed profound resignation to the will of Jupiter, blessed him for his organic law, and entered on a life of new and strict obedience. His pain in time diminished, and his enjoyments increased. Ever after he was grateful for the law.

A feeble voice next reached the vault of heaven: it was that of an emaciated young girl, sick and in pain. "What is thy distress," said Jupiter, "and of what dost thou complain?" Half drowned in sighs, the feeble voice replied: "I suffer under thy organic law. A father's sickness and the disorders of a mother's frame have been transmitted in combined intensity to me. I am all over exhaustion and pain." "Hast thou received no other gift," inquired Jupiter, "but sickness and disease-no pleasure to thy nerves, thy muscles, or thy mental powers ?" "All are so feeble," replied the girl, "that I exist, not to enjoy, but only to suffer." "Poor victim," said Jupiter, “my organic law shall soon deliver thee; I will take thee to myself, and thy sufferings shall cease for ever."

The next prayer was addressed by a merchant struggling on the Mediterranean waves, and nearly sinking in their foam. "What evil dost thou charge against me," said Jupiter, "and what dost thou require?"

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O Jupiter," answered the supplicant, "I sailed from Tyre to Rome in a ship, which thou seest on fire, loaded with all the merchandise acquired by my previous toils. As I lay here at anchor off the port of Syracuse, whither business called me, a sailor, made by thee, thirsted after wine, stole it from my store, and, in intoxication, set my ship and goods on fire; and I am now plunged in the waves to die by drowning, to escape the severer pain of being consumed by fire. Why, if thou art just, should the innocent thus suffer for the guilty?"

"Thou complainest, then," said Jupiter, "of my social law? Since this law displeaseth thee, I restore thee to thy ship, and suspend it as to thee."

The merchant in a moment saw his ship entire; the blazing embers restored to vigorous planks; himself and all his crew sound in limb, and gay in mind, upon her deck. Joyous and grateful, he addressed thanksgiving to the god, and called to his crew to weigh the anchor, set the sails, and turn the helm for Rome. But no sailor heard him speak, and no movement followed his words. Astonished at their indolence and sloth, he cried in a yet louder voice, and inquired why none obeyed his call. But still no answer was given. He saw the crew move and speak, act and converse; but they seemed not to heed him. He entreated, remonstrated, and upbraided, but, notwithstanding all his efforts,

could obtain no reply. All seemed regardless of his presence. Regardless of his presence! The awful thought rushed into his mind, that the social law was suspended as to him. He now saw, in all its horror, the import of the words of Jupiter, which before he had not fully comprehended. Terrified, he seized a rope, and set a sail. Every physical law was in force, and obeyed his will. The sail filled, and strained forward from the mast. He ran to the helm-it obeyed his muscles, and the ship moved as he directed it. But its course was short; the anchor stopped its progress in the sea. He lowered the sail, seized a handspike, and attempted to weigh it; but in vain. The strength of five men was required to raise so ponderous a mass of iron. Again he called to his crew; but again he found that the social law was suspended as to him: he was absolved from all suffering caused by the misconduct of others, but he was cut off from every enjoyment and advantage derivable from their assistance.

In despair he seized the boat, rowed into the port of Syracuse, proceeded straight to the house of his commercial correspondent, and begged his aid to deliver him from the apathy of his crew. He saw his friend, addressed him, and told him of his fruitless endeavours to leave the anchorage; but his friend was quite inattentive to his speeches. He did not even look upon him, but proceeded in business of his own, with which he seemed entirely occupied. The merchant, fatigued by his exertions, and almost frantic with alarm, hurried to a tavern on the quay, where he used to dine; and, entering, called for wine to recruit his exhausted strength. But the servants seemed unconscious of his presence; no movement was made; and he remained as if in a vast solitude, amidst large companies of merchants, servants, and assistants, who all bustled in active gaiety, each fulfilling his duty in his own department. The merchant now comprehended fully the horrors of his situation, and called aloud to Jupiter "O Jupiter, death in the waves, or by consuming flame, was better than the life thou hast assigned to me. Let me die, for my cup of misery is full beyond endurance; or restore me to the enjoyments of thy social law, and I shall cease to complain of the pains which it inflicts."

"But," said Jupiter, "if I restore to thee my social law, thy ship will be consumed, thou and thy crew will escape in

a boat, but thou shalt be a very beggar; and, in thy poverty, thou wilt upbraid me for dealing unjustly by thee."

"O bountiful Jupiter," replied the merchant, "I never knew till now what enjoyments I owed to thy social law; how rich it renders me, even when all else is gone; and how poor I should be, with all the world for a possession, if denied its blessings. True, I shall be poor; but my nerves, muscles, and mental powers will be left me: now I see that employment of these is the only pleasure of existence; poverty will not cut me off from exercising them in obedience to thy laws, but will rather add new motives to excite me to do so. Under thy social law, the sweet voice of friendship will cheer me in adversity, the aid of kindred companions will soothe the remainder of my days! And now that I see thy designs, I shall avoid employing my fellow-men in situations unsuitable to their talents, and thereby shall escape the penalties of infringing thy social law. Most merciful Jupiter, restore me to the benefit of all thy laws, and I accept the penalties attached to their infringement." His request was granted; his ship was consumed, but he escaped in the boat, and ever afterwards made Jupiter's laws and the nature of Man his study; he obeyed those laws, became moderately rich, and found himself happier than he had ever been in his days of selfishness and ignorance.

Jupiter was assailed with many other prayers from unfortunate sufferers under the effects of infringement of his laws; but, instead of hearing each in endless succession, he assembled his petitioners, and introduced to them the slater, the husbandman, the young heir, and the merchant, whom he requested to narrate to the supplicants their knowledge and experience of the natural laws; and he intimated, that if, after listening to their account, any petitioner should still be dissatisfied with his condition, he would suspend for him the particular law which caused his discontent. But no application followed. Jupiter saw his creatures employ themselves with earnestness in studying and conforming to his institutions, and ever afterwards they offered up to him only gratitude and adoration for his infinite wisdom and goodness.

CHAPTER IX.

CONCLUSION.

It has frequently been asked, What is the practical use of Phrenology, even supposing it to be true? A few observations will suffice to answer this inquiry, and, at the same time, to present a brief summary of the doctrine of the preceding work.

Before the age of Copernicus, the earth and sun presented to the eye phenomena exactly similar to those which they now exhibit; but their motions appeared in a very different light to the understanding.

Before the age of Newton, the revolutions of the planets were known as matter of fact; but mankind were ignorant of the principle of their motions.

Previously to the dawn of modern chemistry, many of the qualities of substances were ascertained by observation; but their ultimate principles and relations were not understood.

Knowledge, as I observed in the Introduction, may be made beneficial in two ways-either by rendering the thing discovered directly subservient to human enjoyment; or, where this is impossible, by enabling Man to modify his conduct in harmony with its qualities. While knowledge of any department of nature remains imperfect and empirical, the unknown qualities of the objects comprehended in it may render abortive our efforts either to apply those which are known, or to act in accordance with them. Hence it is only after the qualities and modes of action of things have been discovered, their relations ascertained, and this knowledge systematised, that science can attain its full character of utility. The merits of Copernicus and Newton consist in having rendered this service to astronomy.

Before the appearance of Gall and Spurzheim, mankind were practically acquainted with the feelings and intellectual