Self-help in the attainment of perfection of character and success in life

Front matter

C-,/ft

IN THE ATTAINMENT OF

PERFECTION OF CHARACTER AND SUCCESS IN LIFE

Preface

Self-knowledge is the key to all knowledge — the "open-sesame" into all that is essential in the acquiring and possessing of the elements that in their observance and exercise constitute perfect health, far-reaching wisdom, unbounded charity, whole-souled love — leading the child, the man, the woman on toward perfection and the " millennium."

To the end that this perfection of character may, in a measure, be attainable, Phrenology comes to our aid, and offers the apparently only ration tem, founded on a scientific basis, that helps to a more perfect knowledge of ourselves.

Some — perchance many — do not believe in Phrenology. But some do not believe in "Woman's Rights," in a Free, Universal Religion, or in a God. Some do not believe the world is round, or even — in this nineteenth century — that the world moves. The reason why all this is so is simply because they were born locking the elements necessary to understand, , and

be/iezr.

To those who do believe in Phrenology, and the immense benefits arising from its right expression, it i> hoped that the reading of this book wi'.l suggestive " . the attainment of perfection of character and suc-

life. J. C.

FIG. I.

SYMBOLICAL HEAD

ILLUSTRATING THE

NATURAL LANGUAGE OF THE FACULTIES

SELF-HELP.

THE BRAIN AND ITS ANATOMY

;;v part of the human body has its specific use in the human economy — the osseous system to support and strengthen ; the digestive to prepare nourishment; the circulatory to oxygenate, electrify, and build up; the muscular to bind, strengthen, and beautify; and the nervous system, through which all sensatory impressions are made.

These impressions — which rule, guide, direct, and reflect — originate in the brain, which is the seat of not only consciousness to external expressions and : ms, but of interna] sensation, emotion, passion, and the organ of will, !, and ideas. It i-, the organ through which mind and soul find expression — the great machine-shop of the soul, from which is sent out the thousand inventions, report-, scii hes, hook-;, monuments of ait and v.:

which have recorded the existence of man on this pi

By simply studying the anatomy of the brain, we can no more tell of its true office than we could by the study of the optii that it is the

nerve of vision. The functions of the bruin — namely, that il is the gh which the soul find aparative development, with manifestation of mental ] I seme

f its anatomical structure will be ad\.

H

SELF-HELP.

In Fig. 2 is represented the upper surface of the brain, having the skull removed and stripped of its membrane. The front is at A, the back at B, and the line between A and B is the division between the two hemispheres C and

-TOP OF BRAIN, WITH SKULL REMOVED.

D. Into this dividing line a strong membrane — a process of one-half of the coverings of the brain, the dura mater — descends about two-thirds of the depth, or to where the two hemispheres are joined together by fibres which cross from one hemisphere to the other, forming what is called the corpus callosum, a long and broad white band, which forms the bond of union between the hemispheres.

Fig. 3 represents the skull sawed vertically through, from the middle of the forehead to the occiput, and exposes the lateral surface of the cerebum, (A to B,) the cerebellum, (D,) and the medulla oblongata, (E.)

THE BRAIN AND ITS ANA TOMY. 15

In Fig. 4 we have a view of the base of the brain as it appears when taken out of the skull. The fore head is represented by the two anterior, ( AA, ) the side head by the middle lobes, (BB,) and the lower and back head by the

FIG. 3. — SIDE VIEW OF THE BRAIN.

cerebellum, (CC.) The thick root springing from the base of the brain (19) is named the medulla oblongata, or oblong portion of the spinal cord, which is continued downwards and fills the cavity of the spine.

'I he small, round filaments, or cords, seen to proceed from the sides of the medulla oblongata, and from near the base of the brain, are various nerves of sensation and motion, some of them going to the Organs of sense, and others to the skin and muscles of the face, head, and other more distant parts. The long, flatdooking nerve (15 15) lying on the surface of the anterior lobes is the olfactory or nerves of smell going to the nose. The round, thick nerve (12 12) is the optic or nerve of virion going to the eve. A little further back the fifth pair ( ) is seen to issue apparently from the arch (16, I 7) called pons \'a-

ro/ii, <.r bridge of Varolius. It is a large, compound nerve, and divides into iS?- - SS EM on the tongue is the nerve o f **,

FI& 4 —BASE OF THE BRAIN.

Other branches supply and give sensibility .to £ £* ; tern alt r^Z The seventh or auditory nerve (7) is distributed on me mren ,

Itsfor hearing. The eighth or I-W-"^ d P-^t-l me „ts to the wind-pipe, lungs, heart, and stomach, "^^^ £ ac . ance in the production of the voice and respiration. It also mnue tion of the heart and the process of digestion.

THE BRA IX AXD ITS ANATOMY. 17

The substance of the cerebrum, or brain proper, consists of two substances — a medullary substance, which is white in color, fibrated and striated in texture, and is found almost exclusively in the interior ; and a cineritious portion, which is of a grey color, has no fibrous appearance, and which forms the outer part of the brain. The line of distinction between the cineritious and white medullary matter is abrupt, and they have no appearance of blending with each other.

The convolutions of the brain as seen in Figs. 2, 3, 4, are intended for the purpose of increasing its superficial extent, without enlarging its absolute size. The deeper and more crowded these convolutions are, the more learned, talented, and high in the scale of civilization will be the possessor. In some of the inferior animals there are no convolutions, but as we ascend in the scale of being they increase. The individual who uses his physical system entirely, and never exercises his mental, as does the day laborer, will be found on examination after death to have very shallow brain convolutions ; whereas the individual devoted to the daily exercise of his mental powers in the acquirement of knowledge will have the depressions deep and the convolutions crowded.

The cerebellum (Fig. 4, C) is composed of the same kind of matter with the brain, and has both cineritious and medullary substances, but differs from it in form and internal arrangement. It does not contain convolutions like the cerebrum, but consists of lamina? in super-position, separated from each other by furrows. As the number and depth of the cerebral convolutions indicate the intellect of the individual, so is there a similar correspondence as regards the number of laminae composing the cerebrum. Matacarne found only three hundred and twenty-four of these laminae in the cerebellum of an insane individual, while in others he had counted upwards of eight hundred.

To covet and protect the brain, we have, besides its three investing membranes, the skull, composed of three layers — an outer and inner plate, and a spongy substance between called the diploe. The skull contains nine bones — tWO frontal, (A,) which compose the fore head, and generally — though not always — sooner or later unite into one ; two parietal bones, (E,) forming the

greater part of the upper and lateral regions of the skull ; two temporal, (B,) around the ears ; one s/>l/euoi\l, in the anterior part of the basilar region ; one occipital, (!•',) in the back and under part of the skull, immediately above the and one ethmoid, at the base behind the nose. These Separate parts of the skull .ire joined, in most part, by a sort of dove-tailing termed sutures.

The skull grows and develops in harmony with the brain, and does not reach a fully developed growth until the brain is fully formed and developed. And

A 2 iS

SELF-HELP.

even after middle life the skull is known to grow in height and breadth, to accommodate the increased development of the brain. Where only parts of the brain are developed during life, it will be found, on examination after death,

FIG. 5.— HUMAN SKULL.

that the skull covering these exercised parts will be thin — sometimes exceedingly so — in comparison with other parts of the skull. The skulls of uneducated, unprogressive, boorish people are always thick, whereas the skulls of educated and intelligent persons are more or less thin, especially in the middle and later years of their lives.

As a further protection to the brain, we have the hard material of the skull, covered by the soft mass of the scalp and hair, altogether showing a beauty of design and strength and harmony of structure that safely guards against all reasonable accidents to the chambers in which are originated the thoughts that enable man to claim fellowship with his Creator,

THE MEXTAL FACULTIES.

THE MEXTAL FACULTIES.

That the brain is the organ of the mind no one will controvert. That it may be subdivided into forty different organs, through which thought is originated, many are inclined to doubt.

Yet it is almost impossible for the careful, conscientious, analytical, and progressive-thinking student of Phrenology, who observes and compares the brain-developments of the immense variety of human beings, no two of which are precisely alike, to decide otherwise than that every shade of thought operates by means of an organ or combination of organs.

It were impossible that this could be otherwise. That our likes and dislikes, our hates and loves, our aims and aspirations, should all be born and find expression in and through the same organs, or any one particular part of the brain, is as absurd as to suppose we might hear, see, and smell through the media of the tongue.

That the brain can be portioned off and divided as abruptly as the Symbolical Head of Phrenologists exhibits, and be perfectly correct, is a question ; but as all matter possesses form, and all form is capable of minute subdivision, the perfect division of the human brain's thought-chambers must only be a question of time.

CLASSIFICATION OF THE MEXTAL FACULTIES.

The classification and location of the mental faculties, as at present recognized, are as given on next page.

AND THEIR NAMES AND NUMBERS.

DOMESTIC GROUP.

SEMI-INTELLECTUAL GROUP.

Amativeness.

Conjugality.

Parental Love.

Friendship.

Inhabitiveness.

Continuity.

SELFISH GROUP.

E. Vitativeness.

6. Combativeness,

7. Destructiveness.

8. Alimentiveness.

9. Acquisitiveness. 10. Secretiveness. 11; Cautiousness.

12. Approbativeness.

14. Firmness.

MORAL GROUP.

Conscientiousness.

Hope.

Spirituality.

Veneration.

Benevolence.

20. Constructiveness.

21. Ideality. 13. Sublimity.

22. Imitation.

23. Mirthfulness.

INTELLECTUAL GROUP.

PERCEPTIVES.

24. Individuality

25. Form,

26. Size.

27. Weight.

28. Color.

29. Order.

50. Calculation.

31. Locality.

32. Eventuality.

33. Time.

34. Tune.

35. Language.

REFLECTIVES.

36. Causality.

37. Comparison.

C. Human Nature.

D. Agreeableness.

MEXTAL STRUCTURE.

The various organs are so loc ted and related to each other as to form groups — as above — according to their relations, associations, and co-operative actions. The organs which man possesses in common, with the lower organs, are placed at the base of the brain, and include the Social and Selfish Group. (Fig. 7.) This group is largely involved in the simple effort to live, and are devoid of any self-directing power. " They are blind appetites, causing wants and desires, and more or less uneasiness or pain till such want is satisfied, and receiving all light, all knowledge of external things, or of their own existence, from the intellect alone."

The next group brings us into the region of intellect, and comprises the Perceptive, Reasoning, and Literary Groups. Their exercise involves the ability to observe, examine, ginate, determine, direct, etc.

The third and last group includes the Selfish, Semi-Intellectual, and Moral, and have for^ their office self-reliance, independence, stability, perseverance, and aspirations after the infinite.

FIG. 7. — ORGAN'S GROUPED compare, analyze, classify, love for the true and beautiful,

CONDITIONS AFFECTING MENTAL STRUCTURE.

Constituted as mankind is on the same general plan, all the above grouped and classified mental faculties arc possessed in common. Each human being lias the same number of mental faculties, from the lowest to the highest But as each and every human being differs, in a greater or less degree, from every other human being, the question occurs : What makes this difference ? The answer is: That, though all mankind are formed on the .same plan, yet the physical conditions of mental power, like the bodily Organs, are liable' to assume different degree., of development, 50 that no two persons are identical i:i mental conformation, notwithstanding their general resemblance. Thus the

bodily and the mental systems are subject to laws of hereditary influence, growth, and development, and all depend on physical conditions, which may ■;ig or weak in individuals.

I >ndi:ions which result in differences in mental structure and mental capacity are caused by —

SELF-HELP.

1. Organic quality.

2. Temperament.

3. Size.

4. Education.

ORGANIC QUALITY.

The quality, as affecting mentality, is such as has been transmitted from parents to offspring ; for as were the parents at conception, and during ante-natal life, so will be the quality, temperament, size,, and capability — mentally and physically.

Much importance should be attached by all prospective parents to the laws involved in hereditary transmission, for if men and women were taken while yet in the germ and endowed with a right birth-right, no " Self-Help" would be required in the attainment of perfection of character and success in life, as the elements of the desirable requirements would be inherent in the rightly born.*

Organic quality is the fundamental and underlying strata on which everything — apart from life — that constitutes force, energy, and ability is evolved. It is what gives strength to the lion, swiftness to the horse, sagacity to ths clog, and (with size) greatness to the man.

A glance at the engravings (Figs. 8 and 9) will illustrate better than words the definition attempted. It will not need any very profound knowledge of physiology to enable even the most casual observer to note the fine gram and high organic tone of Albert Thorwaldsen (Fig. S) as compared with Pierre Bonaparte (Fig. 9.)

ALBERT THORWALDSEN.

'•' For the laws connected with hereditary transmission thor's large work, "The Science of a New Like."

the reader is referred to the an-

I

ORG A XI C QUALITY.

^5

[7.] Very Large. — Vou are possessed of a super-sensitive nature, exquisitely susceptible to influences and impressions of all kinds ; refined, poetic in thought, lofty in aspiration ; are greatly affected by extremes, and are not adapted to work that involves the coarse and heavy — but otherwise, that combines the light, tasteful, and artistic. Living as you do far above most of those with whom you come in contact, you are neither understood nor appreciated, and are apt to suffer much by the rude contact involved among the every-day realities of this life.

[6.] Large. — Are fine-grained, susceptible, pure-minded, sympathetic, and refined in your desires and aims, and repelled by whatever is low, coarse, or gross. Are liable to extremes in feeling and action ; suffer keenly, enjoy deeply, and are generally either greatly exalted or greatly depressed ; are able and inclined to lead excellent human lives.

[5.] Full. — Are neither a coarse nor an over-fine grained organization.

Have tendencies that lean to the good rather than the bad, and that only require right education and association to develop into the refined and intellectual.

[4.] Average. — You are somewhat deficient in organic quality, and are plain in your tastes ; practical in your views, and possessing little of the noetic or .sentimental, and are better

fitted for the matter-of-fact routine of every-day life than for the higher walks of literature and art.

[3.] Moderate. — Your organic quality is below the average, and you are better adapted to labor than study, and should not attempt any of the more delicate mechanical trade-,.

[2.] Small. — Vou arc coarse-grained in structure, and poorly organized ; have ta>te>, desires, and appetites of the coarser kind J are incapable of high

attainments.

To Cultivate. — The desire for growth into a high standard of life should always be entertained, thought of, impressed On the mind, and dreamed of, as an

ince to this end. '1 lie companionship of pure minds, of tin- good, and of the aspiring, should be constant or whenever available '1 he right training and growth <,f the physical is as much a necessity as that of the mental. This

should be accomplished by te m pe r ance in all things; eating plain, simple food; avoiding pork, tat* of meats, pastry, sweetmeat-, tea, coffee, spices, "rich"

FIG. 9. — PIERRE BONAPARTE.

foods, tobacco, alcoholic liquors, etc. • living a regular life, and especially a continent life ; living much in the open air ; alternating work with exercise regularly and abundantly. The observance of these rules, coupled with a cultivation of the beautiful in nature and art, and the striving for all that embodies the good, the true, and the pure, and all that leads tip, and the avoidance of that which, in thought, word, or deed, leads dawn, will, can not help assisting those whose misfortune it is to be endowed with low or moderate organic quality to attain, in a life's efforts, a long stretch upward in the direction of a fine quality of soul and body.

To Restrain. — This is almost unnecessary, only so far as you are subject to keen annoyance from your over-sensitive, fine-grained organization. Should you live more in the actual and tangible, and in no wise shrink from contact with those not quite up to your standard, it would be well. Especially do not be over-fastidious or qualmish, but make the best of human nature as it is, cultivating the desire to live long, to live while you live, and enjoy life's objects, realizations, and pleasures.

HEALTH— ITS GREAT VALUE.

To succeed in aught in this life — be it work requiring but the most ordinary manual skill, or that which involves complicated mental effort — perfect health (coupled with inherent ability) is an absolute necessity to perfect success.

Health in itself implies success and the happiness that comes of success, and its presence makes all surrounding it happy ; while disease implies misery, and its presence engenders and occasions naught but unhappiness and misery.

Great thoughts, high hopes, exalted sentiments, can not be originated unless the brain be in a vigorous state, and this requires that the whole physical nature be endowed with strong, vigorous health.

Health is the natural state, and it only requires the observance of health laws to retain it. Whether possessed of sound health or otherwise, it is the duty of every man and woman, boy and girl, to study, learn, and obey these laws. They should procure books on the subject, inquire into and investigate, so that they may learn of what is right and wrong. Knowing the right, and obeying it, they need never be sick.

To be sick is not only foolish — it is wrong — it is wicked, because violating the laws of our being, which are the laws of God— just as much so as are the laws for our spiritual guidance, and as the spiritual is closely interwoven with the physical, and act on each other, sickness and ill health must necessarily prevent the development of the Christian graces.

HEALTH— ITS GREAT VALUE. 25

The lack of physical health affects all mental effort ; and this can not help being otherwise, because the body and brain act reciprocally. And still further : as the soul of man is, during life, intimately associated with the body, and can only find expression through the brain and body, and can only in this way be educated and developed into a high quality, the assertion that a person lacking perfect physical health can not grow or develop into a high and pure spirit-life — can not, in ordinary phraseology, be a good Christian, is not unreasonable to those who are open to conviction.

A great many ascribe sickness and premature death to Providence. A beautiful child dies, and the minister preaches, and the parents and friends echo: " Died by the Providence of God;" mysterious dispensation of Providence;" " God called it," etc. This is a great error — God has nothing to do with sickness and premature death, only so far as through blind or willful ignorance His physical laws have been slighted and broken, when the penalty, sickness and early death, naturally results, and never otherwise. This ascribing disease and premature death to Providence is one of the fallacies of the age, an outgrowth of a superstitious past, and has been the means of the premature death of millions.

Many imagine they possess health when it is only its shadow. They lack the buoyant, ecstatic, exhilarating feeling that belongs to perfect health. This class of people — and they are a very large class — every day of their lives break the physical laws of their being in the articles they eat, drink, wear, etc., and because they are not "down-right" sick they imagine that they are in good health, and, because in good health, the laws they infringe do not apply to tkeir case. Nature, in the fulfillment of her laws, and the penalties attached to their non-observance, is no respecter of persons; and all those who use food, and that practice tastes and habits that are in opposition to a clean, sweet, healthy body, are gradually t and oft-times almost imperceptibly, weakening their vital powers ; and this continues until all at once, without warning, Nature rebels, prostration and sickness ensue, and death results.

We should all see to it, then, that we learn and obey the laws of our existence — fir>t the physical, next the mental — and then the spiritual development will be easy of attainment.

PRESENT CONDITION OF imai.i 11.

[7.] Very Large. — You are full to overflowing of \itnl power — strong, vig- . buoyant ; relish food, sleep, and all the physical functions in the highest degree, and enjoy exquisite pleasure in the meie sense of animal existence.

[6.] Large. — Your physical machinery is in good working order, and you enjoy the exercise of every organ of body and brain; can easily endure pain and exposure ; find mental and physical work pleasant and easy.

[5.] Full. — You have a full share of life-force, vigor, and vital power; can work with efficiency and endure considerable hardship, but have no vitality to waste in unnecessary and fruitless effort.

[4.] Average. — Have fair, average health, but are liable to ailments; with great care can accomplish and enjoy much ; must live regularly and obey faithfully the health laws ; should be careful not to over-work, and must cherish what health remains.

[3.] Moderate. — You are deficient in life-power; are easily fatigued ; feel tired and good for nothing most of the time ; with large Activity, are liable to over-do, which should be carefully avoided.

[2.] Small. — You possess but a small amount of vitality; are sickly and inert ; feeble in desire and effort, and capable of enduring and enjoying but little.

To Cultivate. — The laws that are involved in the attainment of health cover such a wide field as to make it impossible to elaborate them here. Many books are published on the subject, which the seeker after health should purchase and study. A few general rules may be given. It should be understood, to commence with, that the attainment and maintenance of health are paramount to every other consideration. This being so, everything that interferes with its attainment should be avoided. Some of the requirements are as follows : moderate exercise and plenty of rest ; pure air day and night ; plenty of sunshine; bathing of entire body; loosely-worn, comfortable clothing; for drink, nothing but pure water ; for food, which should be plainly and simply prepared, the preference should be given to the grains, fruits, and vegetables, eaten at regular intervals, with nothing between meals. The articles which should at all times be avoided are pork, fat meats, salt meats, grease, spices, tea, coffee, rich pastry, sweets, and those twin curses of civilization, tobacco and alcoholic liquors.

To Restrain — Is not required, for your health can not be too good.

THE TEMPERAMENTS.

Another of the conditions which results in difference in mental capacity is that caused by certain physical conditions — deviations from a perfect standard — and designated " Temperaments."

In the economy of the human body we have three distinct classes of organs, each having its special function. These are the Mechanical System, in which the bones, muscles, and ligaments are included — giving us the basis for the Motive Temperament ; the Nutritive System, in which the organs that oc-

VITAL TEMPERA ME XT.

cupy the two great cavities of the body — the thorax and the abdomen — and that in their exercise renew and build up the body — giving us, when in excess, the Vital Temperament; the Nervous System, in which the brain and nerves are included — giving, when predominant, the Mental Temperament.

VITAL TEMPERAMENT.

The heart, lungs, stomach, liver, bowels, and that entire system of internal organs which go to renew life and create vitality and life-power, constitute, when predominant, the Vital Temperament. It is marked by breadth of body rather than by length ; full chest ; large abdomen ; thick neck ; broad shoulders; plump legs and arms, and tapering hands and feet ; face inclined to roundness ; complexion florid, and hair and eyes light. It is large in Sir John Franklin, the Arctic Explorer.

There is an abnormal development of the absorbent system, and a sluggish action of the circulatory organ-, resulting in the unhealthy condition classified by some as the lymphatic temperament, characterized physically and mentally by insurmountable languor, sloth, and apathy.

[7.] J 'ery Large.— You are fond of fresh air, and like play better than work. Are fond of good living, pleasant company, sports, and amusements; are liable to fall into habits of intemperance. Menially you are inclined to impulsiveness, enthusiasm, versatility, practical common sense, and to take a matter-of-fact view of things.

[6.] Large, — You are well proportioned; have great power of feeling;

l more talent than can exhibit to others; manifest mind more in busi-

.111 in literary pursuit-*, and are not averse to doing your share of ncc-

work when there b profit in it.

[5. J Full. — You are in possession of a large share of life-force, but none to

FIG. 10. — SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

spare, and it is desirable that you should increase rather than diminish this element.

[4. ] Average. — You have sufficient vitality to impart to the body and brain a fair share of energy, and to sustain life and health, if carefully husbanded.

[3.] Moderate. — You are rather weak and feeble, your constitution being deficient in the vital element. You can not half work or enjoy either body or mind, and suffer much from fatigue and exhaustion.

[2.] Small. — You have barely enough vitality to keep your bodily and mental functions in operation.

The component parts that go to constitute the Vital Temperament — the Breathing Power, Circulation, and Digestion — may be treated of separately. First, as to the

BREATHING POWER.

All life must breathe, and in proportion to the depth and power of breathing will the vitality be renewed, strength attained, mental vigor be possible, and sickness be averted. Deep, full breathing of pure air removes the waste particles of the body, brightens and electrifies the crimson currents of blood, and greatly helps to build up a clean, sweet, firm, healthy organization.

[7.] Very Large. — You breathe fully and freely, filling the lungs at each inspiration, and expelling them well out at each expiration. The effects of this functional activity is observable in your warm extremities, elastic motions, and buoyant spirits.

[6.] Large. — You have well-developed lungs and excellent breathing power, and are like 7 only in a slight degree lower.

[5.] Full. — You are a little above medium in breathing power, and should cultivate it by exercise.

[4.] Average. — Your breathing power is only average.

[3.] Moderate. — You breathe but feebly, and only with the top of your lungs ; are liable to coughs and colds, and, if not checked in time, consumption will appear.

[2.] Small. — You are very deficient in breathing power — liable to lung diseases.

To Cultivate. — As a necessity to free breathing, the clothing should be worn perfectly loose, so as to avoid in any manner the least interference with the full play of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm. With a great many the clothing is so tightly worn that the person breathes only with the tops of the lungs. This is especially noticeable with the vast majority of women, who, by the

VITAL TEMPERAMENT, 29

aid of corsets, bands, and paddings, are unable to breathe more than onequarter the amount of air they should naturally breathe ; and the result is that, lacking the requisite amount of oxygen to electrify and vivify the food they eat, they, while they live, but half live, and die long before they should had Nature's laws been obeyed.