Forty years in phrenology; embracing recollections of history, anecdote, and experience

Front matter

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Preface

The author spent ten years in the lecturing field as a Practical Phrenologist, viz : from 1839 to 1849, and in the latter year was called to become the resident examiner in the office of Fowler & Wells, which position he still occupies. During these forty-three years he has come into special professional relations with more than two hundred thousand persons, embracing every type of talent, character, and disposition, and specimens of every nation on the globe. He has been invited to visit schools and colleges, asylums for the insane, poorhouses and prisons ; rare and peculiar persons — those endowed with genius in special directions; the eccentric, those idiotic in whole or in part ; in fact, every odd, strange, and singular character has been hunted up and brought to test Phrenology or its exponent, and in many instances to gain hints for the better treatment and management of these peculiar cases.

In all these experiences among the normal and the abnormal of the human race, many curious and interesting incidents have occurred which throng the memory and demand recognition and record. This we do

without giving a clew to the name or identification of

■ (3)

4 Preface.

any person, unless the examinations occurred before a public audience and were there made public property, thus avoiding the violation of confidence in any case.. Some public characters are mentioned, but in a manner creditable to them, thus making these recollections a benefit to all and an injury to none.

If these reminiscences shall tend to lead parents, teachers, managers of business, magistrates, and administrators in the varied relationships of life to be more, judicious, considerate, and successful in their treatment of others ; and if the professional followers of Gall and Spurzheim shall be encouraged to utter the plain and valuable truths of their mission without fear or favor for the benefit of their patrons, and for the honor of the cause, the chief purpose for which they are written will be secured.

New York, July 25, 1882.

Contents

PAGE

Preface 3

CHAPTER I. Introduction of Phrenology

into America 9

Spurzheiin's Visit to America. 11 Phrenology in Amherst College 13

The Fowlers enter the Field. . . 15

CHAPTER II. First Experience in Lecturing. 16

Very Hard Case ... 19

Our First " Newspaper Puff " . 21

Man Without Color 22

How I Learned to Lecture 23

Old-Time Methods 25

Left-handed Appreciation. .... 27

" Taking after his Father " . . . . 28

Memories of Wilmington, Del. 28

CHAPTER IH.

The Second Tear in the Field. 29

Harrison Campaign 80

"Yankee Trick" 31

Tried as by Fire 32

Triumph « 33

My First Written Character. . . 35

Marriage with an Object 37

Tne Country's Great Men 38

CHAPTER IV. Buell & Sizer— Partnership 39

Twin Girls— Remarkable Test. 40

Sia nese Twins 42

Pet of the Household Saved. . . 43

Virginia — Harper's Ferry 47

The Social Element in Religion 48

Duplicate Examinations . 50

Close Fit 51

Double Test Examinations 53

CHAPTER V. Campaign in New England 54

Ordeal — Eclipse -Triumph .. . 55

Estimating Heads by Sight 57

All t.e Graces and $20,000.... 59

A u Catch " for Some One 60

Inventory for a Wife. 61

His Inventory 61

PAGE

I Hit or Miss— Which ? 62

Timid Child Managed— a Test. 63

Intellect Conquering Fear 65

Victory Complete and Lasting. 66

CHAPTER VI. Oration on Washington 67

Geo. W. Rose " Provoking to

Good Work" 68

E. H. Chapin's Prophecy 69

East Hampton, Mass 70

Mt. Tom and the Conn. Valley 71

The Oldest Woollen Factory. . 72

A Spoiled Child— How Done. . 73

Married, but not Mated 75

Color-Blindness 76

Keen Woman to Deal with 77

Injury of Brain — Proof of Phrenology 78

Dr. Williams' Report 79

Tough Test on a Skull 81

Triumph and a Convert 82

The Tables Turned 83

Mistake — its Lesson 84

Unselfish Thief 85

Money-Loving, Honest Deacon 86

Test Examination in Jail 87

CHAPTER VII. Experience iu Insane Asylum. 88

Dr. Rockwell and his Charge.. 89

Crazy for the Presidency 90

Peculiarities of the Insane 91

Putney, Vt., the Perfectionists 92

Two Memorable Ministers 93

Trick that didn't Work 94

Embodied False Pretense 95

Shabby Genteel 96

Fibers' of Brain or no Fibers. . . 97

Lawyer's Wisdom Corrected. . 98

Brain, showing Fibers 100

The World Moves 101

CHAPTER VIII. Duttonsville, Vt 105

Wool Sorters 1 Skill 105

Vermont State Prison 106

" Works Meet for Repentance " 107 Ascutney Mountain . 109

Contents.

PAGE

CHAPTER IX. Phreno-Magnetisrn 110

A Lady Magnetized Ill

Startling Experiments 113

Mr. Leslie Magnetized 114

Dramatic Mental Exaltation... 115

" Stranger than Fiction " 116

Mistake Corrected 117

Double Blindfold Examinations 118

A Spotted Man 118

Phreno-Magnetic Experiment?. 119

Explanation of the Subject 121

Fair Test of a New Thing 132

Better than Theatricals 124

The Magnetic State 125

Exciting the Faculties 126

CHAPTER X. Phreno-Magnetism Practical.. 128

Curious Experiments 129

Exciting the Mental Organs . . . 130

Wonders of Mental Lite 132

How I Learned to Set Type . . . 134

CHAPTER XL

New Departure 135

Buell & Sizer Separate 135

Lectures in Collinsville 135

Temperers Need Color 136

"Moving" Discourse 137

Over Enfield Falls 138

Old Stage Traveling 139

An Exasperating Calm 140

Old and Pleasant Memories . . . 144

Spafford, Charles 145

Strange and Droll Coincidences 145

Latin under Difficulties 146

Cheek " Gone to Seed " 147

Danburv, Conn 161

Drollest People iu the World. . 162

PAGE

Barnum's Beginnings 163

Leap-Year Episode 164

Sandwich Island Mission ...... 166

Wonderful Swimmers 167

Great Rogue 168

CHAPTER XV. Located in My Own Home 169

The Taukee Clock-Maker 171

My First Class 172

Phrenology in the Pulpit '.... . 172

j The Taukee Clock 173

i Glastonbury, Connecticut 174

Portland Brown Stone 174

Dignity and Democracy 176

Hall Built bv a Joke 177

Hard Professional Work 178

CHAPTER XVI. Rockville Memorable 179

How to Obtain Subscribers 180

History of Phren. Journal. . . . 181

Incidents Worth Recording 182

Multitude of Counsellors.'. .... 183 Toang Girl's Narrow Escape . 184 Romantic Conjugality of a Wife 185 Peculiar Love for Husband 186

CHAPTER XVII. Westfield, Mass., my Mecca.. 187

North Portland, Conn 187

Insanity Cured by Phrenology. 188

Singular Case of Insanity 189

Woleotlville, Conn 190

Winsted, Conn 190

A Model Honest Man 191

Connecticut State Prison 193

Celebrated "Crowbar Case".. 193 Closiug of Buell & Sizer 196

Chapter XVIII

Biography of P. L. Buell 197

J. M. Graves— Funny Facts.. . 262

Double-shotted Fun 20#

Colic and Conscience 205

A Good Bargain.. 206

CHAPTER XIX. New Year' 206

Plain Talk 208

Farmington, Conn 209

Singular Audience 210

Villain Dyed in the Wool 210

Southington, Conn 211

The Way it Worked 212

Lucy and the Boots 213

Contents.

PAGE

Dickinson, the Artist 215

Essex, Naugatuck, Goodyear.. 216

CHAPTER XX. Birth of a Son . 217

Bodv loo Small for Head 218

Balnvay, N. J., Dr. Comstock. 219 New Jersey Peculiarity 220

CHAPTER XXL Lectures at Avon & Bloom field. 222 Simsburv, Windsor, Suffield . . 2:23

Columbia, Conn 224

First Set Temperance Speech.. 225 Hebron, Conn., Memorable ... 226 Amhor of the "Blue Laws ". . 227 Town Pump for a Cannon 228

CHAPTER XXII. Life in New York Begun 229

New Surroundings and Duties. 280 First Lecture to the American

Death of Spurzheim 210

CHAPTER XXIII. Work that Tests a Man 249

Hon. Nicholas P. Trist 250

Treaty of Peace with Mexico.. 251

Rare " Treat "-One such Man . . 252

Man with 100 Questions 258

A Wise Teacher 254

Sadness Lightened 255

CHAPTER XXIV. The Quaker Widow's Surprise. 256

Life Saved — Balance Restored. 258 A " Take Down " that Built Up 259

A Bad Man Saved 260

A Real Convert 261

Rough Kindness — a Struggle

for Life 262

Lovers of Home and of Land. . 263 Talent Disguised — a "Singed

CHAPTER XXV. Why Do Children Die ? 265

A Mother's Questions 266

Wrong Feeding of Children. . . 267

Risftt Food for Children 268

Old-Time Larue Families 269

" You Dou't Tell our Faults ! " 270

Elopement, its Consequences. . 217

Student at Sixty-seven 272

PAGE

Chapter XXVI

Warm vs. Cold Bathing 273

Bathing Infants 274

Bathing Dirty Heads 276

Boy's Brain Overworked 277

Broken Down 278

Man Worth Saving, Saved . . . 279

Chapter XXVII

Capt. Samuels, Master of Mutiny on the Ship DreadnaugM 281 Examination of Capt. Samuels 283 A Master Any where 284

The "Eleven Obstinate Jurors" 285

Young Children Examined .... 286

Phrenology <fc Dutch Farmer.. 287

Man who " Joined Issue " 28S

CHAPTER XXVIII. Intuition — Snap Judgments. . 289

Guessing at Weight*. . .' 290

Dentistry and Sculpture 29 L

Richest Kind of Pay 292

Jealousy Nipped in the Bud. . . 293

He Did 'not Own His Child ... 294

A Woman Shoemaker 295

Trades Selected "for Bovs 295

Sharp Trial and Triumph .... 296

Merchant, Seven Years Old 297

Fit Partnership— Men Matched 298

Unlikeness Harmonized 299

CHAPTER XXIX. The Philadelphia Office 300

Spare the Rod, Save the Child. 301

Quaker Treatment 302

Badness Cured 303

An Episcopalian Quaker .... 805

Fear Turned his Hair White. . . 306

Unmarried Step-mother 307

She Borrowed a Baby 308

John Brown 309

Advice Neglected and Revived 309

CHAPTER XXX. Masculine Step-mothers 310

Love of Life and Insanity 313

Insanity Cured by Phrenological Examination 314

A Child with a Load to Carry . 315

A Millionaire at Twenty-eight. 316

Good Advice Neglected 317

A Dropped Stitch Recovered. . 317

Uncoined Reward. ..,..'. 318

They Followed Directions 318

Contents.

PAGE

CHAPTER XXXI. Artists With and Without Color 319

Church and Rouse, Artists 320

Thanks, Rich, but Deferred. . . 321

Malaria, Why so Prevalent 322

A Winter Apple Well Ripened. 323 Eight Precious Tears Wasted. . 324

He Must have Known You 326

Garfield's Head Examined 327

CHAPTER XXXII. JTobbs, the Lock-Picker 328

Duke of Wellington and Hobbs 329

Truth will Cut its Bigness : 30

Extracts from a Character 331

Ex-Rev. Geo. C. Miln 331

Who was Right ? 332

Large Perception — Smartness . 333 Delicate Criticism and Test . . . 334 Springfield Party Examined. . . 335

Chapter XXXIII

A Lady's Fortunate Escape. . . 336 Inherited Fondness for Metal.. 3o7 Liver Complaint, Causes, Cure. 338

Why am ] Bilious ? 339

Economy of Things Wasted... 340

A Pig in a Bag— Locality 341

Interesting Letter 343

Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver 343

CHAPTER XXXIV. Visitors at the Phrenological

How can you Bead Skulls ? . . . 345 Good Energy and Poor Hope.. 346 Passagesin a Written Character 347

Her View of It 347

Catholic Priest 348

American Institute of Phrenology 348

Act of Incorporation 349

Work of the Institute 350

CHAPTER XXXY.

Health Laws Applied 351

College Student Saved — Can I

Study ? 352

Ladies Weighing 220 lbs. and

Fat People Reduced— The Thin

Made Plump 354

Gained 32 lbs. in 85 days , 355

Phrenology applied to Children 356

PAGE

Girl Killed bv Study 357

Bad Child Reformed 358

Many Saved by Phrenology . . . 359 •

CHAPTER XXXVI. General Custer 360

Phrenology and Religion £62

Infidels Converted "by Phrenology 363

From Infidelity to the Pulpit.. 364

Is Conscience Innate ? 365

Facts Overrated or Wrongly

Rated— Which ? ... 368

The " Bungler " got a Patent.. 369 He Undervalued Himself 370

CHAPTER XXXVII. Principles of Phrenology 372

Quality of Organization 373

Temperaments 374

Motive Temperament 374

Vital Temperament 375

Mental Temperament 376

Balance, or Harmony of Temperament 377

Lymphatic 373

CHAPTER XXXVIII. The Founder of Phrenoloirv.. . 379

Dr. J. G. Spurzheim 381

Geo. Combe 382

Dr. Charles Caldwell 383

True Mode of Studying the

Head 384

Not Bumps, but Distances .... 385

Sir Win. Hamilton 386

Dr. Sewell 387

Development Illustrated 888

Contrasts in Heads 390

Four Heads of Diverse Form. . 391

Form and Growth of Head 393

Growth of Head Illustrated. . . 393 Phrenology as a Science.. . .*. . . 394