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Leader (1850-1860), 8th March 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 227, Untitled Article

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      " Et par le prompt effet d ' un sel rejouissant , Devenir quelquefois proverbes en naissant . " Indeed , the study of Dryden and Churchill is visible in such couplets as this : — " In temper soured the Papal heart gets worse , And boasts its favorite power , the power to curse . " Or this : — " The homely thunder-god , old Luther came , And Calvin ( paler from Servetus' flame ) . " Or this , on Oxford : — " Where orthodoxy would in sons rejoice " Who prayed from habit , while they sinned from choice" Where all would seem to leave all in the lurch For one grand scheme—low morals and high Church . "

      Upon this there is appended the Swift-like note , " the Church seems most high '—like meat—when it is most rotten . " Swift also might have written these : — " The dream moves on , and changes by degrees ; A saint all sanctity and dirt he sees , Or anchorite glides by him in a trice , Worshipped by mortals , and devoured b y lice . A hermit hobbles past on wooden leg , Too proud to work , but not too proud to beg . "

      On the whole , the satire is a failure . If 1 . 1 . 1 . A . must needs employ this method of secreting his wit and bile , let him learn from the great masters of the art to have a distinct purpose , and to let Indignation write his verses .

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      MARTINEAU ' S LETTERS ON MAN . Letter * on the Laws of Man ' s Nature and Development . By H . G . Atkinson , F . G . S ., and Harriet Martineau . John Chapman . ( Seco ? id Notice . ) Having delivered our protest against what we conceive to be the two great errors of this book , we will now proceed to extract from its curiosities . One word , however , in explanation . Some of our friends seem to think that , in expressing sorrow at the Atheism of this book , we have been untrue to

      our leading principle of inviting absolute freedom of discussion . A little reflection will rectify this mistake . We have insisted on the right of Atheism equally with that of Catholicism to utter itself in freedom : but we believe them both to be erroneous , and must feel sorrow to hear of our friends becoming converts to error . In language as forcible as we could command , we have applauded the courage shown in the publication of these Letters ; after that , we were surely at liberty to express whatever opinion we held respecting their truth , without in any way belying our principles .

      Enough ! The most striking portion of these Letters is the new grouping of the phrenological faculties , which , if we mistake not , will give another aspect to the science , and reconcile many of its discrepancies . Ah to the mesmeric and clairvoyant revelations , they are singularly ill placed . They must excite ridicule such as will throw discredit upon the work ; and they cannot be accepted by any cautious mind , however predisposed to believe in the marvels of

      . And , in saying this , we are not prejudging mesmerism . At present—to our minds at least—it is " not proven "; or , rather , we should say , the higher phenomena arc not . We await evidence . To call Mr . Atkinson ' s statements evidence would be absurd ; to believe in his ipse dixit as thus set forth , would be an abuse of credulity . At no has such extraordinary " facts " within his power to substantiate , we beg of him to do so at once ; for example , he does not expect us to believe , <> n Ins unsupported authority , such things as

      1 l VG a 1 ' 1 friend who sees in her sleep . She in him a li ° ' ° rty > "' ' Kn > ilt i »» ' < 'll « K « - «< -C ~ - <>«»«¦ <>* three . « ' »* , all blind from birth . Among other peculiarities , , "ls llulv t < -11 * me thut . she always kc . vs in her sleep ; -- in IV " , at . urjl 1 sl < ln > . She has never been mesmerized . , '" J'y lti * o honourable , so benevolent , and of kiicIi ^ -Know ledged excellent good bhihc , that , all idea <> f her Hec ' n ' i ' ' '''^ ) "' ° "' "' I" *'' '" ; all ( J the lacl <> f her ^ K ni her sleep has long been known to her fiunily . know t "*"' llim <; uk ' <> ™ y bow such u fact can be Ktti ( " ' * hnvQ elicited what i * , for my own part , in her 1 ty ¦ " " "' " lS 1 "' ' " l ! lt "" ' P «' lti lnU '" *< - and dear , and unite distinct from u | l o | . . ' " " "' ""<• anu clear , and quite distinct Irom

      hit 8 « M ' ' lluI ! . ' " fisioilM , ' 'i » d ideas arising from them . She <> f thiM s U !<> uuil ' . »(> H i > V « , from touch ; ami the idea he tr i ( | " : llfI visil " » ( ' < form in totally different fiom sees el U " »' tlsi < ' «> , thoiutU seeming to include it . She 1 UI ( | , j . ' . " ' ' . . alulIl « ht : uidd ; uk ; describes their elf , cts , liknm ti "'" Ml < 1 " "' tUi > s ( " « 'irCciH >«> nniHit :: il hounds . ( She hh-ide t , / i KfllllUll"K li « ht to the biilliant music , and 1-ioii | , et « rllv < lr M > iindH . She describes tl » r- di . stinoti ( 'n of ' li T ' t ' K ""' t > hl " ' ilIul ««> ' <« urs , '" id the rela-! S » . ,, ; .., K ! l"d tlluk ««> « ' «> l' > ut « and forum and feeling leserii , ' , ! , ' | ' ,- "'' uI' '" Klit « nd "hade on objeetH , and ''• 'i i . ioi v ; ''"''« ei > t . <| ii : tUti .-s of colours , and their 'y '" " liMioi , I , , „ ,. rc-i-lin s . She k . << n the deep

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      blue sky , the agreeable green of the grass , the sparkling on the water , and the glare of the white clouds , and simple light of the sun ; and this sense in all varieties is wholly distinct from any other sense of perception she has when she is awake . She sees distance and space in a broad survey of a landscape at once , so different from any idea she could form from touch , and from moving about . It seems to me clear that she has a new sense opened to her in her sleep , which answers to those effects and relations that we perceive in seeing , and which is in fact htBut

      sig . this is not all . This lady is clairvoyante in other respects , and frequently in her sleep perceives what is going on in distant places ; and she also foresees events . With this fact her family are familiar ; and many striking occurrences have happened , precisely as she has foreseen them ; and in " such visions she perceives forms and colours such as no one could have guessed at , such as the different colours of a person's dress ; and she is invariably found to be correct . Is not this case , therefore , doubly conclusive ?"

      The query with which this winds up will excite a smile even in the gravest reader . Conclusive ? Very—if true ! That which satisfies Mr . Atkinson as evidence will hardly satisfy others : e . g ., speaking of the same lady : — " In her clairvoyant dreams , I do not find that special attention has been paid to note the appearance of any colours she could not have anticipated . Proof exists , at present , only as to the general fact . For instance , the clergyman of the parish had retired for some time from his living , and gone into Devonshire , to live near to his son-in-law ; two hundred miles from my friend's residence . She dreamed one Sunday morning in her second sleep , that she saw this clergyman preaching in the pulpit of his son-in-law's church ; when he suddenly fell

      down , and some gentlemen came out of their pews , and carried him into the vestry , not knowing for some time if he were dead , or in a fit . She related the dream in the morning , and it made a strong impression on her family . On Tuesday , some friends had letters , giving an account of this clergyman falling in the pulpit , on that Sunday after the dream , and being carried out , and their not knowing whether he was dead , or only in a fit . It was a fit , and he recovered . The whole circumstances accorded precisely with the dream . The clergyman had never been subject to fits . We have , therefore , evidence , clear enough , of this lady's clairvoyant power , and also that the faculty of sight exists , from the perception of the distinction between day and night , and the brain being fully developed . "

      Miss Martineau , believing all these statements , exclaims " Only conceive the time when men may at will have certain knowledge of things distant and things future ! To expect this is merely reasonable . " Our opinions are as coloured spectacles through which we gaze at Nature , and we seldom suspect the colour to be other than that of Nature herself ! Here is Miss Martineau , who thinks belief in a God and immortality irrational , declaring that it is " only reasonable " to expect we may , some day , have " certain knowledge of things distant and things future " !

      But , if there arc unfortunate passages in this book , there are many noble and interesting passages . Whatever the conclusions , they have been the result of honest , independent thinking . Miss Martineau admirably says : — "It appears to me that men come to the subject with antecedent notions of ' dignity of origin' for man ; with words upon their lips about man being made in the image of God ; and then , in the fear of impiety , if this notion is invaded , they lose their freedom , and desire to find the truth lying in one direction , rather than another . Now , from the moment that a man desires to find the truth on one bide rather than another , it is all over with him as a philosopher . 1 doubt whether I have ever met with any one but yourself who was perfectly free from

      such leaniiitf . I have sometimes supposed that I had met with a truly impartial inquirer , —judging him by the sacrifices he had made for his convictions . Hut , sooner or later , out . it . co nes ! lie lets out , in one connection or another , that he should be sorry to believe this or that , which he hns not yet the meuns of fully comprehending . lie may have gone further in free inquiry than his neighbours , and he rejoices in what , he has attained ; yet , not the leas does he pity those who have outstripped him , as the brethren and friends whom he has outstripped are pitying him . He . says that his brethren and ancient friend * cannot judge for him , because they have never been in his state of mind , —have never looked from his point of view ; and he straightway forgets that this is precisely bin own position with regard to those by whom he is outstripped . "

      Among the curious passages , let us cite this account of an Idiot : — - " This boy was an idiot , with ( tenses of marvellous acutencss . Those connected with such eases do not . like * the word ' idiot . ' and reject it if any faculties exist which can be pointed to as an indication of mind . This hoy , however , could not speak , nor undeihtand speech , nor communicate with , nor appear to rt cognize any other mind . 11 in peculiarities aroHc from early injury to the brain ; and there was a singular sinking and contraction across the middle of the skull . As for hin senses ,---he knew people and articles of their ( lit ns by the smell : he could not bo cheated into taking in his food medicine tasteless and scentless to every body else ; the faintest sound of distant music would make him roll on the carpet with dolight ; and bin ddiear y of tomb wiih proved by the deli " , ae . y < ' < I' " < : uMiin ; n in paper . 'J ' ow 4 j < Ji > the > od of

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      his life he was losing his sight from cataract ; and hit eyes were never straight ; but I don ' t know that hi * sight was early defective . He had little muscular strength , and no agility . The stiffness of the back , the absence of spring , and the rolling walk showed injury , —it was supposed to the spine , —but now we might suppose it to be to the cerebellum . He had little pleasure therefore in active exercises ; but evidently very great in the exercise of the few faculties which he had in wonderful strength . " I have mentioned his paper cuttings . They were all symmetrical , very pretty , and always as if fetched out of the kaleidoscope . Everything about him became symmetrical . He could endure nothing out of its position

      m space , or its order in time . If any new thing was done to him at any minute of the day , the same thing " must be done at the same minute every day thenceforward . He hated personal interference ; but one rainy day , at ten minutes past eleven , we got his hair and nails cut while he was wide awake , and without struggle . He hated it still ; but the next day , and every day after , at ten minutes past eleven , he , as by a fate , brought comb , scissors , and towel ; and we were obliged daily to cut a snip of hair before he would release himself . His ' understanding the clock , ' as it is called , was as completely out of the question as his being taught Geology : yet was he punctual to the minute in all nis observances , even when living on the seashorewhere

      , there was neither clock nor watch within sight or hearing . About number and quantity he could never be baffled . When he was out of the room , I would steal a brick from the great heap of little bricks in the middle of the floor ; he would pass his hand over them , spread them a little , and then lament and wander about till the missing one was restored . If seven comfits had once been put into his hand , he would not rest with six ; and if nine were given , be would not touch any till he had returned two . Through his last illness ( consumption ) he kept up his habits , which were in him like propensities ; and at the very last , when , in the exhaustion of approaching death , refreshment was attempted by

      bathing his hands , he did his utmost to turn up his shirtcuffs precisely as he had done all his life . He could not do it , and sank back ; and this was the only point he yielded . He was exquisitely trained ; in self control ( by means of this strength of habit ) , in a mechanical patience , order and gentleness , which ma e his lot an easy one to himself and others in comparison with what it might have been . A final proof , through him , of the strength of our instincts was that we mourned him when he was gone with a sorrow which surprized us , and for which we could not account . There was a charm like that of infancy , no doubt , in his innocence and unconscious dependence . " Here is another description of an Idiot , taken from Dr . Howe ' s Report to the Legislature of Massachusetts ; — " One poor idiot who had , as will be seen , several faculties in working order , but no ' sense , ' as we should say , and some vexatious habits , was punished for his misbehaviour , from his infancy upwards . The floggings and railings naturally roused violence in him ; and by degrees , one after another of the household became unable to cope with him in physical force , till the father was the only person strong enough to drub him ; and to him it was becoming hard exercise . The poor fellow imitated what , he saw , and inflicted what he experienced . He broke the cow ' s leg with an axe , and smashed the farming tools , when they would not do what , he liked . One blessed evening , a member of the Peace Society was at the house and saw the drubbing , and the father's difficulty in accomplishing it . lie advisrd other methods ,

      aiul persuaded the family to inflict a new punishment , as punish they would . The poor creature was rebuked , shown that , if he misbehaved , he should have only bread and water for his supper , and should lie on the floor on a little straw , lie was not very slow in learning thus much . The next time the cow offended him , he remonstrated gravely with her , led her into the yard , got a crust of bread and some water , and spread a little straw on the bare ground . Another day , lie hurt his foot with a rake in the field ; and he proceeded as he had done with the cow . After beinfj ; duly scolded , the rake was laid on a handful of straw , with a crust of bread and mop ; of water beside it . The last report of the poor fellow is , * be is growing less violent , and mote manageable eveiv day . ' " ' *

      Metaphysicians will prize both the foregoing extracts ; still more , perhaps , the following : — " I wonder whether you biw ( as I did ) lately , in a newspaper , an account of Wordsworth ' s rapture in once being able to smell a flower ;—the only time in his life that the sense ever acted . 1 know what that is ; for alinost the same thing once happened tome ; but it is nothing Jo the other experience 1 spoke of . The one occasions extreme and tumultuous amazement —( the first experience of a new sensation ) ;—a sort of passionate delight , a conviction on the spot that we are only groping in a universe where we think everything ours till a new primitive nensation comes to show us how far we are from comprehending nature ; and then , presently , we have

      bad enough of it ; we aic tiled of it , and turn to intellectual objects . You may like to know how it happened with me . I had not Wordsworth ' s good fortune , — to smell a flower . I was not well that day ;—» at down to lunch with a family who were dining early on a leg of mutton . At the firnt mouthful of mutton , 1 poured out water hastily , and drnnk , —ho prodigious , —no strong und so exquisite , —was the flavour . I went on eating with amazement und extraordinary relish ; but I w «« obliged to take water after every mouthful . It occurred to me to try if I could smell . There was a bottle of rau do Cologne on the mantelpiece . At flrat , I could make not liiiur of it ; but after heutirg it , I could nmcll it ; --¦ Kit in [ he noie ai all .-- but a little uav down ijie t ) , rout .

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      March 8 , 1851 . ] £ !>*! ? Lf ( lfcrr . 227

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 8, 1851, page 227, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1873/page/15/