THE CONSTITUTION OF MAN CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO EXTERNAL OBJECTS. BY GEORGE COMBE. WITH AN ADDITIONAL CHAPTER ON THE HARMONY BETWEEN BY JOSEPH A. WARNE, A. M., "Vain is the ridicule with which one sees some persons will divert themselves, FOURTH AMERICAN FROM THE SECOND ENGLISH EDITION, BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM D. TICKNOR. Corner of Washington and School Streets. PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR, LENOX AND 1899. Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1835, by WILLIAM D. TICKNOR, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. STEREOTYPED BY T. G. WELLS & CO. BOSTON. ADVERTISEMENT. THOUGH the author of the treatise on The Constitution of Man, says little or nothing, in his Preface to the last edition, of its being considerably enlarged, such is really the fact. Its value is, by this means, very greatly increased; and this circumstance, alone, should ensure for it an extensive circulation: for it is reasonable to suppose, that the additional matter, from the pen of the author, is, at least, as valuable as the original matter; and of the value of that matter, testimony is found, in the large editions which have been called for; both in this country, and in England, Some of the readers and admirers of Mr. Combe's work, however, have lamented that his allusions to Revealed Religion, and especially to the peculiarities of Christianity, are not more frequent, and more definite;-nor has their regret had relation merely to this work; but has extended to the other Phrenological writings of the Author and other Phrenologists. These persons have desired that the peculiarities of evangelical religion, should, in works on Phrenology, be brought into prominence; and that it might be shown, that Phrenology and Religion are in harmony with each other. This is attempted to be shown, in an additional chapter, in the present edition. The author of that chapter is sensible that the subject he has undertaken to exhibit, is there presented only in outline; but as he was, of necessity, confined to a single chapter, this was unavoidable. If, in this case, he has kept clear of the error which the ancient Poet censures, "Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio;" it is all that he presumes to hope:-at a future time, should life and health be spared to him, he may present the subject of the Harmony between Phrenology and Revelation, more at large. In the meantime, the present effort may have this beneficial effect, (and this effect it is, which he, principally, desires to produce;) viz. to convince conscientious, evangelical Christians, that there is nothing in Phrenological Science, in the least at variance with the Oracles of Inspired Truth. BROOKLINE, Mase. Oct. 1835 |