FACIAL ANGLE: 149 of Camper, called the facial angle. He imagines a straight line drawn from the forehead to the upper lip, and another forming an angle with it, from the lip horizontally backwards. As the prominence of the forehead is produced by the cerebrum, the greater the lat ter is, the greater will this angle be. In a well-formed European head, the facial angle is about 85°, as is represented in this figure; in some of the Grecian statues of the gods, it is frequently over 90, thus indicating the supernatural perfection of the Deity. Emily. The poor Negro must suffer sadly by this test, for not only is his forehead low and retreating, but his jaws project considerably-at least the upper one does a circumstance which will materially lessen the angle. Dr. B.-True it is rather an unfair test, when applied to the Negro, in whom the angle is 7° or 89 less than in the European, as you may see by comparing this next figure, which represents the Negro's skull, with the first. In all children the angle is much larger than in adults, for at their time of life, the cerebrum is more fully developed. Emily.-How do the lower animals appear when tried by this test? Dr. B.-In the larger monkies, it varies in differ ent species from 70 to 80o, as represented in this figure. In the sheep and hog, we find it not more than 35°. In the birds, the angle suffers a very considerable diminution not exceeding generally 7° or 8°. In the reptiles, it is still less, and in the fishes it is almost nothing. It may be remarked generally, that in the European the face is placed nearly perpendicularly under the front of the cranium; in the Negro, and some other varieties of the race, we see it beginning to be placed nore in front, projecting forward; and in the lower animals, forming a great part of the head. As we descend the animal scale, this increasing size of the face, including also that of the jaws, indicates very strongly the in creasing predominance of the animal over the moral and intellectual nature. If therefore we consider the brain as the exclusive organ of the moral and intellectual faculties, and the rest of the nervous system, as that of the senses merely, then certainly the comparison of the cranium and face, must throw considerable light on the dispositions and capacities of animals. Emily. What would be the result of such a compa rison in man? Dr. B.-Man has the largest cranium with the smallest face, and his intellectual, compared with his animal faculties, are greatly superior to those of any other animal. Reason, or intelligence, whatever we choose to call it, is not peculiar to man, but exists in the brutes in various degrees of perfection. Emily.-Brutes have instinct, it is true, but I thought this was very different indeed from reason. Dr. B.-It is; but the brutes, as well as man, have a certain degree of each. Instinct impels them to the performance of certain actions necessary to fulfil the purposes of their nature, without premeditation or design. Thus, when the young pup is thrown for the first time into the water, or the new-born babe placed at the maternal breast, it is instinct which impels each to a most complicated series of muscular motions but which are necessary for the preservation of life. But reason, considered as the power of "shaping means to ends," though possessed in some degree by the brutes, exists in man in its highest state. Its ceaseless action is carrying on the species in its unlimited progress, and indissolubly associating the happiness of the individual, with that of the whole community. Emily. And in the brutes too, the deductions of reason, as you are pleased to call it, are confined to the individual-he alone enjoys their benefits. But in man, they constitute a common stock, to which all contribute, and from which, all receive a share. Dr. B. What he wants in physical power to constitute him "lord of the creation," is amply made up by this instrument, by means of which the inferior animals are deprived of their natural independence, and made subservient to his changing wishes. The brute is not taught by it the offices of kindness, nor impressed with a single desire to advance the welfare of his species.Man alone "feels for man," relieves his distresses, and rejoices in his prosperity. Give to the reason of the inferior animals as high a character as you please, it still remains the highest and noblest prerogative of man; the faculty that removes him to an immeasurable distance from every other being in the wide creation, and points him to the Divinity for fellowship. R THE SENSES. 153 CONVERSATION VII. -- The senses the eye-eye-brows-eye-lids-eye-lashes -tears-sclerotic coat--choroid--cornea-irisaqueous humor-crystalline lens-retina-modification of the rays by the coats and humors-short-sightedness-motions of the eyes-squinting-vision assisted by the other senses.-Vision of birds—of fishesof insects.-Hearing-sound-anatomy of the ear hearing assisted by the other senses-hearing of the inferior animals.-Smelling-use of the sense of smell -smelling of the inferior animals.-Taste-influence of civilization upon taste-taste of the inferior animals-the touch-integuments-human complexionalbinos.-The voice-larynx larynx of the inferior animals-cries-language-singing-ventriloquism -voice of birds. Dr. B.-By the organs of the senses, we refer to those by means of which, impressions made on certain portions of the nervous system, are conveyed to the brain, and there excite corresponding sensations. The senses may be said to be the bond of connection in the animal between the external and internal world; and raising the creature above the state of mere vegetable existence, they place him in close relations with the objects around him, and give him an elevated rank in the general system of nature. Each one gives him an entirely distinct set of ideas, which he could have obtained |