Samuel Johnson is said to have believed in ghosts. It is a rare instance of reflecting power to treat a real perception,-for the perception is real,-as A. did, as a mental illusion. We do not wish this self-possessed seer more apparitions, for we wish him health of body, which includes health of brain; but if he should have any future visits, we should much value a minute description of them; and especially of any local pain, or other accompanying sensation, which he might otherwise not think of observing. We would farther call his attention to such symptoms as giddiness at the moment, or any others mentioned in our former paper. ARTICLE V. ON THE SIZE OF HATS USED BY THE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF SOCIETY. (To the Editor of the Phrenological Journal.) DUNDEE, June, 1828. SIR, IT is with much pleasure I perused a paper by a London hat-maker, in your Journal for November last; and as it appears from your preface that you are desirous of further observations on the same subject, and as I have been upwards of ten years in the same profession with your London correspondent, and have been necessarily led by observation to entertain the same ideas, I shall endeavour to supply you with a provincial corroboration of that gentleman's statements; trusting it may not be altogether unacceptable to the readers of your Journal, although found deficient in that freedom and eloquence which generally adorn its pages. In assenting generally to the correctness of the observations contained in that article, I beg leave to notice one remark at the top of page 541, where, after stating the manner in which hatters' measurement is given, the author says, "Upon this VOL. V.-No XVIII. P principle blocks are used in the measuring and manufactur❝ing of hats to particular sizes, varying from 5 inches, the size ❝ of an infant's head, increasing by the of an inch to 7 "inches, the general full size of men." With respect to this latter observation, I beg leave to state, that in this part of the country, so far from 75 being the general full size of men, it may rather be regarded as the maximum; at least, in the course of my business I have met with very few demands for hats of that size; nor do I find, upon the strictest inquiry, it has been otherwise with the most extensive hatters and retailers of hats in this country; and, in point of fact, the cases are so rare, that, in a male population of about 18,000, not more than 10, if so many, require hats of a size from 7 to 7, although I know of two extreme cases of 8 inches being required. Nevertheless, a very perceptible difference in point of absolute size between those hats in general request among the higher classes of the community and those of the common and lower ranks must be obvious to every hatter who may choose to pay the slightest attention to the subject. While we may state with safety 7 to be the medium size of the latter, we are quite certain of being within mark in stating the former to be 71; thus showing evidently the general size of the one class to be a degree larger than that of the other. It is no difficult matter to perceive that a head requiring a hat 63, hatters' measurement, is very small compared with one requiring 7%; indeed the former is by the hatters here considered a boy's hat, and is very seldom required for an adult; nor is the latter sizé often required, as already mentioned. This will be readily believed by those who are aware that it would require a head equal in circumference to Dr Chalmers's to fit it. It is the ignorance of the vast difference that of an inch of hatters' measurement gives on the absolute size that causes so many mistakes about the general size of heads. Hence we are daily desired to send a hat half or even a whole inch larger than another specified, or are requested to make this hat an inch larger, because it is too high; whereas, or at most, is all that is required. Your correspondent, in speaking of the superiority of the Scotch head, in point of absolute size, over that of the English, recalls to my memory a circumstance which happened a number of years ago, and which shows that the fact is not unfamiliar to those who are in the practice of sending large quantities of hats to Scotland. An agent to one of the most extensive English houses was soliciting fresh orders, when my father observed, that he had just received a very large quantity from his house which, from their small size, were quite unsaleable. When the sizes were mentioned, the agent observed, it was surprising the house should so far forget itself, being well aware such sizes would never do to send to Scotland. Observations which I have made since have fully confirmed the truth of these statements. It is of some importance to observe, that it is the width of the head at the basilar region, and its extreme length from spine to Individuality, more than its absolute size, that determines the size of the hat. Our weavers afford a striking proof of this; their heads, generally speaking, are thin and high, which enables us to fit them with hats of a smaller size than some who have, in point of fact, smaller heads, but who, from having the greater part in the basilar and occipital regions, require hats of a greater width. It has often afforded me much pleasure to observe the striking concomitancy between the form of the weavers' head and their mildness of character. I have heard this attributed to their circumstances; but I believe that fiery turbulent spirits, who find themselves unable to exercise that patient endurance so necessary to a weaver, either never enter the trade, or leave it after a very short trial. There are some who cannot believe otherwise than that good conduct must always be the result of necessity. No Phrenologist, however, would believe that, with Combativeness and Destructiveness large, they could manifest that patient endurance of privation which is one of their characteristics; nor is the concomitancy between ; the cerebral development and the manifestations of those with the other conformations alluded to less striking, although less pleasant to observe. It is the configuration that obtains among the lowest grades of society here, such as our porters, carters, fish-drivers, and scavengers, from whom nothing but the most vigorous manifestations of animalism are to be found. : Indeed, from all the observations I have been able to make, I, am convinced that the situation of the individual in society is often an index to his development;, at least, I often find the worst configurations in the lowest offices, although the reverse of this does not always hold good. But no one can justly regard the mere possession of that distinction which flows from wealth alone as the only criterion by which to judge of moral worth. A popular writer justly remarks, that “ Nobleness of condition is not “ essential as a school for nobleness of character; nor does a man require to be high in office ere he can gather around his person « the worth and the lustre of a high-minded integrity. delightful to think, that humble life may be just as rich in moral grace and moral grandeur as the loftiest places of society ;-that as true a dignity may be earned by him who, in homeliest “ drudgery, plies his conscientious task, as by him who stands “ intrusted with the fortunes of an empire ; that the poorest “ menial in the land who can lift a hand unsoiled by the pilfer ments that are within his reach, may have achieved a victory « over temptation to the full as honourable as the proudest patriot can boast, who has spurned the bribery of courts away from “ him. It is cheering to know, that, among the labours of the “ field and of the work-shop, it is possible for the peasant to be as bright in honour as the peer, and have the chivalry of as much " truth and virtue to adorn him.” This, phrenologically speaking, is often the case ; for it is easily. conceivable that mild and gentle and unassuming individuals are easily “ Checked by the scoff of pride, by envy's frown, and this they have often to encounter from those who hold superior stations in society, which are as frequently gained is the prevailing character of men bred from their earliest years to the sea-service; although there must be many exceptions in peculiar situations, and especially in time of war. It would be easy to multiply observations such as the foregoing in various classes of society, but being unwilling to trespass too much upon your indulgence in giving these remarks a place in your Journal, I shall conclude by subscribing myself your's, &c. T. . |