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 ' I ' ' ' ' ' I I ' I r i-f— T I ■■ I 1- 
 
 VIEWS OF THE SKULL OF ROBERT BURNS,
 
 
 I. PROPENSITIES 
 
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 KEY TO THE PHRENOLOGICAL ORGANS 
 
 /<i o/:?o-43 C^
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE SKULL OP BURNS, 
 
 BY 
 
 GioEGB Gommz, 
 
 Robert Burns was born on 25tli January 1759, and died at Dumfries 
 on 21st July 1796, in the 37th year of his age, and, on the 26th, was 
 interred in St Michael's Churchyard. Eighteen years afterwards, a 
 Mausoleum was erected by subscription to his memory in that cemetery ; 
 and, on the 19th September 1815, his remains were privately exhumed 
 and transferred to the vault attached to it. Mrs Burns, the Poet's widow, 
 having died on 26th March 1834, the vault was opened for the purpose of 
 depositing her remains beside those of her husband ; and the gentlemen 
 who took charge of the proceedings, being aware of the anxiety which had 
 long been generally felt to obtain a Cast of the Poet's Skull, resolved to 
 avail themselves of the opportunity to gratify this desire. The consent 
 of the relatives having been obtained, Mr M'Diarmid, the Editor of the 
 Dumfries Courier, went with several other gentlemen to the vault, and 
 successfully effected their purpose. 
 
 The following description is written by Mr Archibald Blacklock, 
 Surgeon : " The cranial bones were perfect in every respect, if we except 
 a little erosion of their external table, and firmly held together by their 
 sutures ; even the delicate bones of the orbits, with the trifling exception 
 of the OS unguis in the left, were sound and uninjured by death and the 
 grave. The superior maxillary bones still retained the four most posterior 
 teeth on each side, including the dentes sapiential, and all without spot or 
 blemish ; the incisores, cuspidati, etc., had, in all probability, recently 
 dropped from the jaw, for the alveoli were but little decayed. The bones of 
 the face and palate were also sound. Some small portions of black hair, 
 with a very few grey hairs intermixed, were observed while detaching 
 some extraneous matter from the occiput. Indeed, nothing could exceed 
 the high state of preservation in which we found the bones of the cranium, 
 or offer a fairer opportunity of supplying what has so long been desider- 
 ated by Phrenologists — a correct model of our immortal Poet's head ; and 
 in order to accomplish this in the most accurate and satisfactory manner, 
 every particle of sand or other foreign body was carefully washed off, and
 
 the plaster-of-Paris applied with all the tact and accuracy of an experi- 
 enced artist. The Cast is admirably taken, and cannot fail to prove highly 
 interesting to Phrenologists and others. 
 
 " Having completed our intention, the Skull, securely enclosed in a 
 leaden case, was again committed to the earth precisely where we found it. 
 
 "Archd. Blacklock." 
 
 Dumfries, 1st April 1834. 
 
 CEEEBRAL DEVELOPMENT OP BURNS. 
 
 I. — DIMENSIONS OF THE SKULL. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Greatest circumference, 22| 
 
 From Occipital iSpine to Individ u- 
 alit}', over the top of the 
 
 head, 14: 
 
 ... Ear to Ear vertically over 
 
 the top of the head, 13 
 
 Philoprogenitiveness to Indi- 
 viduality (greatest length), 8 
 Concentrativeness to Com- 
 parison, 7g 
 
 ... Ear to Philoprogenitivenes.s, 4| 
 ... Ear to Individuality, 4^ 
 
 Inches. 
 
 From Ear to Benevolence, Sg 
 
 ... Ear to Firmness, 5g 
 
 ... Destructiveness to Destruc- 
 
 tiveness, 5^ 
 
 . . . Secretiveness to Secretiveness, 5l 
 ... Cautiousness to Cautiousness, 5| 
 
 ... Ideality to Ideality, 4| 
 
 . . . Constructiveness to Construe- 
 
 tiveness, 4^ 
 
 ... Mastoid process to Mastoid 
 
 process, 
 
 ^ 
 
 11. — DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANS. 
 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 
 n. 
 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 
 15. 
 
 1(3. 
 
 17. 
 18. 
 
 Scale. 
 
 Amativeness, rather large, 16 
 
 Philoprogenitiveness, very large, 20 
 
 Concentrativeness, large, 18 
 
 Adhesiveness, very large, 20 
 
 Combativeness, very large, 20 
 
 Destructiveness, large, 18 
 
 Secretiveness, large, 19 
 
 Acquisitiveness, rather large, ... 16 
 
 Constructiveness, fuU, 15 
 
 Self-Esteem, large, 18 
 
 Love of Approbation, very large, 20 
 
 Cautiousness, large, 19 
 
 Benevolence, veiy large, 20 
 
 Veneration, large, 18 
 
 Firmness, full, 15 
 
 Conscientiousness, fuU, 15 
 
 Hope, full, 14 
 
 Wonder, ]arge, 18 
 
 Scale. 
 
 19. Ideality, large, 18 
 
 20. Wit, or -Mirthfulness, fuD, ... 15 
 
 21. Imitation, large, 19 
 
 22. Individuality, large, 19 
 
 23 . Form, rather large, 16 
 
 24. Size, rather large, 17 
 
 25. Weight, rather large, 16 
 
 26. Colouring, rather large, 16 
 
 27. Locality, large, 18 
 
 28. Number, x-ather full, 12 
 
 29. Order, full, 14 
 
 30. Eventuality, large, 18 
 
 31. Time, rather large, 16 
 
 32. Tune, full, 15 
 
 33. Language, uncertain, 
 
 34. Comparison, rather large, 17 
 
 35. Causality, large, 18 
 
 The scale of the organs indicates their relative proportions to each other 
 Lliotcfj — 10 Moderate — 14 Full — 18 Large — and 20 very Large. 
 
 The cast of a Skull does not show the temperament of the individual, 
 but the portraits of Burns indicate the bilious and nervous temperaments — 
 the sources of strength, activity, and susceptibility ; and the descriptions 
 given by his contemporaries of his beaming and energetic eye, and the 
 rapidity and impetuosity of his manifestations, establish the inference that 
 his brain was active and susceptible.
 
 6 
 
 Size in the brain, other conditions being equal, is the measure of mental 
 power. The Skull of Burns indicates a large brain. The length is 8, 
 and the greatest breadth nearly 6 inches. The circumference is 22| inches. 
 These measurements exceed the average of Scotch living heads, including 
 the integuments, for which four-eighths of an inch may be allowed. 
 
 The brain of Burns, therefore, possessed the two elements of power and 
 activity. 
 
 The portions of the brain wfiich manifest the animal propensities are 
 uncommonly large, indicating strong passions, and great energy in action 
 under their influence. The group of organs manifesting the domestic 
 affections (Amativeness, Philoijrogenitiveness, and Adhesiveness), is large ; 
 Philoprogenitiveness uncommonly so for a male head. 
 
 The organs of Combativeness and Destructiveness are large, bespeaking 
 great heat of temper, impatience, and liability to irritation. 
 
 Secretiveness and Cautiousness are both large, and would confer con- 
 siderable power of restraint, where he felt restraint to be necessary. 
 
 Acquisitiveness, Self-Esteem, and Love of Approbation, are also in 
 ample endowment, although the first is less than the other two ; these 
 feelings give the love of property, a high consideration of self, and desire 
 of the esteem of others. The first quality will not be so readily conceded 
 to Burns as the second and third, which, indeed, were much stronger ; . 
 but the Phrenologist records what is presented by nature, in full confidence 
 that the manifestations, when the character is correctly understood, will 
 be found to correspond with the development, and he states that the brain 
 indicates considerable love of property. 
 
 The organs of the moral sentiments are also largely developed. Ideality, 
 Wonder, Imitation, and Benevolence, are the largest in size. Veneration 
 also is large. Conscientiousness, Firmness, and Hope, are full. 
 
 The Knowing organs, or those of perceptive intellect, are large ; and the 
 organs of Reflection are also considerable, but less than the former. Caus- 
 ality is larger than Comparison, and Wit is less than either. 
 
 The Skull indicates the combination of strong animal passions, •with 
 equally powerful moral emotions. If the natural morality had been less, 
 the endowment of the propensities is sufiicient to have constituted a 
 character of the most desperate description. The combination, as it exists, 
 bespeaks a mind extremely subject to contending emotions — capable of 
 great good or great evil— and encompassed with vast difiiculties in pre- 
 .serving a steady, even, onward course of practical morality. 
 
 In the combination of very large Philoprogenitiveness and Adhesiveness, 
 with very large Benevolence and large Ideality, we find the elements 
 of that exquisite tenderness and refinement, which Burns so frequently 
 manifested, even when at the worst stage of his career. In the combina- 
 tion of great Combativeness, Destructiveness, and Self-Esteem, we find 
 the fundamental qualities which inspired "Scots wha hae wn' Wallace 
 bled," and similar productions. 
 
 The combination of large Secretiveness, Imitation, and the Perceptive
 
 organs, gives the elements of his dramatic talent and humour. The Skull 
 indicates a decided talent for Humour, but less for Wit. The public arc 
 apt to confound the talents for Wit and Humour. The metaphysicians, 
 however, have distinguished them, and in the phrenological Works their 
 different elements are pointed out. Burns possessed the talent for satire : 
 Destructiveness, added to the combination which gives Humour, pro- 
 duces it. 
 
 An unskilful observer looking at the forehead might suppose it to be 
 moderate in size • but when the dimensions of the anterior lobe, in both 
 length and breadth, are attended to, the Intellectual organs will be recog- 
 nised to have been large. The anterior lobe projects so much that it gives 
 an appearance of narrowness to the forehead which is not real. This is 
 the cause, also, why Benevolence appears to lie farther back than usual. 
 An anterior lobe of this magnitude indicates great Intellectual power. 
 The combination of large Perceptive and Reflecting organs (Causality pre- 
 dominant), with large Concentrativeness and large organs of the feelings, 
 gives that sagacity and vigorous common sense for which Burns was 
 distinguished. 
 
 The Skull rises high above Causality, and spreads wide in the region of 
 Ideality ; the strength of his moral feelings lay in that region. 
 
 The combination of large organs of the Animal Propensities, with large 
 Cautiousness, and only full Hope, together with the unfavourable circum- 
 stances in which he was placed, accounts for the melancholy and intenial 
 unhappiness with which Burns was so frequently afflicted. This melan- 
 choly was rendered still deeper by bad health. 
 
 The combination of Acquisitiveness, Cautiousness, Love of Approbation, 
 and Conscientiousness, is the source of his keen feelings in regard to pecu- 
 niary independence. The great power of his Animal Propensities would 
 give him strong temptations to waste ; but the combination just mentioned 
 would impose a powerful restraint. The head indicates the elements of an 
 economical character ; and it is known that he died free from debt, not- 
 withstanding the smallness of his salary. 
 
 No Phrenologist can look upon this head, and consider the circumstances 
 in which Burns was placed, without vivid feelings of regret. Burns nmst 
 have walked the earth with a consciousness of great superiority over his 
 associates in the station in which he was placed— of powers calculated for 
 a far higher sphere than that which he was able to reach — and of passions 
 which he could with difficulty restrain, and which it was fatal to indulge. 
 If he had been placed from infancy in the higher ranks of life, liberally 
 educated, and employed in pursuits corresponding to his powers, the infe- 
 rior portion of his nature would have lost part of its energy, while his 
 better qualities would have assumed a decided and permanent superiority. 
 
 The Drawings of the Skull are ably executed by George Harvey, 
 Esq., S.A.
 
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