learning it. These lessons were altogether oral and catechetical,--as
neither he nor the children at that time had any books to assist them in
their labours.

"The method adopted by Mr Gall in communicating a knowledge of this
important and difficult science to these school-boys, was strictly
analytical;--classifying and connecting every part of his subject, and
bringing out the several branches of the analysis in natural order, so
that the connection of all the parts was easily seen, and of course well
remembered. An illustration of his method may induce some parents to try
it themselves.

"He first directed their attention to the bones, and taught them in a
few words their nature and uses, as the pillars and safeguards of the
body;--the shank, the joint, and the ligaments, forming the branches of
this part of the analysis. He then led them to imagine these bones
clothed with the fleshy parts, or muscles, of which the mass, the
ligaments, and the sinews, formed the branches. He explained the nature
of their contraction; and shewed them, that the muscles being fastened
at one end by the ligament to a bone, its contraction pulled the sinew
at the other, and thus bent the joint which lay between them.--He then
taught them the nature and uses of the several viscera, which occupy the
chest and belly, and their connection with each other. This prepared the
way for considering the nature of the fluids of the body, particularly
the blood, and its circulation from the heart and lungs by the arteries,
and to them again by the veins, with the pulsation of the one, and the
valves of the other. The passage of the blood through the lungs, and the
uses of the air-cells and blood-vessels in that organ were described;
when the boys, (having previously had a lesson on the nature of water,
atmospheric air, and the gases,) readily understood the importance of
bringing the oxygen into contact with the blood, for its renovation
from the venous to the arterial state. The nature of the stomach and of
digestion, of the intestines, lacteals, and absorbents, was next
explained, more in regard to their nature than their names,--which last
were most difficult to remember;--but the knowledge of the function,
invariably assisted the memory in recalling the name of the organ. They
were next made acquainted with the brain, the spinal cord, and the
nervous system generally, as the source of motion in the muscles, and
the medium of sensation in conve