mm WBMm H H 1H HI 1H| HI | 1 w> MB HH HOB Em mi H HH HB HH H ■H HH H H ^ ■ < . Urn HKHBtflH HHB IS ■B ■91 I HH ■ ■BBi ■ HB I H V .%* Forty Years in Phrenology; EMBRACING EECOLLECTIONS HISTOKY, ANECDOTE, AND EXPEKIENCE. BY NELSON SIZEE, AUTHOR OP "CHOICE OP PURSUITS ; OR, WHAT TO DO AND WHY"-"H0TV TO TEACH; OR, PHRENOLOGY IX THE SCHOOL-ROOM AND THE FAMILY " — " THOUGHTS ON DOMESTIC LIFE ; OR, MARRIAGE VINDICATED AND FREE LOVE EXPOSED." Professor of Mental Science in the American Institute of Phrenology ; Associate Editor of the American Phrenological Journal, Etc. Facts of utmost value which ought to he crystallized in history to glitter like gems forever, are lost to the world for want of record. NEW YORK : ^^Ofwash^ g j5- FOWLER & WELLS, PUBLISHERS, V 17 1882J Ko-Z.42 k 753 BROADWAY. tf •0 Entered, according to Act op Congress, in the Year 1882, By NELSON SIZER, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. n-3tt*3 EDWARD O. JENKINS, Printer avd Stcreotyper, 20 North William Street, New York PREFACE The author spent ten years in the lecturing field as a Practical Phrenologist, viz : from 1839 to 1849, and in the latter year was called to become the resident ex- aminer in the office of Fowler & Wells, which po- sition he still occupies. During these forty-three years he has come into special professional relations with more than two hundred thousand persons, embracing every type of talent, character, and disposition, and specimens of every nation on the globe. He has been invited to visit schools and colleges, asylums for the insane, poor- houses and prisons ; rare and peculiar persons — those endowed with genius in special directions; the eccentric, those idiotic in whole or in part ; in fact, every odd, strange, and singular character has been hunted up and brought to test Phrenology or its exponent, and in many instances to gain hints for the better treatment and management of these peculiar cases. In all these experiences among the normal and the abnormal of the human race, many curious and inter- esting incidents have occurred which throng the mem- ory and demand recognition and record. This we do without giving a clew to the name or identification of ■ (3) 4 Preface. any person, unless the examinations occurred before a public audience and were there made public property, thus avoiding the violation of confidence in any case.. Some public characters are mentioned, but in a man- ner creditable to them, thus making these recollections a benefit to all and an injury to none. If these reminiscences shall tend to lead parents, teachers, managers of business, magistrates, and admin- istrators in the varied relationships of life to be more, judicious, considerate, and successful in their treatment of others ; and if the professional followers of Gall and Spurzheim shall be encouraged to utter the plain and valuable truths of their mission without fear or favor for the benefit of their patrons, and for the honor of the cause, the chief purpose for which they are written will be secured. New York, July 25, 1882. CONTENTS. PAGE Preface 3 CHAPTER I. Introduction of Phrenology into America 9 Spurzheiin's Visit to America. 11 Phrenology in Amherst Col- lege 13 The Fowlers enter the Field. . . 15 CHAPTER II. First Experience in Lecturing. 16 Very Hard Case ... 19 Our First " Newspaper Puff " . 21 Man Without Color 22 How I Learned to Lecture 23 Old-Time Methods 25 Left-handed Appreciation. .... 27 " Taking after his Father " . . . . 28 Memories of Wilmington, Del. 28 CHAPTER IH. The Second Tear in the Field. 29 Harrison Campaign 80 "Yankee Trick" 31 Tried as by Fire 32 Triumph « 33 My First Written Character. . . 35 Marriage with an Object 37 Tne Country's Great Men 38 CHAPTER IV. Buell & Sizer— Partnership 39 Twin Girls— Remarkable Test. 40 Sia nese Twins 42 Pet of the Household Saved. . . 43 Virginia — Harper's Ferry 47 The Social Element in Religion 48 Duplicate Examinations . 50 Close Fit 51 Double Test Examinations 53 CHAPTER V. Campaign in New England 54 Ordeal — Eclipse -Triumph .. . 55 Blindfold Examinations 56 Estimating Heads by Sight 57 All t.e Graces and $20,000.... 59 A u Catch " for Some One 60 Inventory for a Wife. 61 His Inventory 61 PAGE I Hit or Miss— Which ? 62 Timid Child Managed— a Test. 63 Intellect Conquering Fear 65 Victory Complete and Lasting. 66 CHAPTER VI. Oration on Washington 67 Geo. W. Rose " Provoking to Good Work" 68 E. H. Chapin's Prophecy 69 East Hampton, Mass 70 Mt. Tom and the Conn. Valley 71 The Oldest Woollen Factory. . 72 A Spoiled Child— How Done. . 73 Married, but not Mated 75 Color-Blindness 76 Keen Woman to Deal with 77 Injury of Brain — Proof of Phre- nology 78 Dr. Williams' Report 79 Tough Test on a Skull 81 Triumph and a Convert 82 The Tables Turned 83 Mistake — its Lesson 84 Unselfish Thief 85 Money-Loving, Honest Deacon 86 Test Examination in Jail 87 CHAPTER VII. Experience iu Insane Asylum. 88 Dr. Rockwell and his Charge.. 89 Crazy for the Presidency 90 Peculiarities of the Insane 91 Putney, Vt., the Perfectionists 92 Two Memorable Ministers 93 Trick that didn't Work 94 Embodied False Pretense 95 Shabby Genteel 96 Fibers' of Brain or no Fibers. . . 97 Lawyer's Wisdom Corrected. . 98 Brain, showing Fibers 100 The World Moves 101 CHAPTER VIII. Resemblance to Parents 102 Duttonsville, Vt 105 Wool Sorters 1 Skill 105 Vermont State Prison 106 " Works Meet for Repentance " 107 Ascutney Mountain . 109 (5) Contents. PAGE CHAPTER IX. Phreno-Magnetisrn 110 A Lady Magnetized Ill Startling Experiments 113 Mr. Leslie Magnetized 114 Dramatic Mental Exaltation... 115 " Stranger than Fiction " 116 Mistake Corrected 117 Double Blindfold Examinations 118 A Spotted Man 118 Phreno-Magnetic Experiment?. 119 Explanation of the Subject 121 Fair Test of a New Thing 132 Better than Theatricals 124 The Magnetic State 125 Exciting the Faculties 126 CHAPTER X. Phreno-Magnetism Practical.. 128 Curious Experiments 129 Exciting the Mental Organs . . . 130 Wonders of Mental Lite 132 How I Learned to Set Type . . . 134 CHAPTER XL New Departure 135 Buell & Sizer Separate 135 Lectures in Collinsville 135 Temperers Need Color 136 "Moving" Discourse 137 Over Enfield Falls 138 Old Stage Traveling 139 An Exasperating Calm 140 Old and Pleasant Memories . . . 144 Spafford, Charles 145 Strange and Droll Coincidences 145 Latin under Difficulties 146 Cheek " Gone to Seed " 147 CHAPTER XII. Waterbury, Conn 149 The Model " Landlord " 150 Early Rubber Process 151 Hard Work of a Phrenologist.. 153 Governor and a Judge 154 Meriden, Connecticut 155 Changes, Precious Memories.. 156 CHAPTER XIII. Birmingham, Conn 157 The Unforgetable 157 The Kellogga 158 Wonderful Truth of Fiction.. .. 1G0 CHAPTER XIV. Danburv, Conn 161 Drollest People iu the World. . 162 PAGE Barnum's Beginnings 163 Leap-Year Episode 164 Sandwich Island Mission ...... 166 Wonderful Swimmers 167 Great Rogue 168 CHAPTER XV. Located in My Own Home 169 The Taukee Clock-Maker 171 My First Class 172 Phrenology in the Pulpit '.... . 172 j The Taukee Clock 173 i Glastonbury, Connecticut 174 Portland Brown Stone 174 Dignity and Democracy 176 Hall Built bv a Joke 177 Hard Professional Work 178 CHAPTER XVI. Rockville Memorable 179 How to Obtain Subscribers 180 History of Phren. Journal. . . . 181 Incidents Worth Recording 182 Multitude of Counsellors.'. .... 183 Toang Girl's Narrow Escape . 184 Romantic Conjugality of a Wife 185 Peculiar Love for Husband 186 CHAPTER XVII. Westfield, Mass., my Mecca.. 187 North Portland, Conn 187 Insanity Cured by Phrenology. 188 Singular Case of Insanity 189 Woleotlville, Conn 190 Winsted, Conn 190 A Model Honest Man 191 Connecticut State Prison 193 Celebrated "Crowbar Case".. 193 Closiug of Buell & Sizer 196 CHAPTER XVIII. Biography of P. L. Buell 197 J. M. Graves— Funny Facts.. . 262 Double-shotted Fun 20# Colic and Conscience 205 A Good Bargain.. 206 CHAPTER XIX. New Year' 206 Plain Talk 208 Farmington, Conn 209 Singular Audience 210 Villain Dyed in the Wool 210 Southington, Conn 211 The Way it Worked 212 Lucy and the Boots 213 Contents. PAGE Dickinson, the Artist 215 Essex, Naugatuck, Goodyear.. 216 CHAPTER XX. Birth of a Son . 217 Bodv loo Small for Head 218 Balnvay, N. J., Dr. Comstock. 219 New Jersey Peculiarity 220 CHAPTER XXL Lectures at Avon & Bloom field. 222 Simsburv, Windsor, Suffield . . 2:23 Columbia, Conn 224 First Set Temperance Speech.. 225 Hebron, Conn., Memorable ... 226 Amhor of the "Blue Laws ". . 227 Town Pump for a Cannon 228 CHAPTER XXII. Life in New York Begun 229 New Surroundings and Duties. 280 First Lecture to the American Phrenological Society 281 Death of Spurzheim 210 CHAPTER XXIII. Work that Tests a Man 249 Hon. Nicholas P. Trist 250 Treaty of Peace with Mexico.. 251 Rare " Treat "-One such Man . . 252 Man with 100 Questions 258 A Wise Teacher 254 Sadness Lightened 255 CHAPTER XXIV. The Quaker Widow's Surprise. 256 Better Late than Never 257 Life Saved — Balance Restored. 258 A " Take Down " that Built Up 259 A Bad Man Saved 260 A Real Convert 261 Rough Kindness — a Struggle for Life 262 Lovers of Home and of Land. . 263 Talent Disguised — a "Singed Cat" 264 CHAPTER XXV. Why Do Children Die ? 265 A Mother's Questions 266 Wrong Feeding of Children. . . 267 Risftt Food for Children 268 Old-Time Larue Families 269 " You Dou't Tell our Faults ! " 270 Elopement, its Consequences. . 217 Student at Sixty-seven 272 PAGE CHAPTER XXVI. Warm vs. Cold Bathing 273 Bathing Infants 274 Bathing Dirty Heads 276 Boy's Brain Overworked 277 Broken Down 278 Man Worth Saving, Saved . . . 279 CHAPTER XXVII. Capt. Samuels, Master of Mu- tiny on the Ship DreadnaugM 281 Examination of Capt. Samuels 283 A Master Any where 284 The "Eleven Obstinate Jurors" 285 Young Children Examined .... 286 Phrenology