ON MENTAL SUSCEPTIBILITY; THE INFLUENCE OF EDUCATION ON THE VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN RACE AND The Brute Creation; Interspersed with Illustrative Anecdotes and Phrenological TO WHICH IS ADDED, AN ESSAY ON HEREDITARY INSTINCT, SYMPATHY, AND FASCINATION. BY T. B. JOHNSON. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY W. DAY, 12, MIDDLE ROW, HOLBORN; AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1837. 418. INTRODUCTION. IT has always required a degree of courage bordering on temerity to impugn established opinions, though the erroneousness and even absurdity of such opinions have become glaringly manifest; because it has generally happened that the interest of a selfish portion of the community is placed directly in the way of investigation. When, in a very remote age, a few enlightened Hindoos appeared desirous to inculcate the sublime maxims of genuine philosophy, when they testified an inclination to direct the human mind to the legitimate cultivation of the arts and sciences, they drew upon themselves the intolerant jealousy of the Pagan priesthood, by whom they were unrelentingly persecuted; and thus the taper of truth, which for some time shed a flickering light amidst the surrounding darkness of these swarthy regions, was smothered beneath the monstrous system of the Juggernaut, self immolation, and the infernal suttee. Similar observations are applicable to Egypt, where genuine philosophy, driven from the part of Asia mentioned above, re-appeared some time afterward. The sages of Greece hailed the legitimate doctrine with delight; they were anxious to inculcate it, but soon became aware of the necessity of extreme caution in their laudable pursuits, as they, like their predecessors in scientific research, were beset by a jealous and persecuting priesthood, who eagerly took the alarm, lest the people should emerge from a state of ignorance suited to their sinister purposes. Hence originated the Mysteries of Eleusis, wherein the doctrine of nature was discussed by the few enlightened Mystics, while the lesser mysteries enumerated many thousand disciples. Yet this beautiful edifice for laudable disquisition, crumbled to ruins beneath the desolating progress of intolerance and fanaticism. In all ages of the world, the great bulk of mankind have been either too indolent or too timid to think for themselves-have been |