The intellectual or logical man, rather than the understanding or observant man, set himself to imagine designs - to dictate purposes to God. It cannot be denied that phrenology and, in great measure, all metaphysicianism have been concocted a priori. We could not understand, that is to say, we could not have understood, had the notion of this primum mobile ever obtruded itself - we could not have understood in what manner it might be made to further the objects of humanity, either temporal or eternal. We saw no need of impulse - for the propensity. The idea of it has never occurred to us, simply because of its supererogation. We have suffered its existence to escape our senses solely through want of belief - of faith - whether it be faith in Revelation, or faith in the Kabbala. In the pure arrogance of the reason, we have all overlooked it. In the consideration of the faculties and impulses - of the prima mobilia of the human soul, the phrenologists have failed to make room for a propensity which, although obviously existing as a radical, primitive, irreducible sentiment, has been equally overlooked by all the moralists who have preceded them.
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