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Charlotte BrontëThanks to Evelyn Roth, we are able to present a real historical phrenological examination of the well-known author Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855). This examination was performed on June 29, 1851, by London Phrenologist Dr. Browne. Charlotte represented herself as Mrs. Fraser. Dr. Browne therefore could not know who she really was. ÑTemperament for the most part nervous. Brain large, the anterior and
superior parts remarkably salient. In her domestic relations this lady
will be warm and affectionate. In the care of children she will evince
judicious kindness, but she is not pleased at seeing them spoiled by over-indulgence.
Her fondness for any particular locality would chiefly rest upon the associations
connected with it. Her attachments are strong and enduring- indeed, this
is a leading element of her character; she is rather circumspect, however,
in the choice of her friends, and it is well that she is so, for she will
seldom meet with persons whose dispositions approach the standard of excellence
with which she can entirely sympathise. Her sense of truth and justice
would be offended by any dereliction of duty, and she would in such cases
express her disapprobation with warmth and energy; she would not, however,
be precipitate in acting thus, and rather than live in a state of hostility
with those she could wish to love, she would depart from them, although
the breaking off of friendship would be to her a source of great unhappiness.
The careless and unreflecting, whom she would labour to amend, might deem
her punctilious and perhaps exacting: not considering that their
amendment and not her own gratification prompted her to admonish. She is
sensitive and anxious to succeed in her undertakings, but is not so sanguine
as to the probability of success. She is occasionally inclined to take
a gloomier view of things than perhaps the facts of the case justify. She
should guard against the effect of this where her affection is engaged,
for her sense of her own importance is moderate and not strong enough to
steel her heart against disappointment; she has more firmness than self-reliance,
and her sense of justice is of very high order. She is deferential to the
aged and those she deems worthy of respect, and possesses much devotional
feeling, but dislikes fanaticism and is not given to belief in supernatural
things without questioning the probability of their existence.
This description is considered surprisingly accurate but for two points: CB was very superstitious and believed easily in supernatural things. She learned German but could never reach an even average competence of the language whereas she excelled in French. "Gale's doctrine" is supposed to be a misspelling for "Gall's doctrine".
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