George Combe

“ If the natural morality had been less, the endowment of the propensities is sufficient to have constituted a character of the most desperate description. The combination, as it exists, bespeaks a mind extremely subject to contending emotions—capable of great good or great evil—and encompassed with vast difficulties in preserving a steady, even, onward course of practical morality. ”

“ The brain of Burns, therefore, possessed the two elements of power and activity.
The portions of the brain which manifest the animal propensities are uncommonly large, indicating strong passions, and great energy in action under their influence. The group of organs manifesting the domestic affections (Amativeness, Philoprogenitiveness, and Adhesiveness) , is large; Philoprogenitiveness uncommonly so for a male head.
The organs of Combativeness and Destructiveness are large, bespeaking great heat of temper, impatience, and liability to irritation. ”

“ The combination of large Secretiveness, Imitation, and the Perceptive [Pg 7] organs, gives the elements of his dramatic talent and humour. The Skull indicates a decided talent for Humour, but less for Wit. The public are apt to confound the talents for Wit and Humour. The metaphysicians, however, have distinguished them, and in the phrenological Works their different elements are pointed out. Burns possessed the talent for satire: Destructiveness, added to the combination which gives Humour, produces it. ”

“ An unskilful observer looking at the forehead might suppose it to be moderate in size; but when the dimensions of the anterior lobe, in both length and breadth, are attended to, the Intellectual organs will be recognised to have been large. ”

“ In the combination of very large Philoprogenitiveness and Adhesiveness, with very large Benevolence and large Ideality, we find the elements of that exquisite tenderness and refinement, which Burns so frequently manifested, even when at the worst stage of his career. In the combination of great Combativeness, Destructiveness, and Self-Esteem, we find the fundamental qualities which inspired "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled," and similar productions. ”

“ The first quality will not be so readily conceded to Burns as the second and third, which, indeed, were much stronger; but the Phrenologist records what is presented by nature, in full confidence that the manifestations, when the character is correctly understood, will be found to correspond with the development, and he states that the brain indicates considerable love of property. ”

“ The anterior lobe projects so much that it gives an appearance of narrowness to the forehead which is not real. This is the cause, also, why Benevolence appears to lie farther back than usual. An anterior lobe of this magnitude indicates great Intellectual power. The combination of large Perceptive and Reflecting organs (Causality predominant) , with large Concentrativeness and large organs of the feelings, gives that sagacity and vigorous common sense for which Burns was distinguished.
The Skull rises high above Causality, and spreads wide in the region of Ideality ”