THE MIRROR OF NATURE Part I. Presenting a brief sketch of the Science of Phrenology, the names,number, and order of the mental faculties, and analysis of their relative degrees of development, iwth the phrenological character and talents of [in manuscript Master Jas. A. Garochty, age 7 y]. Boston, Printed by Cassady and March, Wilson's Lane. near State Street.

8vo, pp. 19, [1] blank, [of 24? but seemingly complete in itself], and without Part II 'Presenting a practical explanation of the science of phrenology' often bound together; with woodcut frontispiece; with numerous manuscript annotations throughout giving the character analysis, presumably in authorial hand; lightly browned throughout with some spotting and soiling, with small tear to gutter of first leaf; stitched as issued, retaining the original rear pink wrapper only, a little dog-eared. Variant issue of this brief phrenological analysis of one 'Mast. Jas. A. Garochty, age 7 y' by the noted Boston phrenologist John Fletcher. Fletcher gave evening lectures and offered private examinations and written descriptions of individuals' character and abilities. This appears to be a variant, possibly earlier issue. The copies on OCLC call for pp. 23 for this first part, and indeed a digitised copy located at Stanford confirms this. However on comparison it shows two additional paragraphs have been added towards the end of the work, together with a small woodcut diagram, these revisions possibly done to coincide with the publication of 'Part II', providing a 'Practical explanation of the science of phrenology'. The typesetting on the present example is much more condensed. Offered here is Part I only, with some copies on OCLC noting both parts bound together. Fletcher had published a longer 176 page work on the subject, under the title, 'The Mirror of Nature, presenting a practical illustration of the Science of Phrenology, accompanied by a Chart' in 1838. OCLC seems to locate no copies of this shorter, assumed earlier variant, citing copies of the longer variant of Part I at Loyola Marymount, UCLA, Brown University and Michigan.…