something rather absurd in these names, they possess one advantage of extreme value - they are universally understood and are in general use, and therefore are still employed as the arbitrary designations of definite objects or facts, although the ideas which originated the nomenclature have been found to be fallacious.

In the pure type of the sanguine temperament the physical characteristics are generally defined somewhat as follows: complexion fair and ruddy, with light brown, auburn, or red hair, eyes blue or grey. The body is inclined to what our neighbours call embonpoint,-in plain English, plumpness. The animal functions, circulation and respiration, are generally full and active, and they are blessed by that excellent digestion which keeps them in happy ignorance of their viscera. The character is hopeful, energetic, and somewhat self-assertive. They will contradict you flatly but without ruffling your temper; they have plenty of force in body and mind. Notwithstanding their generally fine condition of health, physicians have noted a certain impressibility by disease, and declare that persons of this temperament appear to be more readily affected than others by changes of condition of life, by noxious agents, and by epidemics; and when attacked by disease it seems to take a great hold of them. This defective power of resistance to adverse physical causes has its moral counterpart in a want of stability of character, as seen in deficient persistence and steadiness of purpose. They are somewhat hasty and impetuous, but entirely free from sulkiness and incapable of continued resent

The

ment; readily provoked, easily reconciled. disposition is rather volatile, with a tendency to engage in a great variety of objects, whether of study, amusement, or business. These persons sometimes find that they have "too many irons in the fire." Very confident in speech, but not minutely accurate.

Those feminine qualities, so attractive to the sterner sex, trustfulness, innocent gaiety, devotion. to objects of affection, cheerfulness, &c., are found in women of this temperament. They have an exceedingly fair complexion, with rounded and graceful form. When refinement in expression and sensibility in the mind are added by some admixture of the nervous temperament, the combination is productive of the happiest results. The sanguine unmixed with the nervous elements is characterised by an absence of restraint on emotional expression; deficient reflection; impulsive words and actions, often implying more than is really intended; a want of physical delicacy, seen, for instance, in eating with great gusto and enjoyment in public. The unmodified sanguine are also weak in logic, influenced more by feelings than by reason. Among real historical characters of the sanguine type may be mentioned Buffon and Mirabeau. Richard Cobden's sanguine enthusiasm was tempered by a prudence, tact, and patience due to what in temperament we should describe as an admixture of nervous elements.

The phlegmatic or lymphatic temperament was so named by the ancients from a supposed excess of fluid in the organism. It has been described as

a degenerate or low type of the sanguine. Persons of this temperament have the same fair complexion and delicate skin, but they give the impression of heaviness both of body and mind. Their transient passions and deficient intellectual power are attributable to a torpor or sluggishness of circulation, which incapacitates them for any sustained effort. They are persistent and plodding, but never enthusiastic.

Dr. Southey says of persons of the lymphatic temperament, "Their memories are good, their reasoning powers are considerable, and their judgment sound and logical. Common sense and straightforward conduct characterise them in their dealings with their fellow-creatures. Socially they are seldom the best company, but their sterling qualities make them the best friends."

The bilious temperament was originally so called from a supposed redundancy of bile in the system. It need scarcely be said that its strongly marked physical and mental characteristics have no necessary connection with the functions of the liver. This temperament is in many respects the converse of the sanguine. If all were divided into two classes, the fair and the dark, the sanguine would be the type of the one and the bilious of the other. It is a noteworthy fact that most cases of melancholia are degenerate forms of the bilious temperament. The physical peculiarities are a spare but strong bony frame, dark skin, rather pale complexion, and resolute expression of countenance amounting to harshness. The medical testimony attributes to this temperament a high degree of

resistance to noxious agencies. The mental and moral characters include great strength and inflexibility of purpose; a difficulty in forgiving; slowness in taking in fresh ideas; tenacity in clinging to opinions, principles, and prejudices; rather obstinate and somewhat limited in interests, and in range and variety of sympathies. It is a little disadvantageous to have this particular type so named, since the popular idea of a bilious temperament is associated either with suspicious jealousy or something equally disagreeable, and consequently there is some reluctance to accept the designation for ourselves, or to apply it to those whom we like and respect; but this feeling arises from an erroneous conception. While persons of this temperament may not be so accommodating as the sanguine, and sometimes nurse animosities through a lifetime, yet they form steadfast friendships, and are heroically faithful, and when endowed with a sense of humour they present an admirable character. They have furnished more martyrs than all other types together. With regard to martyrdom, that strange phenomenon which has always appeared when dogmatists have been allied to the secular power, it is interesting to note that those who burnt their theological rivals, as well as those who deliberately preferred death rather than humour the insane fanatics who had the ascendency, were mostly of the bilious type. Ignatius Loyola, Torquemada, and John Calvin were undoubtedly of a melancholic type in which the bilious predominates; and the probability is that Gardiner and Bonner differed from Latimer VOL. XX. 2

and Ridley in opinion far more than in temperament. Women of the true bilious temperament display the same abundant osseous development, angularity of frame, resolute firmness and hardness of character of their brothers in constitution. The socalled strong-minded woman, the sort that frightened Cupid in 'Punch's' picture, and made him drop his bow and arrows and extend his chubby fingers in astonishment, belongs to this class.

There is another feminine type which may fitly be described here, although it presents differences from the one just noticed even more pronounced than those which distinguish the vivacious sanguine from the torpid lymphatic. For convenience of reference I will call it the mitigated bilious, but shall be grateful for suggestions for a more euphonious designation. Women of this variety possess dark hair, pale complexion, soft hazel eyes, and a delicately moulded form. Their attractiveness to the sterner sex arises from the rather negative qualities of a deficiency of combativeness and resistance, a soft melancholy, and a docility of temper. The medical opinion is that the melancholic tendency and gentle taciturnity are simply manifestations of deficient physical energy, but that we will attribute to the perversity of the medical mind. The more interesting individuals of this variety, while exhibiting none of the tenacity of the true bilious type, nor of that perpetual readiness to defend their opinions of the sanguine, yet live consistently in a sort of atmosphere of goodness, and reveal a confiding constancy to the objects of their affection. They are specially adapted to that old-fashioned and