TEMPERA MENTS. 3 1 1 



right, his idiosyncrasy he acquires, changes, makes it subject to his 

 Avill, or is ruled by it. The distinction is broader than this, however. 

 Temperament is a race-attribute. It is distributed like plants accord- 

 ing to latitude and altitude. The bilious is tropic ; it thrives best 

 near the equator. The lymphatic belongs to the races of the North. 

 Between these polar types are distributed races that monopolize tem- 

 peraments as they do their language. The Celt is sanguine, the Saxon 

 lymphatic, the Gaul nervous, the Latin bilious. Thus, temperament 

 is pandemic, while idiosyncrasy belongs to the individual. M. Begin 

 calls the first " la variete organique la plus generale," and the latter 

 "celle qui est plus restreinte." 



The tendency among recent writers upon physiology is to exclude 

 the bilious, classing it with the nervous, and making three in place of 

 four. This is the classification of M. Michel Levy. 1 I shall retain the 

 bilious, as being a term too commonly used by learned and unlearned 

 to be omitted from a popular description. 



The sanguine temperament presents marked physical traits. The 

 mean height of the male is five feet eight and a half inches, and of the 

 female two and a half inches less. The head is small comparatively, 

 the face is made square by a firm and angular lower jaw, the forehead 

 is slightly sloping, the nose prominent ; it has a determined, resolute, 

 exacting look. Under thirty-five the figures of both sexes are sparely 

 covered with fat, but withal muscular. The chest is large, measuring 

 thirty-five inches in average girth, and the abdomen flat. The com- 

 plexion is light, and is florid only by exception to the rule ; the hair 

 light, light brown, or auburn, and often curly. The mouth is usually 

 large, the lower lip full, and the teeth are regular, with a slightly- 

 yellow tinge, which indicates firm and lasting dentine. The sanguine 

 are generally good eaters and drinkers. All of the vital functions are 

 active ; the large chest-room, the vigorous heart, the firm muscles, in- 

 sure a bodily activity that keeps the operations of organic life in un- 

 conscious and easy motion. Digestion, assimilation, excretion, and 

 elimination, work in harmony and with vigor. 



Mentally, this type is the reflection of its physical traits. The 

 rich blood, by its active circulation through the brain, causes vivid 

 and active mental action. The general cast of the mind is never 

 gloomy. The mental vision is outward rather than inward, and sees 

 things near or remote tinted by glowing, joyous colors, as through a 

 prism. This mental outlook never implies profound insight, or deep 

 thought, or conscious indwelling. It is the surface of things that is 

 studied with quick and transient glances of all that is pleasant, revolt- 

 ing from the difficult or painful. The sanguine man, therefore, learns 

 quickly and knows a little of everything, and by his ready tongue and 

 quick wit is good company a thorough good fellow. He is brave from 

 a sense of perfect muscular strength, loving sport and athletic games. 



1 " Traite d'Hygiene." 



