216 PHYSIOLOGY. 



tribution and proportion of these, and all these with a particular 

 state of the nervous system ; and as such a combination may be 

 formed in another person, but consisting in a difference of the 

 particular states of each of the chief circumstances, this will 

 give a different temperament in these two persons. So far, 

 therefore, as we can find such combinations to be steadily form- 

 ed in any particular person, we shall be able to assign his parti- 

 cular temperament. 



It must, however, be acknowledged to be uncertain how far 

 certain states of the chief circumstances of the economy are 

 steadily connected together, and, therefore, how far we can ex- 

 tend our doctrine of temperaments to a great number of differ- 

 ent men ; but at the same time, it is only by presuming upon 

 a certain steadiness of these combinations, that we can go any 

 length in explaining the difference of temperament. 



The ancients very early established a distinction of tempera- 

 ments, which the schools of physic have almost universally a- 

 dopted ever since, and which appears to me to be founded in ob- 

 servation. I am very much of opinion, that we can perceive a 

 combination of a particular state of the chief circumstances of the 

 economy to take place very steadily in certain persons, and 

 thereby to form at least two of the temperaments assigned by 

 the ancients. Accordingly, the circumstances in which these 

 two temperaments seem to consist, we shall now endeavour to 

 explain ; and I shall hereafter consider how much farther we 

 may proceed. 



In doing this it will be proper, in the first place, to mark 

 out the several external appearances that concur in the same 

 person ; and from which concurrence taking place in many dif- 

 ferent persons, we are led to presume in these, one and the same 

 combination or temperament. 



One to be particularly mentioned, is that temperament 

 which the ancients, and which physicians at all times since have 

 distinguished by the appellation of the Sanguine. In this, the 

 external appearances are the following : The hair soft, and 

 never much curled, is of a pale colour, or from thence passing 

 through different shades to a red ; the skin is smooth and white ; 

 the complexion ruddy ; the eyes commonly blue ; the habit of 



