218 PHYSIOLOGY. 



solids to be firm and dense ; the mass of blood to be of a thicker 

 consistence ; the gluten abundant ; the red globules and serum 

 in moderate quantity, and the serosity more acrid ; the heart 

 rather torpid, but strong ; the quantity of blood in the veins 

 large with respect to that of the arteries ; and the quantity of 

 fluids in the whole system moderate in proportion to the solids ; 

 the state of the nervous system to be, as expressed above by the 

 state of the mind, that is, less sensible and irritable, but strong 

 and steady, and disposed to admit the reflex sensations of sad- 

 ness and fear. This temperament is most completely formed in 

 advanced life ; but the characters of it appear often very early. 

 It is liable to melancholia, hypochondriasis, maelena, and ha9- 

 morrhois; and with the ancients made the temperamentum 

 frigidum et siccum. 



These are the two temperaments we can the most clearly 

 distinguish ; because they are almost in every respect the oppo- 

 sites of each other. 



With respect to both, I think some illustration may be ob- 

 tained, from considering what happens to every person both in 

 the body and the mind during the progress of life. Of these 

 changes I have already spoken pretty fully, when treating of the 

 strength and weakness of the nervous system. From the cir- 

 cumstances there pointed out, it will appear, that those which 

 chiefly determine to a sanguine temperament, occur especially 

 in the first part of life ; and that those which determine to the 

 melancholic, as certainly occur in the after parts of it. Accord- 

 ingly, from the effects we may conclude to the causes, especi- 

 ally when at the same time the existence of such causes is 

 clearly ascertained ; and therefore we may venture to assert, 

 that the changes which happen in the course of life do well 

 illustrate the doctrine laid down respecting these two tempera- 

 ments, the sanguine and the melancholic. 



I have thus endeavoured to explain the different states of 

 the human body, by referring them to two general states or 

 temperaments, which not only serve to distinguish the most part 

 of men through the whole of life, but also to distinguish the 

 different sexes, and likewise the state of particular persons as 

 they pass through the different ages of life. Our doctrine, 



