Obs. Also 7 -temporation. [a. F. contempération (15th c., Froissart), ad. L. contemperātiōn-em proper mixture, n. of action f. contemperāre: see above.]
1. A blending together or commingling of elements of different character; blended condition.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), V. vii. 417. The contemperacyon of the foure elementes of the whiche the body humayne is composed.
1610. Gwillim, Heraldry, I. iii. (1660), 17. Mixed colours … are raised by the contemperation or mixture of the two Simples.
1627–8. Feltham, Resolves, I. lxiv. (1677), 98. The perfection of the body, in his even contemperation.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. i. § 4. 6. A certain proportionate Contemperation and Commixture of Contingency and Necessity.
b. concr. The product of such commingling.
1660. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., IV. 355. What we call by that name [the Soul] is only a Contemperation of Corporeal Humours.
2. The action of tempering, moderating, or qualifying by mixture.
1638. T. Whitaker, Blood of Grape, 51. By way of contemperation of the heate.
1666. Spurstowe, Spir. Chym. (1668), 221. The Contemperation of it [the Word] with humane mixtures.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, III. i. 364. Then the Weather will favour of the Contemperation of the contrary, and be Placid and Temperate.
b. with pl. A qualifying addition or admixture.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Hosea, vii. 137. We deliver nothing unto the people but the Right wayes of the Lord, without any … contemporations of our owne.
1655. Fuller, Antheologia, in Cause & Cure (1867), 313. With a proportionable contemperation of red therein.
a. 1676. Hale, Disc. Knowl. God (1688), II. xxviii. 417. Of what use will those Volumes of Learning concerning Human Laws, Physicks, the Mathematicks, Natural Philosophy, and the Knowledge of the Contemperation of mixt Bodies, be, when the Earth with the works thereof shall be burnt up?
3. Adaptation, adjustment, accommodation.
1654. Hammond, Answ. Animadv. Ignat., vii. § 6. 202. The contemperation … of the Ecclesiastick to the Civil distributions.
1677. Howe, Reconcil. God’s Prescience, Wks. (1834), 126/1. With an apt contemperation to the subject.
a. 1680. J. Corbet, Free Actions, III. xx. (1683), 41. A certain contemporation of the Divine Call and Free-will.
4. Accommodation to opposite courses of action by blending both; compromise.
1650. B., Discolliminium, 45. Allowed the full benefit of all the … tergiversations, excusations, contemporations, pernegations … that I … can devise.
1677. Hale, Pomp. Atticus, 205. By these prudent Contemporations he made his Liberality safe. Ibid. (1676), Contempl., II. 165–6. Good Men … divide their Affections too equally between God and the World; and therefore study and indeavour such a Contemperation that they may hold both.
