Also 5 temperment. [ad. L. temperāmentum due mixture, f. temperāre to TEMPER: see -MENT. So Fr. tempérament (16th c. in Godef., Compl.).]
I. † 1. A moderate and proportionable mixture of elements in a compound; the condition in which elements are combined in their due proportions.
a. 1412[?]. Lydg., Two Merch., 30.3 Yiff … heete or blood passe his temperament, In to a fevere anoon a man it leedith.
1576. Newton, Lemnie’s Complex. (1633), 50. Crasis or Temperament … is an agreement, and conveniency of the first qualities and Elements among themselves: Or, an equall mixture or proportion of the qualities of the Elements, wherein no excesse blame-worthy or faulty is to be found.
1658. Phillips, Temperament, a moderate and proportionable mixture of any thing, but more peculiarly of the four humours of the body.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., IV. 124. The cure of a wasting Flux … consists in the restitution of the temperament.
1684. J. P., trans. Frambresar. Art Physick, i. 18. A Temperament is a proportion of the four chief Elementary Qualities proper for the true exercise of the Natural Functions.
† 2. State or condition with respect to the proportion of ingredients or manner of mixing; consistence, composition; mixture. Obs.
1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch., IV. xiv. in Ashm., Theat. Chem. Brit. (1652), 147. A temperament not so thyk as the Body ys, Nother so thyn as Water.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, VIII. (1639), 469. Boyle it again until it come to the temperament of an ointment.
1641. Milton, Reform., II. Wks. 1851, III. 57. The best founded Commonwealths … have aym’d at a certaine mixture and temperament, partaking the severall vertues of each other State.
1660. N. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., II. (1682), 203. That the Soul is not a Temperament of Corporeal Humours is manifest.
a. 1673. J. Caryl, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. lxvi. 12. A due temperament of heat and cold, of dryness and moistness.
II. † 3. In the natural philosophy of the Middle Ages: The combination of supposed qualities (hot or cold, moist or dry) in a certain proportion, determining the nature of a plant or other body (= COMPLEXION sb. 1); characteristic nature; known spec. as universal temperament (cf. 6). Obs.
1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch., I. xviii., in Ashm., Theat. Chem. Brit. (1652), 133. For soe to temperment ys brought our Stone, And Natures contraryose, fower be made one.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. lxvi. 97. Some men write of this herbe [Water Plantayne], that it is of temperament colde and dry.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 209. Let no man attribute to all salts one temperament.
1665. G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. India, 70. Of temperament, ’tis held to be hot, and good to promote digestion.
a. 1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., II. iv. 153. The experience of various temperaments and operations of those Herbs.
4. The condition of the weather or climate as resulting from the different combinations of the qualities, heat or cold, dryness or humidity; climate. Obs. or arch.
1610. Barrough, Meth. Physick, IV. xiii. (1639), 245. Of all temperaments of the aire, the worst is that which is hot and moist.
1684. R. Waller, Nat. Exper., 10. Not onely from the season of the Year, and temperament of the Air, but from the Nature of the Soils and Countries themselves.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., I. ii. 17. The Cause assigned to malignant, epidemical Diseases;—and that is, an hot and moist Temperament of the Air.
1822–34. Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), I. 459. Change of air … where the difference of temperament, or even of temperature, can be rendered very considerable.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 492. The temperament of their seasons is such that they have no disease.
† 5. Condition with regard to warmth or coldness; = TEMPERATURE 7. Obs.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., IV. i. 304 Wound Unguents and wound Plaisters should alwaies stand in one temperament.
a. 1704. Locke, Elem. Nat. Phil., xi. (1754), 51. Bodies are denominated hot and cold in proportion to the present temperament of that part of our body to which they are applied.
1741. Compl. Fam.-Piece, II. iii. 352. To keep up your Heat to the same Temperament.
1799. Phil. Mag., III. 419. A given quantity of cold water, or water of any given temperament.
6. In mediæval physiology: The combination of the four cardinal humours (see HUMOUR sb. 2 b) of the body, by the relative proportion of which the physical and mental constitution were held to be determined; known spec. as animal temperament; also, The bodily habit attributed to this, as a sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, or melancholic temperament (see the adjs.). See TEMPER sb. 8.
In modern use the term temperament and the names of the four temperaments continue, without any theory of combination of humours.
1628. Feltham, Resolves, II. [I.] xxx. 95. Though the soule be not caused by the body: yet in the generall it followes the temperament of it.
1652. Bp. Hall, Invisible World, II. § 1. Galen was not a better Physician than an ill Divine, while he determines the soul to be the complexion and temperament of the prime qualities.
1657. Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 10. That [Medicament] … which … doth work a manifest mutation on our bodies,… either in temperament, in matter or form.
1676. Dryden, Aurengzebe, Epis. Ded. Our minds are perpetually wrought on by the temperaments of our Bodies: which makes me suspect, they are nearer alli’d, than either Philosophers or School-Divines will allow them to be.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The ancient physicians brought these animal temperaments to correspond with the universal temperament…: the sanguine temperament was supposed to coincide with hot and moist, the phlegmatic with cold and moist [etc.].
1771. T. Lobb, Prac. Physic., I. ii. 27. For every body, that is not of a mean temperament, either verges or inclines to the hot and dry, or to the cold and moist.
1811. T. Jameson, Ess. Changes Human Body, 337. If temperaments be attended to, the most appropriate union will be the sanguine with the melancholic, since two persons of a highly sanguine temperament, will be liable to generate scrofulous children; and two of the melancholic temperament, to produce dyspeptic diseases, and a gloomy disposition of mind in their descendants.
1818. T. L. Peacock, Nightmare Abb., i. This gentleman was naturally of an atrabilarious temperament.
1836. A. Walker, Beauty in Wom., 202. The ancients classed individuals in one or other of four temperaments, founded on the hypothesis of four humours,… the red part [of the blood], phlegm, yellow, and black bile…. Hence were derived the names of the sanguine, the phlegmatic, the choleric, and the melancholic temperaments.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., xxxi. 421 Edward Fitzgerald, labourer,… temperament sanguineous.
7. Constitution or habit of mind, esp. as depending upon or connected with physical constitution; natural disposition; = TEMPER sb. 9.
1821. Byron, Juan, III. liii. He was a man of a strange temperament.
1823. J. F. Cooper, Pilot, I. xi. 141–2. The law is a salutary corrective to human infirmities, Miss Alice, and, among other things, it teaches patience to a hasty temperament.
1842. Mrs. Browning, Grk. Chr. Poets, 135. The poetic temperament.
1843. Lytton, Last Bar., III. v. Despite this general smoothness of mien, his temperament was naturally irritable [and] quick.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Truth, Wks. (Bohn), II. 55. A slow temperament makes them less rapid and ready than other countrymen.
1868. Miss Braddon, Dead Sea Fr., III. v. 64. Visions … such … as the man of sanguine temperament can always evolve.
1873. Hamerton, Intell. Life, I. iv. (1875), 25. The active temperament likes physical action for its own sake.
1891. Speaker, 2 May, 534/1. The unbiassed temperament which is essential to the true historian.
1894. W. B. Carpenter, Son of Man amg. Sons of Men, v. Temperament is a convenient phrase to describe those qualities and dispositions which belong to him from birth.
III. The action or fact of tempering.
8. Moderating, moderation; lightening, alleviation, mitigation; due regulation. Obs. or arch.
1475. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 144/2. That a dewe moderation and temperament be observed.
1576. Newton, Lemnie’s Complex. (1633), 2. Unlesse he have the knowledge of his owne body, and be ripe and skilfull in the temperament thereof.
1697. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Exod. xxii. 11. But there were some Temperaments of this Law; for every Man was not admitted to purge himself by an Oath.
1861. Temple Bar Mag., IV. 54. That a certain temperament of speed was ensured.
9. The action of duly combining or adjusting different principles, claims, etc.; adjustment, compromise. Obs. or arch.
1660. Trial Regic., 12. There is that excellent Temperament in our laws, that … the King cannot rule, but by His Laws.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., II. xxiv. § 6 (1699), 261. By this just Temperament, the Interest of the Commonwealth, and the Imbicility of Minors are both salved.
1686. F. Spence, trans. Varillas’ Ho. Medicis, 52. The friends of Piero … propounded a temperament which equally fitted the king of Naples and duke of Milan’s turn.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 86. These admit no temperament and no compromise. Ibid. (1794), Corr. (1814), IV. 253. There is no medium,—there is no temperament, there is no compromise with Jacobinism.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), II. iv. 43. As a fortunate temperament of law and justice with the royal authority.
b. A middle course or state between extremes of any kind; a medium, mean. Obs. or arch.
1604. R. Cawdrey, Table Alph., Temperament, temperatenesse, meane, or due proportion.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Temperament,… a moderation, mean or measure.
1697. trans. C’tess D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 45. Wearied and tired, roasted by the heat of the Sun, or frozen by the Snows (for there is seldom any Temperament between these two Extreams).
1741. Middleton, Cicero, II. xi. 476. Rewards and punishments; in which … as in every thing else, a certain medium and temperament is to be observed.
1823. Bentham, Not Paul, 249. The causes … of this temperament—this mezzo termino—this middle course.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), I. ii. § 4. 88. A judicious temperament, which the reformers would have done well to adopt in some other points.
10. Mus. The adjustment of the intervals of the scale (in the tuning of instruments of fixed intonation, as keyboard instruments), so as to adapt them to the purposes of practical harmony: consisting in slight variations of the pitch of the notes from true or ‘just’ intonation in order to make them available in different keys; a particular system of doing this. (Sometimes extended to any system of tuning, including that of just intonation.)
The chief temperaments that have been practically used are mean-tone temperament (see MEAN TONE); and equal temperament (now almost universal), in which the octave is divided into twelve (theoretically) equal semitones, so that the variations of pitch are evenly distributed throughout all keys.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., Temperament,… in music, denotes a rectifying or mending the false or imperfect concords, by transferring to them part of the beauty of the perfect ones.
1788. Cavallo, in Phil. Trans., LXXVIII. 242. This alteration of the just lengths of strings, necessary for adapting them to several key-notes, is called the temperament.
1881. Broadhouse, Mus. Acoustics, 354. Mean tone temperament was perfected by Salinas, A.D. 1577. Ibid., 356. The principle usually adopted at the present day for all keyed instruments is that called ‘Equal Temperament,’ which professes to divide the octave into twelve exactly equal parts, though it does not actually so divide it.
1898. Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, 437/1. The question of melodic progressions, as affecting the excellence of temperaments, is too extensive for our limits.
