rary
mirth and noise of his devotees. But the after punishment of those, who
steal this accursed fire, is a vulture gnawing the liver; and well
allegorises the poor inebriate lingering for years under painful hepatic
diseases. When the expediency of laying a further tax on the distillation
of spirituous liquors from grain was canvassed before the House of Commons
some years ago, it was said of the distillers, with great truth, "_They
take the bread from the people, and convert it into poison!_" Yet is this
manufactory of disease permitted to continue, as appears by its paying into
the treasury above 900,000l. near a million of money annually. And thus,
under the names of rum, brandy, gin, whisky, usquebaugh, wine, cyder, beer,
and porter, alcohol is become the bane of the Christian world, as opium of
the Mahometan.

Evoe! parce, liber?
Parce, gravi metuende thirso!--Hor.

* * * * *

SECT. XXXI.

OF TEMPERAMENTS.

I. _The temperament of decreased irritability known by weak pulse,
large pupils of the eyes, cold extremities. Are generally supposed to
be too irritable. Bear pain better than labour. Natives of
North-America contrasted with those upon the coast of Africa. Narrow
and broad shouldered people. Irritable constitutions bear labour better
than pain._ II. _Temperament of increased sensibility. Liable to
intoxication, to inflammation, haemoptoe, gutta serena, enthusiasm,
delirium, reverie. These constitutions are indolent to voluntary
exertions, and dull to irritations. The natives of South-America, and
brute animals of this temperament._ III. _Of increased voluntarity;
these are subject to locked jaw, convulsions, epilepsy, mania. Are very
active, bear cold, hunger, fatigue. Are suited to great exertions. This
temperament distinguishes mankind from other animals._ IV. _Of
increased association. These have great memories, are liable to quartan
agues, and stronger sympathies of parts with each other._ V. _Change of
temperaments into one another._

Antient writers have spoken much of temperaments, but without sufficient
precision. By temperament of the system should be meant a permanent
predisposition to certain classes of diseases: without this definition a
temporary predisposition to every distinct malady might be termed a
temperament. There are four kinds of constitution, which permanently
deviate from