That we may draw the Theoricke of the Temperaments into practice, it hath seemed good for avoiding of confusion, which might make this our Introduction seem obscure, if we would prosecute the differences of the Tempers of all men of all Nations, to take those Limits, which nature hath placed in the world; as South, North, East and West, and as it were the Center of those bounds, that the described variety of Tempers, in colour, habit, manners, studies, actions, and form of life of men that inhabit those Regions situated so far distant one from another, may be as a sure rule, by which we may certainly judge of every mans temperature in particular, as he shall appear to be nearer, or further off from this, or that region. Those which inhabit the South as the Affricans, Aethiopians, Arabians and Egyptians, are for the most part deformed, leane, dusky coloured and pale, with black eyes and great lips, curled hair, and a small and shrill voice. 

Those which inhabit the Northern parts as the Scythians, Muscovites, Polonians and Germaines, have their faces of color white, mixed with a convenient quantity of blood, their skin soft and delicate, their hair long, hanging down and spreading abroad, and of a yellowish, or reddish color; of stature they are commonly tall, & of a well proportioned, fat and compact habit of body, their eyes gray; their voice strong, loud and big. But those who are situated between these two former, as the Italians and French, have their faces somewhat swart, are well favored, nimble, strong, hairy, slender, well in flesh, with their eyes resembling the color of Goats-eyes, and often hollow eyed, having a clear shrill and pleasing voice.

The Southern people are exceeded so much by the Northern in strength and ability of body, as they surpass them in wit and the faculties of the mind. Hence is it you may read in Histories, that the Scythians, Gothes and Vandals vexed Africa and Spain with infinite incursions, and most large and famous Empires have been founded from the North to the South; but few or none from the South to the North. Therefore the Northern people thinking all right and law to consist in Armes, did by Duell only determine all causes and controversies arising amongst the inhabitants, as we may gather by the ancient laws, and customs of the Lumbards, English, Burgonians, Danes and Germaines; and we may see in Saxo the Grammarian that such a law was once made by Fronto king of Denmark. The which custom at this day is every where in force amongst the Muskovits. But the Southern people have always much abhorred that fashion, and have thought it more agreeable to Beasts than Men. Wherefore we never heard of any such thing used by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians or Jews. But moved by the goodness of their wit, they erected Kingdoms and Empires by the only helped of Learning and hidden sciences. For seeing by nature they are Melancholic by reason of the dryness of their temperature, they willingly addict themselves to solitariness and contemplation, being endued with a singular sharpness of wit. 

Wherefore the Aethiopians, Egyptians, Africans, Jewes, Phaenicians, Persians, Assyrians, and Indians, have invented many curious sciences, revealed the Mysteries and secrets of Nature, digested the Mathematiques into order, observed the motions of the heavens, and first brought in the worship and religious sacrifices of the gods: Even so far that the Arabians who live only by stealth, and have only a Wagon for their house, do boast that they have many things diligently and accurate and copious, they, as by an hereditary right, commend to posterity, as it is recorded by Leo the Africane. But the Northern people, as the Germaines, by reason of the abundance of humours and blood, by which the mind is as it were oppressed, apply themselves to works obvious to the senses, and which may be done by the hand. For their minds oppressed with the earthly mass of their bodies, are easily drawn from heaven and the contemplation of Celestial things, to these inferior things, as to find out Mines by digging, to buy and cast metals, to draw and hammer out works of Iron, steel and brass. In which things they have proved so excellent, that the glory of the Invention of Guns and Printing belongs to them.

The people who inhabit the middle regions between these, are neither naturally fit for the more abstruse sciences, as the Southern people are, nor for Mechanical works, as the Northern, but intermeddle with civil affairs, commerce and Merchandising. But are endued with such strength of body as may suffice to avoid and delude the crafts and arts of the Southern Inhabitants, and with such wisdom as may be sufficient to restrain the fury and violence of the Northern. How true this is, any one may understand by the example of the Cartheginians and Africans, who when they had held Italy for some years by their subtle counsels, crafty sleights and devices; yet could not escape but at the length their Arts being deluded, and they spoiled of all their fortunes, were brought in subjection to the Romans. The Gothes, Hunnes, and other Northern people have spoiled and overrun the Roman Empire by many incursions and inroades, but destitute of counsel & providence, they could not keep those things which they had gotten by Armes and valor. Therefore the opinion of all Historians is agreeing in this, that good laws, the form of governing a Commonwealth, all political ordinances, the Arts of disputing and speaking, have had their beginning from the Greeks, Romans, and French. And from hence in times past and at this day a greater number of Writers, Lawyers and Counselors of State have sprung up, than in all the world besides.

Therefore that we may attribute their gifts to each Region, we affirm that, the Southern people are born and fit for the studies of learning; the Northern for war, and those which between them both for Empire and rule. The Italian is naturally wise, the Spaniard grave and constant; the French quick and diligent, for you would say he runs when he goes, being compared to the slow and womanish pace of the Spaniard, which is the cause that Spaniards are delighted with French servants for their quick agility in dispatching business. The Eastern people are specially endued with a good, firm and well tempered wit, not keeping their counsels secret and hid. For the haste is of the nature of the Sun, and that part of the day which is next to the rising of the Sun is counted the tight-side and stronger; and verily in all living things the right side is always the more strong and vigorous. But the Western people are more tender and effeminate, and more close in their carriage and mind, not easily making any one partaker of their secrets. For the West is, as it were subject to the Moon, because at the change it always inclines to the West, whereby it happens, that it is reputed as nocturnal, sinister and opposite to the East; and the West is less temperate and wholesome. Therefore of the winds none is more wholesome than the East Wind which blows from the west with a moist fresh and healthful gale, yet it seldom blows, and but only at Sunset.

The Northern people are good eaters, but much better drinkers, witty when they are a little moistened with wine, and talkers of things both to be spoken and concealed, not very constant in their promises and agreements, but principal keepers and preservers of shamefulness and chastity, far different from the inhabitants of the South, who are wonderful sparing, sober, secret and subtle, and much addicted to all sorts of wicked lust. Aristotle in his Problems said that those nations are barbarous and cruel, both which are burnt with immoderate heat, and which are oppressed with excessive cold, because a soft temper of the Heavens softens the Manners and the mind. Wherefore both, as well the Northern, as Scythians and Germans; and the Southern, as Africans are cruel; but these have this of a certain natural stoutness, and soldier like boldness, and rather of anger, than a wilful desire of revenge; because they cannot restrain by the power of reason the first violent motions of their anger by reason of the heat of their blood. But those of a certain inbred and inhumane pravity of manners, wilfully and willingly premeditating they perform the works of cruelty, because they are of a sad and melancholy nature. 

You may have an example of the Northern cruelty from the Transilvanians against their seditious Captaine George, whom they gave to be torn in pieces alive and devoured by his soldiers, (being kept fasting for three days before for that purpose) who was then unbowelled, and roasted, and so by them eaten up. The Cruelty of Hannibal the Captain of the Carthaginians may suffice for an instance of the Southern cruelty. He left the Roman captives wearied with burdens and the length of the way, with the soles of their feet cut off; But those he brought into his tents, joining brethren and kingsmen together he caused to fight, neither was satisfied with blood before he brought all the victors to one man. Also we may see the cruel nature of the Southern Americans, who dip their children in the blood of their slaine enemies, then suck their blood, and banquet with their broken and squeezed Limbs.

And as the Inhabitants of the South are free from diverse Plethoricke diseases, Which are caused by abundance of blood, to which the Northern people are subject, as Fevers, Defluxions, Tumors, Madness with laughter which causes those which have it to leap and dance (The people commonly term it s. vittus his Evil) which admits of no remedy but Music: So they are often molested with the Frenzy invading with madness and fury; by the heat whereof they are often so ravished and carried besides themselves that they foretell things to come; they are terrified with horrible dreams, and in their fits they speak in strange and foreign tongues, but they are so subject to the scurfe and all kinds of cabbs and to the Leprosy as their homebread disease, that no houses are so frequently met withall by such as travel through either of the Mauritania’s, as Hospitals provided for the Lodging of Lepers.

Those who inhabit rough and Mountainous places are more brutish, tough & able to endure labor: but such as dwell in plaines, especially if they be moorish, or fennish are of a tender body, and sweat much with a little labor. The truth of which is confirmed by the Hollanders and Frizlanders. But if the plain by such as is scorched by the heat of the Sun, and blown upon by much contrariety of winds, it breeds men who are turbulent, not to be tamed, desirous of sedition and novelty, stubborn, impatient of servitude, as may be perceived by the sole example of the inhabitants of Narbon a province of France.

Those who dwell in poor and barren places are commonly more witty and diligent and most patient in labours; the truth of which the famous witts of the Athenians, Ligurians and Romanes, and the plaine country of the Boeotians in Greece, of the Campanians in Italy, and of the rest of the inhabiters adjoining to the Ligurian sea, approves.