Of Temperance in Matters of Art, as Musick, Dancing, Painting, Cookery, Physick, &c. In the works of Nature; Eating, Drinking, Sports and Recreations: In occasions of Passion, in our Lives and Conversations. Its exercise in Self-denial, Measure, Mixture and Proportion. Its effects and atchievments.

PRUDENCE giveth Counsel what Measure and Proportion ought to be held in our Actions, Fortitude inspires Boldness and Strength to undertake, and set upon the Work; but it is Temperance doth execute what both of them design. For Temperance is that Vertue, whereby the actions of Prudence and Power are moderated, when they come to be exerted.

IT is the Opinion of some, that as Patience respects Afflictions, so Temperance is wholy taken up in moderating our Pleasures, and hath no employment but in the midst of Prosperities. But since there are certain bounds which Fear and Sorrow ought not to exceed, Temperance hath its work in the midst of Calamities, and being needful to moderate all our Passion, hath a wider sphere to move in, than Prosperity alone; its Province is more large and comprehensive, including all estates and conditions of Life whatsoever.

OTHERS there are that admit of its use in all Conditions, but confine it to one particular employment, even that of enlarging or bounding the Measure of every Operation: but in real truth it has another Office, and that more deep perhaps, and more important than the former. For Actions are of two kinds, either Mixt, or Simple. Where the work is single and but one, it is exprest in nothing else but the Measure of the Action, that it be neither too short, nor too long; too remiss, nor too violent; too slow, nor too quick; too great, nor too little: But where many things are mixt and meet together in the Action (as they generally do, in all the affairs of our Lives;) there its business is to consider what, and how many things are to enter the Composition, and to make their Proportion just and convenient. As in preparing Medicines, the skill whereby we know what is to be put in, and what left out is of one kind, and that of discerning how much of every Ingredient will serve the turn, of another.