TEMPER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9321, 22 August 1908, Page 3

TEMPER.

(" Daily Mail.") I remember when I was a child reading in a magazine a story called " The Field of Lost Tempers." The gist of it was that tempers, when lost, disported themselves in the form of beautiful boys in a field whero they played cricket. The tempers whose owners were irascible wero those who most often frequented the place of relaxation, whereas the tempers of amiable owners seldom obtained a holiday. About this conceit there was, of course, woven a story, in which a little boy named Jim, a baron, and a whistle played part. Tho part about the whole thing which is worth remembering is this conception of tempers as spirits inhabiting an earthly tenement from which they are easily separated. AN EVIL SPIRIT. It is easy enough to conceive that certain persons, who aro to be met every day in certain classes of life, are possessed by the evil spirits of old — so entirely contrary to reason, to the dictates of humanity, not to mention Christianity— and often, to their own interest, does their conduct sometimes appear; indeed, it is often the kindest thought possible to entertain of thorn, and the only one conducive to forgiveness of their trying ways. It is common to say of such persons that they have terrible tempers, and it is questionable whether there is any attribute or peculiarity quite as obnoxious to the human race at large, and which causes a man to be quite as much avoided by those who are able to avoid him, and quite as much hated and feared by those who cannot, as this ono of a " temper." It has more power than any other to turn happiness into misery to extinguish youth and pleasure, to' render life a burden, and escape of any jsort — even through the gate of Death — a longed and prayed for roliof. It wrecks more homes than all the other ills of which human nature is aware. In marriage, incompatibility of means is bad, and incompatibility of tastes is worse; bat incompatibility of temper is hopeless. There is no relation of life which temper cannot ruin, no memories it cannot sour. And tho worst of it is that when people havo outgrown childhood and cast off discipline there is no euro save in the people themselves. Others can do nothing, and, as a rule, at any rate, do not try to do anything. " What a temper 1" they sigh. Then either flee or remain and bear it weeping. It would strike them as ridiculous nowadays to say, "What a devil!" and call :'n the nearest bishop to exorcise it. For purposes of classification tempers may be arranged undei eight subdivisions—the sweet, the good, the hot, the quick, the bad, the mad, the slow, the sulky. The sweet and the good are not the same, though only a thin line divides them. The good temper is born with a person, but the sweet one can be made. Of the sweet temper it may be said that its owner is a true gentleman, whatever may be his station or calling, and a truo Christian; one may go a step further and say he is a saint ; and certainly we have it on the best authority that he is " greater than he that taketh a city." He may have been born possessed of a devil, but he has learnt to cast it out <and to feel amiable until it becomes second nature. BORN— NOT MADE. The good temper is born in natures of low vitality, iron nerves and thick skin. These are insensitive to changes of moral atmosphere and what would wound another soul mortally barely inflicts a scratch on them. Tlie rest of their emotions are usually on a par with the temper — placid, imperturbable and sluggish. Those incapable of tho passion of anger must be incapablo of any other great passion. The hot and quick tempers aro not distinguishable by the other attributes o£ their possessor. They aro both signs of a temperament full of vitality, capi ablo of enthusiasm and strong feeling. But the hot temper is compatible with ! a weak mind and n cold, sometimes even cruel, heart. The hot tempered person flares up like a straw rick in flames, and is almost instantly cool again. He seldom if ever cherishes any resentment as soon as he has said his violent say. A hot temper is supposed to bo lovable, and the hot tompored races to be more romantic than their more sluggish brethren. But it is usually a sign of weakness of character. The quick temper, on tho other hand, may go hand in hand with a strong mind. It is susceptible of being controlled, which the hot temper is not. The quick tempered man may be swift to take fire and slower to strike; in tlie hot tempered man tho two aro simultaneous. The quick temper is far more likoly to be really generous, not because he feels less, but becauso he has a larger outlook. . The actually bad temper is the attribute of a very strong character and docided will. As such it is probably under- the perfect control of its possessor, and is a smouldering volcano under smiling green fields. But when tho psychological moment arrives, and the bad tempered man lets loose his demon, then it is tenfold more terrible than any other. While it waited, straining in the leash, it gathered force and concentration, and when free it seldom fails to strike exactly .where it meant. THE WORST OF ALL. The mad and the sulky tempers are the most thoroughly unpleasant demons of all. The first Is utterly outside its owner's control, so that it is not the emanation of a very strong mind, though, unlike the not temper, it lasts and is unforgiving. It is also indiscriminate, laying about it with such violence as to destroy all that is worth having in its own life and the life of those avound it. The mad temper is, however, capable of good impulses, i which the sulky temper it not. The

mad temper may be pitied, and some times, though rarely, loved. But n one genuinely loves a sulky temper which indeed is widely unpopular o. account ol the gloom it throws on ix surroundings to the eclipse of al gaiety, and on account of the fact that it never forgives and forgets, but goes on turning its grievance over and over like a growling dog with a bone. As to tho slow temper, it is the property of the samo sort of pachydermatous temperament as the good temper, the only difference being that its owners seldom" have as strong health and nerves. Their vitality is low, and when offended they do not hit back, but whine ; theirs is a mean spirited demon. It is impossible to be born with no temper at all, and it would be .goinj* too far to assert that no temper is c<ip able cf modification. Indeed, »vo know that devils can be cast out neck and crop. But what a pity that more people are not their own exoreisors inst.ad ol being, as they usually aro, proud of their especial demon ! "But I fancy that where gentle 3 lrs Rampant is wrong is that sho allows Mr Rampant to think that what aitreally concessions to his weakness are concessions to his wisdom . . and if years ago, beforo he became a sort of gunpowder cask at large, he had been asked if he wished Mrs Rampant to persuade herself and the little Rampants and tho servants to combine to persuade him that he was right when he was wrong, and wise when he was foolifih, and reasonable when ho was unjust, I think, he would have said •No ' : I do not believe ono could deliberately desire to be fooled by one's family for all tho best years of one's life ' And yet how many peoplo are 1"