Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON-TEM-PER-A'TION, n.

1. The act of reducing a quality by admixture of the contrary; the act of moderating or tempering. – Brown.
2. Temperament; proportionate mixture; as, the contemperament of humors in different bodies. – Hale. [Instead of these words, temper and temperament are now generally used.]