The Signs & Humours According to Renaissance Astrology + an astrological technique to determine the Temperament

In Traditional astrology, the fire and earth signs are still considered masculine and the earth and water feminine. However, the masculine signs are also considered Hot as they belong to the Solar sect (i.e. they are diurnal: they have an affinity to the Sun / daytime). The feminine signs are considered Cold as they belong to the Lunar sect - they are nocturnal and share their affinity with the Moon.
Traditionally the 4 humours formed a greater part of character analysis than in modern astrology. The correspondences of the elements are:
Earth - dry and cold - melancholic - black bile
Air - warm and moist - sanguine - blood
Fire - hot and dry - choleric - yellow bile
Water - cold and wet - phlegmatic - phlegm

In modern astrology the elements are used to describe a person: so a Taurus person could be seen as earthy. However if the humours are also used, then a Taurus could also possess a melancholic side as Earth corresponds to Melancholia
This gives an extra dimension when interpreting the character, however in order to be accurate it is necessary to assess temperament according to certain criteria and lists of rules. But:
The Earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn can be considered dry and cold / melancholic
The Air signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius can be considered warm and moist / sanguine
The Fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius can be considered hot and dry / choleric
The Water signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces can be considered cold and moist / phlegmatic

However as stated above, it is  impossible to determine from the sun sign what the temperament of the native is: they may be born under watery Pisces for example but be of choleric or sanguine temperament. In order to avoid this simplisitc type of judgement, a system has been devised by the 17th century astrologer William Lilly to determine the humour of the patient from the horoscope alone. (Sometimes it is easy to determine from appearance, complexion and manner alone the dominant hunour, but not always; and most people are a combination of humours though one is often dominant.)
Once the humour can be determined, the personality ~ both strengths and weaknesses become understandable and individualised guidelines for lifestyle, diet, and daily living can be imparted.
Much in the way that the Ayurvedic system of diagnosis and treatment is given in Indian/Vedic Medicine or the 5 Elements is used in Chinese Medicine.

Below is given one astrological technique for working out temperament from the natal horoscope. As an example we can use the horoscope of Rosie Grady who was born on May 1st 1964 in London at 21.50
You may find it helpful to look up her astrological chart: you can use astrodienst website for this free.

The following steps are taken, initially noting the qualities of signs in the horoscope as follows:

1. Note the Ascending sign.
In this chart it is Scorpio: a cold and moist sign

2. Note the Planet ruling the Ascendant.
In this chart it is Mars: a hot and dry sign. (Traditional Astrology does not use the outer planets as rulers of the signs.)

3. Note the sign positions of planets in aspect to the ascendant degree. So look at the aspects to the ascendants and what signs their planets are in.
In this chart Saturn is square to the Ascendant. Saturn is in Pisces: a cold and moist sign.

4. The sign position of the Moon.
In this chart the moon is in Capricornus: a cold and dry sign.

5. The sign positions of planets in aspect to the Moon.
In this chart Saturn is in sextile to the Moon. Saturn is in Pisces: a cold and moist sign;
Jupiter is in trine to the Moon. Jupiter is in Taurus: a cold and dry sign
Mercury is in trine to the Moon. Mercury is in Taurus: a cold and dry sign
The Sun is in trine to the Moon. The Sun is in Taurus: a cold and dry sign

6. The sign position of the dispositor of the Moon.
Moon is in Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn. Saturn is therefore the Moon's dispositor. Saturn is in Pisces: a cold and moist sign.

7.The season of the year. The Sun is between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. The qualities of spring are hot and moist

8. The sign position of the planet in the horoscope which according to its placing is strongest in essential and accidental fortitudes.
The sign position which has the most essential dignity is Mars which is in Aries: a hot and dry sign

At this point the scores for Hot, Cold, Dry and Moist are totalled.

Then added to these scores are the following placements:

The qualities of each of the planets (bar the Moon) according to their relationship with the Sun.
(Lily gives a table of qualities with which to measure the planets relationship. ( A link will follow soon).
It is necessary to note whether each planet is rising before the Sun ( Oriental) or setting after the Sun ( Occidental).
A method to judge which applies is: look at the Sun in the chart and note which is the shorter: is it the clockwise distance from the Sun to the planet in question; or the anti clockwise distance? If the clockwise distance is the shorter, the planet is oriental. If the anti-clockwise distance is shorter, it is occidental. 

In this chart,
Saturn is occidental: therefore according to the table of qualities: dry
Jupiter is occidental: therefore  "                                 : moist
Mars is occidental: therefore "                                    : dry
Venus is oriental: therefore "                                       : hot and moist
Mercury is occidental therefore "                                : dry

Moon phase at birth  (see forthcoming table):
3 days before Last Quarter:                                            : cold & dry

These totals are added to the first set of totals giving the final totals for each of the qualities as:

Hot       4
Cold     9
Dry     10
Moist    7

The highest total for Hot/Cold is Cold  (9)
The highest total for Dry/Moist is Dry  (10)
Therefore the temperament is Cold and Dry which corresponds to Earth & the Melancholic humour.

I can confirm that this tally reflects most accurately the humour of this individual who has the appearance and characteristics (see separate entry for temperament characteristics) of Melancholy which largely dominates over the other humours in her case.
In this case the sun was indeed in an Earth sign (Taurus). A second example will soon be given in which the temperament differs from the Sun sign.

tbc

Quotes

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. Albert Einstein

A Goal without a Plan is Just a Wish!
Antoine de St. Ex

"The more we live by our intellect, the less we understand the meaning of life." Leo Tolstoy, author (1828-1910)

"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." Plato

"As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do." Mae West

"No human being believes that any other human being has a right to be in bed when he himself is up." Robert Lynd