Vth CASE.

View of Various Colours, more or less well assorted, seen through the Medium of a feebly coloured Glass.

(179.) Different colours, more or less well assorted ac cording to the law of contrast, being seen through a coloured glass which is not sufficiently deep as to make us see all the colours of the tint peculiar to the glass, afford a spectacle which is not without its charm, and which evidently stands between that produced by tones of the same scale, and that by colours more or less well assorted; for it is evident that if the glass was deeper in colour, it would cause every object to appear entirely of its own peculiar colour.

(180.) We conclude from this that there are six distinct harmonies of colours, comprised in two kinds.

Ist KIND.

Harmonies of Analogous Colours.

1. The harmony of scale, produced by the simultaneous
view of different tones of a single scale, more or
less approximating.

2. The harmony of hues, produced by the simultaneous
view of tones of the same height, or nearly so, be-
longing to scales more or less approximating.
3. The harmony of a dominant coloured light, produced
by the simultaneous view of different colours as-
sorted conformably to the law of contrast, but one
of them predominating, as would result from seeing
these colours through a slightly stained glass.

IInd KIND.

Harmonies of Contrasts

1. The harmony of contrast of scale, produced by the simultaneous view of two tones of the same scale, very distant from each other.

2. The harmony of contrast of hues, produced by the simultaneous view of tones of different height, each belonging to contiguous scales.

3. The harmony of contrast of colours, produced by the simultaneous view of colours belonging to scales very far asunder, assorted according to the law of contrast the difference in height of juxtaposed tones may also augment the contrast of colours.

§ 4.

ASSORTMENTS OF RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, AND VIOLET WITH WHITE, BLACK, AND GREY,

(181.) It will not be contrary to the object proposed in the second part of this work, to introduce in this place some observations relative to the kind of beauty of a certain number of arrangements of primary colours with White, Black, and Grey; but, before stating them, I cannot too strongly insist upon the fact, that they are not given as a rigorous deduction from scientific rules, for they are but the expressions of my peculiar idea; yet I hope that many classes of artists, particularly dressmakers, decorators of all kinds, designers of patterns for textile fabrics, paper-hangings, &c., will derive some benefit from consulting them.

(182.) The Ground, as well as the interval we place between the coloured materials, having some influence upon the effect of colours, I apprise the reader that all my observations have been made with coloured, black, white, and grey circles of 4ths of an inch in diameter, separated by equal intervals of ths of an inch; thirteen circles arranged in a straight line forming a series.

(183.) The series intended to enable us to appreciate the effect of white was upon a ground of normal grey; the one to enable us to appreciate the effect of Black and of Grey was upon a White ground slightly tinged Grey. It is necessary to remark that the coloured circles placed apart were upon black grounds, which could not but exercise some influence.

(184.) The colours which formed the object of my observations, are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet. When considered in respect to their brilliancy, the differ

ences which they present are sufficiently great to admit of their being divided into two groups: the one containing Yellow, Orange, Red, and bright Green; the other Blue and Violet, which, at the same height of tone, are not so brilliant as the first. I shall call the first group luminous colours, the second sombre colours; nevertheless, I must observe that the deep and broken tones of the luminous scale may in many cases be assimilated with the sombre colours, in the same manner that the light tones of Blue and Violet can sometimes be employed as luminous colours in certain assortments.

ARTICLE 1.

Colours with White.

A. BINARY ASSORTMENTS.

(185.) All the primary colours gain by their juxtaposition with White; that is certain; but the resulting binary assortments are not equally agreeable, and we remark that the height of tone of the colour has a great influence upon the effect of its assortment with White.

The binary assortments in the order of greatest beauty are as follows:

Light Blue and White.

Rose

and White.

Dark Blue and dark Red produce, with White, too strong a contrast of tone to allow of their association being as agreeable as that of their light tones.

Yellow, being a light colour, for the opposite reason we must take the normal tone, or the highest tone of pure Yellow, to produce the best possible effect.

Dark Green and Violet contrast too much in tone with White to allow of their association being as agreeable as that made with the light tones of these colours.

Finally, the objection which can be made to the combination of Orange with White is, too much brilliancy; nevertheless I should not be astonished if many persons preferred it to the association of Violet with White.

B. TERNARY ASSORTMENT OF COLOURS COMPLEMENTARY TO EACH OTHER WITH WHITE.

(186.) It is to me impossible to establish a beautiful effect between the binary associations of complementary primary colours; what I shall say will reduce itself to an examination of the effect of White interposed, whether it be between the binary complementary assortment, or between each of the complementary colours.

Red and Green.

(187.) 1. Red and Green are the complementary colours most equal in height; for Red, under its relation of brilliancy, holds a middle place between Yellow and Blue, and in Green the two extremes are united.

2. The assortment White, Red, Green, White, &c., is decidedly not superior to the preceding (1), still less so when the colours are not

deep.

3. The assortment White, Red, White, Green, White, &c., seems to me inferior to the preceding (2).

Blue and Orange.

(188.) 1. Blue and Orange are more opposed to each other than Red and Green, because the less bril

liant colour, Blue, is isolated; whereas the most brilliant are united in Orange.

2. The assortment White, Orange, Blue, White, &c., is agreeable.

3. The assortment White, Orange, White, Blue, White, &c., is the same.

Yellow and Violet.

(189.) 1. Yellow and Violet form the most distinct assortment under the relation of height of tone, since the lightest, or the least intense colour, Yellow, is isolated from the others.

It is from this great contrast of tone that deep greenish-yellow, but at the same time

pure, mixes better with light Violet than light Yellow with deep Violet.

2. The assortment White, Yellow, Violet, White, &c., appears to me inferior to the preceding

(1).

3. The assortment White, Yellow, White, Violet, White, &c., appears to me inferior to the preceding (2).

C. TERNARY ASSORTMENT OF NON-COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS WITH WHITE.

Red and Orange.

(190.) 1. Red and Orange are very bad together. 2. The assortment White, Red, Orange, White, is not at all preferable.

3. The assortment White, Red, White, Orange, White, &c., is not so bad as the preceding, because White being favourable to all colours, its interposition between colours which injure each other can only produce an advantageous effect.

Red and Yellow.

(191.) 1. Red and Yellow do not assort badly, especially if the Red is more Purple than Scarlet, and the Yellow more Green than Orange.

2. The assortment White, Red, Yellow, White, &c., is preferable to the preceding (1).

3. The assortment White, Red, White, Yellow, White, &c. is still better.

Red and Blue.

(192.) 1. Red and Blue are passable, especially if the Red inclines more to Scarlet than to Crimson.

The dark tones are preferable to the light tones.

2. The assortment White, Red, Blue, White, &c., is preferable to the first (1).

3. The assortment White, Red, White, Blue, White, &c., is preferable to the second (2).