NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 197 



the ridiculous. Dr. Carpenter called attention to the fact, that different 

 chemical conditions of the plant produced chemical colors ; and the point 

 to be ascertained was, whether these were subservient to the laws of har- 

 mony sought to be established. 



ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HARMONY AND CONTRASTS OF COLORS. 



A work with the above title has recently been published by M. Che- 

 vreul, superintendent of the dyeing department of the royal (Gobelins) 

 manufactory of France, the object of which is to prove and explain the 

 influence of simultaneous contrasts of colors. M. Chevreul starts with 

 the following axiom, or rather dogma, viz : " That every color, when 

 placed beside another color, is changed, appearing different from what it 

 really is, and moreover equally modifies the color with which it is in 

 proximity." 



In accordance with the above proposition, M. Chevreul deduces the 

 following rules for the arrangement of colors in dress, for the selection of 

 flowers for bouquets and the decoration of furniture, all founded upon strict 

 philosophical laws : 



"Red Drapery. Rose-red cannot be put in contact with the rosiest 

 complexions without causing them to lose some of their freshness, as P 

 former experiment has demonstrated viz. : we were speaking of the 

 inconvenience resulting from the use of rose- colored linings in the boxes 

 of a theatre. * * * Dark-red is less objectionable for certain com- 

 plexions than rose-red, because, being higher than the latter, it tends to 

 impart whiteness to them, in consequence of contrast of tone. 



Green Drapery. A delicate green is, on the contrary, favorable to all fair 

 complexions which are deficient in rose, and. which may have more 

 imparted to them without inconvenience. But it is not as favorable to 

 complexions that are more red than rosy, nor to those that have a tint of 

 orange mixed with brown, because the red they add to this tint will be of a 

 brick-red hue. In the latter case a dark green will be less objectionable 

 than a delicate green. 



Yellow Drapery. Yellow imparts violet to a fair skin, and in this view 

 it is less favorable than a delicate green. To those skins which are more 

 yellow than orange, it imparts white ; but this combination is very dull 

 and heavy for a fair complexion. When the skin is tinted more with 

 orange than yellow, we can make it roseate by neutralizing the yellow. It 

 produces this effect upon the black-haired type, and it is thus that it suits 

 brunettes. 



Violet Draper ics. Violet, the complementary of yellow, produces con- 

 trary effects ; thus, it imparts some greenish-yellow to fair complexions. 

 It augments the yellow tint of yellow and orange skins. The little blue 

 there may be in a complexion it makes green. Violet, then, is one of the 

 least favorable colors to the skin, at least when it is not sufficiently deep to 

 whiten it by contrast of tone. 



