STUDY X. 289 



tiiat which follows ; thus the whole together 

 appear to be only modulations of a progreffion, 

 of which white is the firft term, and black the laft. 



In this order, whereof the two extremes, white 

 and black, that is, light and darknefs, produce, 

 in harmonizing, fo many different colours, you 

 will remark, that the red colour holds the middle 

 place, and that it is the mod beautiful of the whole, 

 in the judgment of all Nations. The Ruffians, 

 when they would defcribe a beautiful girl, fay (he 

 is red. They call her craftna dévitfa : red and 

 beautiful being with them fynonimous terms. In 

 Mexico and Peru, red was held in very high efti- 

 mation. The moft magnificent prefent which the 

 Emperor Montezenma could devife for Cortez, was 

 a necklace of lobfters, which naturally had that 

 rich colour *. The only demand made upon the 

 Spaniards by the King of Sumatra, on their firft 

 landing in his country, and prefenting him with 

 many famples of the commerce and induftry of 

 Europe, was fome corals, and fcarlet-coloured 

 fluffs -j- ; and he promifed to give them, in return, 

 all the fpiceries, and other merchandize, of India, 

 for which they might have occailon. 



* See Herrera. 

 t See General Hiftory of Voyages by the Abbé Prevajî. 



VOL. II. u There 



