COLOR. 55 



bring into the servi ce, E ed or Yellow ; such coloring would be most appropriate 

 for a library or study. Blue suggests and predisposes to thought, and should 

 prevail ; primaries or tertiaries may be used to gain additional effect, but care 

 should be taken not to let the proportions alter with regard to the two colors 

 which are merely used to heighten the effect of the one. They should 

 act, as it were, as chords to the key note, the tone of which it is desired 

 should speak its language in the room. 



The words contrast and harmony are not so much opposed to each 

 other as seems to be generally considered, for a good and proper contrast 

 must always be productive of harmony. For a breakfast-room, a bright 

 Green is most applicable, for it looks cheery and refreshing. For a dining- 

 room I would advise Red, emblematic of health. For a drawing-room 

 where elegance and purity should be found, a pale primrose would answer 

 the purpose. Care should always be taken to have the floor of the room 

 deeper in tone than the walls, the tone of which should be deeper than the 

 tone of the ceiling. 



I am fully aware what a difficult matter it Avould be to persuade some 

 people to adopt any such mode of coloring, for it is only when the eye is 

 educated that it is enabled to see the harmony and to enjoy it Many 

 people are content to follow in the stejjs of their forefathers, (right or wrong,) 

 having firm faith that what they have been accustomed to is right, and as 

 Moore forcibly expresses it — 



"The babe may cease to think that it can play, 

 With heavens rainbow ; Alchymists may doubt 

 The shining gold their crucible gives out, 

 But faith, fanatic faith once wedded fast 

 To some dear falsehood, hugs it to the last." 



I have myself met with persons who were not only totally ignorant of 

 the law of color, but have even been unable to see the effect of light and 

 shade. One of these once remarked when looking at a draAving of a head 

 "It's sadly spoilt Avith those black marks under the nose and chin." (the 

 marks alluded to were the shadows cast) In vain I endeavoured to explain 

 to him the cattse of the effect he so much disliked, and as a last resource 

 I placed myself in a position similar, and arranged the light to fall on my 

 face in the same manner as the light fell on the picture ; but he failed to 

 observe any difference betwixt the side of my face on which a broad light 

 fell, and the side which was in shadow. Some may think such a thing scarcely 

 probable, but there are many such cases. An artistic friend of mine amvised 



