24 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. I. 



seemed to him like white sepulchres with dark spirits hovering round. 

 Here he would strongly reform the present custom. The professors 

 should wear purple or terra-cotta coloured gowns, and the students baize 

 green. The eyes of the professor would rest with pleasure upon the 

 field of color before him, and the student would easily discern the robes 

 of the professor, The walls should be painted with such colors as would 

 lend a soft effect to the eye, and afford an illustration of the most pre- 

 vailing tints of nature. 



In reference to Mr. Sherwood's remarks as to the prevalence of color- 

 blindness in Philadelphia, Mr. Williams thought it impossible that it was 

 owing to the dress of the people or the color of the houses. There was 

 no lack of red in the exterior of the houses of Philadelphia, as they 

 were of red brick. There may be something in the interior of the 

 houses to produce the effect. 



Mr. Sherwood referred to the large quantity of marble used in the 

 buildings of Philadelphia. He was struck with the prevalence of white- 

 All the old buildings were white, many of the new buildings red. Color 

 was almost unknown in the streets. Over one out of five of the inhabi- 

 tants were compelled to wear glasses. It could not be accounted for on 

 any other theory than that of the absence of red. The cure was to 

 return to the draperies of the i6th century. Two centuries ago everyone 

 wore red. 



Mr. Harvey thought the theory was original. Some of the arguments, 

 however, were not conclusive. As to race he thought that different races 

 recognized different colors ; the pure blue of one race was not the pure 

 blue of another. 



Mr. Chamberlain agreed with Dr. Ryerson, who read a paper last 

 session, that the use of tobacco and intoxicating liquors was to a great 

 extent the cause of color-blindness. He could not draw the conclusion 

 that savage people could distinguish colors better than civilized, as in the 

 vocables of some Indian tribes the words for blue and green were the 

 same. He would like to know whether any experiment had been made 

 as to color-blindness among the lower animals. 



Mr. Sherwood referred to the work of the Indians, as shewing a nice 

 discrimination of the colors. In the basket work and bead work there was a 

 perfect arrangement of colors. All the different colors were most accurately 

 blended. Various incidents showed that the lower animals had a keen 

 perception of color. As to the effect of the use of tobacco and intoxi- 

 cating liquors, some of the most eminent artists who used them exces- 

 sively, produced the finest works. He instanced Moreland and Turner, 



