402 Dr. Dickie on Associations of Colour and Relations 



gular — in blotches." All these statements are far from repre- 

 senting the trnth. 



Without alluding to differences of opinion which have been 

 recently published regarding the law of harmonious colours, it 

 may be sufficient to allude briefly to the views usually enter- 

 tained by physicists and most generally adopted. White or 

 compound light consists of three simple colours called primaries, 

 viz. yellow, red, and blue; combinations of these yield secon- 

 daries ; — yellow and red give orange, yellow and blue give green, 

 red and blue give purple. Combinations of secondaries yield ter- 

 tiary colours, — green and orange give citrine, purple and green 

 give olive, orange and purple yield russet. 



A primary and secondary, together containing all the prima- 

 ries, are complements to each other; for example, yellow and 

 purple ; red and green ; blue and orange. The presence of all 

 the colours either separate or combined (which form white or 

 compound light) is a physical want of the organ of vision. 



The artist recognizes a melody of colours, that is, gradations 

 of hues and shades, and speaks of harmony when complementary 

 colours are present. A white line (or black) between two colours 

 not complementary subdues discord. There is a correspondence 

 between the depth of any hue and that of its complement ; for 

 example, red-purple and yellow-green are associated. Every 

 association of colour in the organic world may be regarded as 

 an actual embodiment of results, which cannot be otherwise than 

 in strict harmony with those great principles which have guided 

 the plans of the Great Author of nature. 



It is worthy of notice, that colour is the foundation of one of 

 the more recent classifications of Alga?, that of Professor Harvey. 

 They are divided by him into red, green, and olive ; among the 

 red series are comprehended many which present various tints, 

 of purple for example, and in the olive series not a few are 

 yellow-green. All this is in strict accordance with the views just 

 adverted to. 



Among the family of the Mosses the red or red-purple teeth 

 of the peristome are associated with the green or yellow-green 

 capsule ; the same is true of the different parts of their stems 

 and leaves. 



In flowering plants the cases are so numerous, that only one 

 example or two need be recorded. 



Primula vulgaris. 



Young leaves (^lk, red-purple. 

 ° [leaf, yellow-green. 



Caladium pictum. 



, f ("centre, red or red-purple. 

 a [border, green or yellow-green. 



