ON COLOUR 



AND ON 



THE NECESSITY OF TASTE BEING GENERAL. 



PART I. 

 ON COLOUR. 



§ 1. It has been generally remarked by foreigners, and as 

 generally admitted by ourselves, that the English are very 

 indifferent to the effect of colour for decorative or ornamental 

 purposes. We take little pleasure in studying the harmonious 

 arrangement of colours, either in dress, furniture, or architec- 

 ture; and when the attempt is made to compose coloured 

 designs we frequently tolerate and even admire discordant 

 or anomalous combinations. Indeed, we sometimes maintain 

 that bright colours not only fail to please, but are even dis- 

 agreeable ; and advocate the use of compound hues, neutral 

 tints, greys, and other so-called "quiet colours," in prefer- 

 ence to any combinations of the primaries, red, blue, and 

 yellow, and other colours of the prism. These we often pro- 

 nounce to be " gaudy." But bright colours are not neces- 

 sarily gaudy. It is when bright colours are put together 

 without due regard to their suitableness to each other, their 

 relative quantities, or the arrangement they require, that 

 they appear gaudy and glaring. Gaudy colours we may, in 



v, 



