§ 2—1. HASTY CONCLUSIONS. O 



" Each square in London is marked by its arms, set up in a 

 conspicuous position on one of the houses," he felt sure he 

 had ascertained the rule that guided us in one of our English 

 customs. 



3. Some of those who have formed theories on colours have 

 been equally hasty. Whatever might serve to confirm them 

 has been eagerly laid hold of; and certain analogies between 

 colour and sound have been brought forward to support some 

 preconceived notion. Burnet very justly observes, that in 

 the various theories respecting the harmony and effect of 

 colours there are many points of coincidence, and much 

 that has a foundation in truth and nature, but which when 

 applied to the examination of the works of those who 

 have excelled in colouring are inapplicable ; and this remark 

 applies with still greater force to the combination of colours for 

 decorative purposes, where nature is not the guide, and where 

 such positive contrasts are allowable, as would be harsh and 

 intolerable in a picture. 



4. Among the analogies of colour and sound which have 

 been seized upon to maintain a theory is the discovery made 

 by Newton while investigating the properties of light, " that 

 the lengths of the spaces occupied in the spectrum by the 

 seven primary colours exactly correspond to the lengths of 

 chords that sound the seven notes in the diatonic scale of 

 music." But this was merely the determination of an ac- 

 cidental analogy. " Newton on this subject proceeded no 

 further ;" and Hutton has shown the absurdity of pretensions 

 such as Father Castel put forth, of constructing a musical in- 

 strument that should present the analogous colours and sounds 

 to the eye and ear. " And if," he adds, " there be any analogy 

 between colours and sounds, they differ in so many other 

 points, that it need excite no wonder that his project shoidd 

 miscarry." * Such an experiment cannot aid the eye in 



* Mutton's " Recreations," vol. ii. part 4, prob. 55. 



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