10 ON COLOUR. Part I. 



proportions, they are living colours;" that "any primitive 

 colour may be destroyed by its opposite derivative" (or acci- 

 dental colour, as red by green, blue by orange, in equal propor- 

 tions) ; and that any " derivative colour may be destroyed by 

 adding the primitive not contained in it." But without stop- 

 ping to discuss this point it is sufficient to observe that the 

 effects of red on green, and of blue on orange, are totally dif- 

 ferent ; and if the two former diminish each other's intensity, 

 the latter mutually increase theirs, being contrasts, and each 

 giving to its companion its full power. {See below, pp. 61, 62.) 

 Others maintain that harmony of colour depends on the pri- 

 maries and their " derivatives " being used in the proportions 

 of the rainbow ; which, according to Newton, are (supposing 

 the whole to be 100), red 11, orange 8, yellow 14, green 17, 

 blue 17, pwiyle 11, and violet 22; but it is scarcely neces- 

 sary to say that the quantity of the secondary colours (58) 

 compared with that of the primaries (42) would not answer 

 for ornamentation, which depends on the contrast rather than 

 on the blending of colours; and this shows the fallacy of at- 

 tempting to form a theory respecting the harmony of colour 

 from scientific and other irrelevant data. 



That proportion must be of the highest importance in de- 

 corating with colours is most certain; and this applies to 

 every case where the object is to please the eye ; but the con- 

 ditions under which they are to be used must be considered ; 

 and it is not by seizing upon these or those scientific data that 

 rules are to be obtained for our guidance ; nor will any theory 

 suffice to establish the harmony of colours, or take the place 

 of the eye, by pronouncing beforehand on their effect. And 

 now before I proceed further, I beg to assure the reader that 

 these and whatever other remarks I may offer are not made 

 in a captious spirit, nor with any intention to censure the 

 opinions of others. My object is to place before him simple 

 facts, and notice some of those views which appear to me to 



