§ 9. POSITIONS OF COLOURS. 1 1 



be erroneous and liable to mislead. I hope also to be ex- 

 cused for so often repeating the same remarks ; and though 

 the " decies repetita" may not " please" it may fulfil my ob- 

 ject of directing attention to those particular points which 

 appear to be most deserving of it, and induce others to con- 

 firm, or (if they really see good reasons for it) to show any 

 error in, my conclusions. Nowhere, perhaps, is it more 

 necessary to detect fallacies than when pointing out the use 

 of colour. If, then, I notice any word which seems to be 

 employed by some one in a questionable sense, it is merely 

 with the view of preventing a misapprehension of its meaning ; 

 and I gladly abstain from objecting to any theory provided it 

 has no tendency to mislead. To discuss all that have been 

 proposed, or even those relating to the position of different 

 colours in the interior of a building, would neither be neces- 

 sary nor desirable ; but I cannot omit to mention one which, 

 from its possessing a certain amount of plausibility, has ob- 

 tained many supporters. 



9. According to this, because the grass which grows at our 

 feet is green, this colour should be placed at the lower part of 

 a wall ; while the brown earth being below the grass, brown is 

 required to be in a still lower position ; and by a parity of 

 reasoning the sky claims for blue the most exalted place in 

 the interior of a coloured building. As similes, these relative 

 positions of the earth and sky are unobjectionable ; but the 

 moment they are put forth as reasons for the arrangement of 

 their respective colours, they are inadmissible ; for though 

 blue demands a prominent place in a ceiling, this is not 

 because the sky is blue : cold transparent colours are of use 

 in that position, as they tend to give suitable lightness to the 

 upper parts of a room ; and it is well known how a proper 

 selection and disposition of colours may convey an impression 

 of additional height, when required, and accord with the gra- 

 dations of distance and other necessary conditions. 



