SIR G. STOKES, BART., ON THE PERCEPTION OF COLOUR. 2()7 



effects on certain fibres by whicli the sense of pressure, and the 

 sense of heat and cold, are produced, 



Now I spoke of scientific men. There are scientific ladies also 

 — and ladies who are not scientific — and I am sure they will all 

 thoroughly sympathise with scientific men in their appreciation 

 of this beautiful theory. 



Sir George Stokes told us that every variety of colour may be 

 produced by the mixture of red, green and violet, and inJMaxwell's 

 practical work on the subject of which he spoke, white and black 

 are added in the mixture, white to dilute the intensity of the 

 colour; and black to diminish the total light emitted by a body 

 exposed to sunlight. 



N^ow in these times when ladies are so well occupied with 

 important work that they scarcely have time for shopping, it 

 would be a great comfort to them, if when they wanted a 

 beautiful blue ribbon, they could simply write down on a piece 

 of paper 2.5.7.3.4. and put it in an envelope and send it to the 

 shop ; or 3.4.0.2.0 a brilliant yellow, no black in it — 3 of red, 4 of 

 green, of violet, 2 of white to brighten it up a little and dilute 

 some of the colour. Do not imagine that jou will get green by 

 mixing yellow and blue — on the contrary, you get yellow by 

 mixing red and green, as was first taught by Young, enforced by 

 Helmholt.'i, and splendidly put in practice by Maxwell. 



Sir George Stokes spoke of design. Is it conceivable that the 

 luminiferous ether should throw out these effects by chance — that 

 the colours of the buttei-fly or of a beautiful flower should result 

 from a " fortuitous concourse of atoms," and having come by a 

 fortuitous concourse of atoms, they should give pleasui e, whatever 

 that may mean, to another fortuitous concourse of atoms consti- 

 tuting myself , and I. should — I don't know how to express it. The 

 atheistic idea is so nonsensical that I do not see how I can put it 

 in words. (Applause.) Surely design does not stop short at 

 the production of outside physical influences but includes giving 

 pleasure in the perception of colour. We cannot go further in 

 such thoughts just now. Surely they bring strong evidence indeed 

 of design, and if the Victoria Institute i-equired proof, I think 

 it needs nothing more than what we have heard to-day from the 

 President, and which we all feel in regard to the beautiful effects 

 of colour. (Applause.) 



I beg to propose a cordial vote of thanks to the President for 

 Lis most interesting lecture, and not only to him but to the eleven 



