52 
APPLICATION OF THE SCARLET BLOT, TO A GROUP OF 
SCARLET FLOWERS. 
The pencil of nature seems to have been more frequently dipped in 
this colour, to beautify the various flowers and plants, &c. that display 
the numberless shades and varieties of its tints, than almost any othei colour. 
The whole tribe of poppies, anenomes, ranunculus, tulips, with 
many other beautiful specimens of the varieties of this colour, afford ample 
choice of subject, to exercise both the fancy and judgment ot the painter, 
in disposing it in a group; but amongst this variety, there requires some 
care to select the shade of colour that may be denominated pure scailet, 
or prismatic red. I believe the poppy will aflord it more exactly than any 
other flower; therefore we will suppose the present blot to be a group of 
scarlet poppies, of which there are various shades, from a very light and 
almost orange scarlet, to one so deep, as to approach to the crimson. 
The medium between these two extremes, is what we are to work 
with; for the one tint, by a mixture with orange, approaches to that colour; 
and the other, by a mixture with violet, becomes a crimson; and though it 
may be useful hereafter to know how to arrange and manage compositions 
with these colours, at present we will confine ourselves to the pure scarlet; 
the harmonizing tint to which is a tint between scarlet and crimson, formed 
by a mixture of both together, and is a rich and beautiful colour. Should the 
flower made choice of, have seeds, differing in colour from the petals, of 
orange or yellow, as is most usual, the introducing a fourth colour is un¬ 
avoidable; and not to be regretted either, as it will improve and give spirit 
to the group, for merely red and green alone is not a pleasing mixture. 
The introducing yellow or orange, gives an opportunity of bringing in either 
blue, or lilac; and all these colours, if well managed, may produce a very 
