34 
I come now to shadows, which I omitted speaking of in the early part 
of this work, intending to speak of them here, and consider them both as 
to form and colour: a very few examples will serve to shew^they must be 
of whatever form the object is that^hrows them, and that they are subject 
to tbe same rules of perspective fcbffit the objects themselves abb.; but for a 
nicer delineation, a fuller knowledge of that branch .of perspective is ne¬ 
cessary : and, though it may seem foreign to fl^werrdrawing, I must beg leave 
to observe, that it matters not whether the .asMaiaw a shadow is projected 
upon is hard or soft, if of substance enough to receive a shadow upon it; 
and that it will always add beauty to a picture to have the shadows thrown 
with truth and judgment. 
In regard to the colour of shadows, here observation must be called in 
to aid, though there are some general rules to be followed as guides; for 
instance, that two contiguous colours mixed together will form the colour 
of the shadow, projected from one upon the other, strong in proportion to 
the degree of light upon it, and obscure or indistinct in proportion to the 
opacity of the object that throws it, which may be such as to render the 
interior part of the shadow quite dark, and only visibly coloured at the 
termination; or the object may be so transparent as to cause a very slight, 
shadow, in which case, the colour of it will also be slight: but expe¬ 
rience must supply nicer rules. I shall only say further, that the putting- 
in the shadows in their proper tone, has a very great share in the harmony 
of the picture, and that this alone shews the necessity of studying the com¬ 
pound tints. 
I hope I shall not, by what I have said, be thought to have put an 
undue restraint upon placing the colours, or not to have left a practitioner 
at full liberty, who certainly may make choice of whatever colours are 
agreeable, and have a picture either brilliant or obscure. What I wish to 
enfoice is, that when that point is determined, that p 7 'oper colours may be 
employed to produce the desired effect, and not to expect it otherwise, for 
some parts would either be too warm,or too cold ; in short, it would never 
be in harmony, if the perspective gradation of the colours (if I may use 
