NOMENCLATURE OF COLOURS
APPLICABLE TO

THE

ARTS AND NATURAL SCIENCES
TO

MANUFACTURES
AND OTHER PURPOSES OP GENERAL

UTILITY

BY

D. R. HAY
SECOND EDITION IMPROVED

W I L L I A M B L A C K W O O D & SONS
E D I N B U R G H AND LONDON
MDCCCXLVI

E D I N B U R G H : P R I N T E D B Y B A L L A N T Y N E ANT) H U G H E S ,
PAUL'S WORK, CANONGATE.

*

CONTENTS.
\
X
Page
0>

INTRODUCTION

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10
12
14

OF PRIMARY COLOURSRED

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YELLOW

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BLUE

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OF SECONDARY COLOURS—•
ORANGE

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GREEN

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15
16
17

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PURPLE

OF THE TERTIARY COLOURS OR PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY HUES
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18

OF THE NUMERICAL POWERS AND PROPORTIONS
OF COLOURS AND HUES
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20

OF THE RELATIVE POWERS OF COLOURS AND
HUES

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'

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27

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OF THE NAMES OF COLOURS AND HUES

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31

Q

OF THE NAMES OF COLOURS IN HERALDRY

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35

%

OF POPULAR NAMES OF COLOURS

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37

4-

OF TINTS AND SHADES

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39

«*

APPENDIX

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59

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INDEX TO PLATES.

PLATE

I. THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY COLOURS.
II. THE PRIMARY HUES AND SECONDARY COLOURS.
III. THE SECONDARY HUES AND PRIMARY COLOURS.
IV. THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY HUES.
V. TINTS OF RED AND SHADES OF GREEN.
VI. TINTS OF GREEN AND SHADES OF RED.
VII. TINTS OF YELLOW AND SHADES OF PURPLE.
VIII. TINTS OF PURPLE AND SHADES OF YELLOW.
IX. TINTS OF BLUE AND SHADES OF ORANGE.
X. TINTS OF ORANGE AND SHADES OF BLUE.
XI. RED-ORANGE AND BLUE-GREEN.
XII. YELLOW-ORANGE AND BLUE-PURPLE.
XIII. YELLOW-GREEN AND RED-PURPLE.
XIV. TINTS OF RED-ORANGE AND SHADES OF BLUE-GREEN.
XV. TINTS OF BLUE-GREEN AND SHADES OF RED-ORANGE.
XVI. TINTS

OF

YELLOW-ORANGE

PURPLE.

AND SHADES

OF

BLUE-

2

INDEX TO PLATES.

PLATE
XVII. TINTS OF BLUE-PURPLE

AND SHADES

OF

YELLOW-

ORANGE.
XVIII. TINTS

OF

YELLOW-GREEN

AND

SHADES

OF

RED-

PURPLE.
XIX. TINTS

OF

RED-PURPLE

AND SHADES

OF

YELLOW-

GREEN.
XX. TINTS OF RUSSET OR RED-HUE AND TINTS OF GREENHUE.
XXI. TINTS OF CITRINE OR YELLOW HUE AND TINTS

OF

PURPLE-HUE,
XXII. TINTS OF OLIVE OR BLUE-HUE AND TINTS OF ORANGEHUE.
XXIII. TEMPERED RED AND TEMPERED GREEN.
XXIV. TEMPERED YELLOW AND TEMPERED PURPLE.
XXV. TEMPERED BLUE AND TEMPERED ORANGE.
XXVI. TEMPERED

RUSSET

OR

RED-HUE

AND

TEMPERED

GREEN-HUE.
XXVII. TEMPERED CITRINE OR YELLOW-HUE AND TEMPERED
PURPLE-HUE.
XXVIII. TEMPERED

OLIVE

OR

BLUE-HUE

AND

TEMPERED

ORANGE-HUE.
XXIX. TINTS OF TEMPERED RED AND TEMPERED GREEN.
XXX. TINTS OF TEMPERED YELLOW AND TEMPERED PURPLE.
XXXI. TINTS OF TEMPERED BLUE AND TEMPERED ORANGE.
XXXII. TINTS OF TEMPERED RED-HUE AND TEMPERED GREENHUE.
XXXIII. TINTS OF TEMPERED
PURPLE-HUE.

YELLOW-HUE

AND

TEMPERED

INDEX TO PLATES

3

PLATE
XXXIV. TINTS

OF

TEMPERED

BLUE-HUE

AND

TEMPERED

ORANGE-HUE.
XXXV. LIGHT TINTS OF RED AND OF GREEN-HUE.
XXXVI. LIGHT TINTS OF YELLOW AND OF PURPLE-HUE.
XXXVII. LIGHT TINTS OF BLUE AND OF ORANGE-HUE.
XXXVIII. LIGHT TINTS OF GREEN AND OF RED-HUE.
XXXIX. LIGHT TINTS OF PURPLE AND OF YELLOW-HUE.
XL. LIGHT TINTS OF ORANGE AND OF BLUE-HUE.

INTRODUCTION,

THERE is not amongst the various phenomena of nature,
one that more readily excites our admiration, or imparts
a more vivid impression of the order, variety, and harmonious beauty of the creation, than that of colour. On
the general landscape this phenomenon is displayed in
the production of that chromatic beauty in which the
elements of colour are so variously and harmoniously
blended, and in which they are by light, shade, and
distance, modified in such an infinity of gradation and
hue. Although genius is continually struggling, with
but partial success, to imitate those effects, yet through
the Divine beneficence, all whose organs of sight are in
an ordinary degree of perfection, can appreciate and
enjoy them. In Winter this pleasure is often to a certain extent withdrawn, while the colourless snow alone
A

2

A NOMENCLATURE

clothes the surface of the earth; but this is only a
pause in the general harmony, which, as the Spring
returns, addresses itself the more pleasingly to our
perception in its vernal melody : this, again, gradually
resolving itself into the full rich tones of luxuriant
beauty exhibited in the foliage and flowers of Summer, which subsequently rise into the more vivid and
powerful harmonies of Autumn's colouring, prepares
the eye again to enjoy that rest which such exciting
causes may be said to have rendered necessary.
When we pass from the general colouring of nature
to that of particular objects, we are again rapt in
wonder and admiration by the beauty and harmony
which so constantly and in such infinite variety present themselves to our view, and which are so often
found combined in the most minute objects. But the
systematic order and uniformity perceptible amidst
this endless variety in the colouring of animate and
inanimate nature, is another characteristic of beauty
equally prevalent throughout the creation.
By this uniformity in colour various species of animals are often distinguished, and in each individual of
most of these species, how much is this beauty enhanced
when the uniformity prevails in the resemblance of
their lateral halves ! The human countenance exemplifies this in a striking manner; the slightest variety
of colour between one and another of the double parts
is at once destructive of beauty. Many of the lower
animals, whether inhabitants of the earth, the air, or

OF COLOURS.

3

the water, owe much of their beauty to this kind of
uniformity in the colour of the furs, feathers, scales,
or shells, with which they are clothed.
In the vegetable kingdom we find a great degree
of uniformity of colour in the leaves, flowers, and fruit
of the same plant, combined with all the harmonious
beauty of variety which a little careful examination
develops.
In the colours of minerals, too, the same may be observed. In short, in the beauty of colouring, as in
every other species of beauty, uniformity and variety
are found to combine.
An appreciation of colour depends, in the first place,
as much upon the physical powers of the eye in conveying a proper impression to the mind, as that of
music on those of the ear. But an ear for music, or an
eye for colour, are, in so far as beauty is concerned,
erroneous expressions; because they are merely applicable to the impression made upon the senses, and
do not refer to the aesthetical principle of appreciation, by which harmony and beauty can alone be understood.
A good eye, combined with experience, may enable
us to form a correct idea as to the purity of an individual colour, or of the relative difference existing between two separate hues; but this sort of discrimination
does not constitute that kind of appreciation of the
harmony of colour, by which we admire and enjoy
its development in nature and art. The power of

4

A NOMENCLATURE

perceiving and appreciating beauty of any kind, is a
principle inherent in the human mind, which, like
every other mental power, may be improved by cultivation. Great pains has been bestowed on the education of the ear, in assisting it to appreciate the melody
and harmony of sound; but much still remains to be
done in regard to the cultivation of the eye in appreciating form and colour.
It is true that there are individuals whose powers
of vision are perfect in so far as regards the appreciation of light, shade, and configuration, but who are
totally incapable of perceiving the effect of the intermediate phenomenon of colour, every object appearing to them either white, black, or neutral grey; others
who are equally blind as to the effect of one of the
primary elements of colour, and see the other two
singly and combined; while there are many who, having the full physical power of perceiving all the varieties
of the phenomenon, and who are even capable of
making nice distinctions, are yet incapable of appreciating the sesthetical quality of harmony which exists
in a proper combination of the elements of chromatic
beauty. It is the same with respect to the effects of
sounds upon the ear—some have organs so constituted, that notes above or below a certain pitch are
to them inaudible; while others with physical powers
otherwise perfect, are incapable of appreciating either
melody or harmony in musical composition.
But perceptions so imperfectly constituted, are, by

OF COLOURS.

5

the goodness of the Creator, of very rare occurrence;
therefore all attempts at improvement in the science
of aesthetics, must be suited to the capacities of the
generality of mankind, amongst whom the perception
of colour exists in a variety as great as that by which
their countenances are distinguished. Some artists have
this perception intuitively in such perfection, that they
are capable of transferring to their works the most beautiful harmonies and most delicate gradations of colours,
in a manner that no acquired knowledge could have
enabled them to do. To those who possess such a
gift, as well as to those to whom the Deity in his infinite wisdom has denied the ordinary powers of perception, it would be equally useless to offer an explanation of the modes of arrangement, or to attempt a
definition of the almost infinitely various colours, hues,
tints, and shades arising out of the simple elements of
this phenomenon. But to those whose powers lie between these extremes, being neither above nor below
cultivation, such an explanation and definition must form
a step towards the improvement of that inherent principle which constitutes the basis of sesthetical science.
The variety and harmony of colour which nature
is continually presenting to our view, is apparent to
all whose visual organs are in a natural state, and
thus to the generality of mankind; but a knowledge
of the simplicity of the elements producing this variety
and beauty, has been the result of ages of philosophic research and experimental enquiry.

6

A NOMENCLATURE

Light is understood to be an active, and darkness a
passive principle; while colour is an intermediate
phenomenon.
According to Goethe, the eye owes its existence to
light, which calls forth, as it were, a sense that is akin
to itself; or, in other words, that a dormant light resides in the eye, which may be excited from within or
from without. Goethe observes—" In darkness, we
can, by an effort of our imagination, call up the brightest images; in dreams, objects appear to us as in broad
daylight; awake, the slightest external action of light
is perceptible, and, if the organ suffers an actual shock,
light and colours spring forth."*
He likewise clearly shows that colour is a law of
nature in relation with the sense of sight, as well as an
elementary phenomenon, which, " like all others,
exhibits itself by separation and contrast, by commixture and union, by augmentation and neutralization, and by communication and dissolution." f Under
these general terms, the nature of colour is fully comprehended.
White and black are representatives of the principles
of light and darkness; and yellow, red, and blue, the
* Goethe's Theory of Colours, translated by Eastlake. London :
J . Murray. 1840. Introduction, p. 39. A work rendered as
valuable to the artist by the notes and observations of the translator, as it is interesting to the general reader by the truly philosophical, and, at the same time, popular manner in which the
subject is treated.

t Ibid.

OF COLOURS.

7

primary elements of colour, out of which, by commixture and union amongst themselves, every conceivable
variety of colour and hue arises.
The nature and qualities of these elements of chromatic beauty must be well understood before a correct
idea can be formed of, or proper names given to, their
various combinations. White and black are not
colours themselves, but are, as the representatives of
light and darkness, simply the modifiers of colours, in
reducing them, and the hues arising from them, by
their attenuating and neutralizing effects, to tints and
shades respectively.
The distinctive characteristic of a mixed colour, must
therefore depend upon the mode in which the primaries are combined in its composition; and, as these
elements are but three in number, we can only have
other two distinct kinds; namely, those in which two
of them occur called secondary colours, and those in
which the whole three are combined, generally called
tertiary colours. These last are, however, more properly called hues, because they are colours only by the
predominance or subordination in their composition of
one or other of the three primaries, above or below its
natural power of neutralization, as shall afterwards be
shown.
So much for the nature of the primary elements of
colour. Their powers shall now be considered.
That these elements can be produced in perfect
purity, seems a physical impossibility; even in the

8

A NOMENCLATURE

solar spectrum they cannot be perfectly separated by
any refracting power yet discovered, but are all to a
certain extent mixed with those that lie next them in
series. Notwithstanding this difficulty, their powers
have been ascertained by various practical experiments, especially those performed by Field,* to be, in
regard to their capability of reflecting light in ratios,
somewhat similar to those of the tonic, mediant, and
dominant of the musical scale, or more properly to the
harmonic ratios. It will therefore be found, that
taking the purest powdered pigments that art can produce, and mixing them in the proportions—one yellow,
two red, and three blue, of equal intensity, a cool gray,
such as produced by the mixture of white and black,
will be the result.
It has long been maintained, that these three colours will produce white light. This, however, cannot
be the case; for colours can only be excited, as in the
solar spectrum, by the joint influence of light and
darkness, and are an intermediate phenomenon between these two principles, the natural concurrence of
which, in the absence of a refracting power, is, as in
the mixture of pigments, a cool gray.
We know, that although colour cannot be perceived
* " Chromatography ; or, a Treatise on Colours and Pigments."
By George Field. London: Charles Tilt. It will be observed
that my "ratios differ from those of Field; his being 3, 5, 8, and
those I have adopted 3, 6, 9, or simply 1, 2, 3. My reason for
deviating from so excellent an authority, will appear in the sequel.

OF COLOURS.

9

without light, that light alone cannot constitute colour,
and that a certain proportion of the passive principle
of darkness enters into the constitution of each of the
primaries; consequently the principles of light and
shade must coexist while colour is present; therefore
their union cannot possibly produce either black or
white, but the intermediate hue, gray.
This seems the true nature of colours in regard to
light and shade; but they have a relative power
amongst themselves, which in some measure gives them
a new character. The ruling principle of colour is
warmth, but white and black are essentially cold; and
yellow and blue in their purest state being allied to
them, must also partake of this quality. Intermediately,
however, between these, the most positive and most
powerful of individual colours, red, arises; a colour
which communicates warmth to every combination into
which it enters. It is therefore pre-eminent amongst
colours, and may be justly termed the life-blood of
every chromatic composition.
The other two primary colours may be termed links
between colour and the principles of absolute light and
darkness, represented by white and black, while absolute colour is represented by red.

10

A NOMENCLATURE

OF PRIMARY COLOURS.
RED.

Intense red is the most powerful of colours in regard to its effect upon the eye, and in the colouring
of nature it occurs rarely and in small portions. Its
effect in art when covering any large space, is gorgeous and powerful; and on all occasions the predominance of red is ostentatious, and congenial to the most
primitive ideas of grandeur. It unites* with the other
two primaries in the production of the secondary
colours, orange and purple, which are its melodizing
tones, and the union of the other two primaries in
green, forms its contrasting colour. The tertiary
colour or hue *in which red predominates, is a reddishbrown called russet.
From the medial position of red in the chromatic
scale, and from its power in subduing the effect of
such colours as enter in small proportions into combination with it, there is no colour the name of which
is oftener misapplied. The first decided change that
occurs in its admixture with yellow, is intense scarlet ;
and in its progress on the other side towards blue, the
first change that takes place upon it, is the production
of that beautiful species of red called crimson; but be-

OF COLOURS.

11

fore arriving at either of those understood colours, it
passes through many gradations, to all of which, as
well as to many other modifications of this primary,
the term red is indiscriminately applied.
Amongst flowers, red is a predominating colour,
often in great purity, as in the flower of the verbena,
the geranium, and many others. Its various gradations of tint are nowhere more beautifully and delicately displayed than in the ordinary varieties of the
rose; and it is often beautifully blended with its contrasting colour green, in the productions of the
orchard.
Red sometimes occurs in considerable purity in the
natural productions of the mineral kingdom, both in
transparent and opaque substances. Of the former,
the oriental ruby is the most conspicuous, and of the
latter, the mineral called cinnabar, a native sulphurate
of mercury. But, perhaps, the nearest approximation
to pure red in nature, is the production of the animal
kingdom, the cochineal, a small insect from which
carmine is made. Many of the feathered tribes, also,
exhibit it in much perfection and beauty in the
plumage with which nature has adorned them. But
it would be an endless task, and apart from the object
of this work, to go into minute details regarding the
infinite varieties of colour which the botanist, the
naturalist, and the mineralogist, find amongst the
objects of their study. My purpose is, however, to
attempt to classify, arrange, and define colours, in

12

A NOMENCLATURE

order to enable those who are following such branches
of study, as well as the artist, more easily to comprehend the nature of each particular hue, tint, and shade,
and the relation that it bears to the primary elements
of light, darkness, and colour. By this knowledge, a
description may be given where no proper name can be
applied, and every compound become as well understood as the primary elements, yellow, red, and blue.
In art, the purest red that can be produced is carmine, a pigment made from cochineal, of which Figure
I. Plate 1, is a specimen. In sunshine and in artificial light, red is more brilliant than in ordinary daylight, and it is most deteriorated when viewed in a
northern aspect, when the sky is clear.

YELLOW.

Yellow is the primary colour that, in the natural
scale, occurs between red and the active principle of
pure light; and is consequently the brightest in the
solar spectrum, and the lightest and most delicate of
the primary colours. In the neutral gray, its power is
therefore greater than that of the other two, being
more allied to light, as already shown.
In artificial light, the purest yellow loses much of
its intensity, and can scarcely be distinguished from
white. This arises from such lights being generally
of a yellow tone, and consequently diffusing this colour

OF COLOURS.

13

over all objects within their influence. In daylight its
effect is that of gaiety approaching to gaudiness, and
its predominance is generally offensive to the eye.
Yellow combines with red in the production of
orange colour, and with blue in that of green, which
colours are its melodizing tones. Its contrasting colour is purple, resulting from the combination of the
other two primaries. The hue in which yellow predominates is called citrine, a compound of orange
colour and green.
In the vegetable kingdom, yellow is exhibited in
great purity, and in much variety of tint in many
flowers. Amongst animals, it often occurs in the
plumage of birds, and sometimes in the furs of animals
and scales of fishes.
The admixture of red alters its tone towards warmth,
but does not very apparently change its character
until it approaches orange colour; hence many mixtures of this kind are improperly called yellow. But
from its alliance to light, and from blue being allied
to darkness, the smallest admixture of that colour
changes it to a greenish tone, thereby effectually
changing its character.
In the mineral kingdom, sulphur is probably the
only opaque natural substance that approaches to pure
yellow; and some of the topazes give this colour translucently, although generally tinged with brownish red,
The pigments used in art are for the most part the
product of minerals, amongst which the chromate of

14

A NOMENCLATURE

lead, called chrome yellow, is the purest.
Plate L, is this pigment.

Figure 2,

BLUE.

Blue is the third of the primary colours, and belongs
more to the principle of darkness or shade than either
of the other two, and it is consequently the most retiring of the three* It is also of these elements the most
cool and pleasing to the eye, associating, as it does,
with the groundwork of the retina itself. It imparts
to every hue of which it forms a constituent, a cooling
and retiring quality, and enters into combination with
yellow in the production of green, and with red in
that of purple, which are consequently its melodizing
colours. The contrasting colour to blue is orange,
and the tertiary in which it predominates is olive—a
composition of green and purple. Blue is much deteriorated and neutralized in artificial light, and is therefore
decidedly a daylight colour. Blue, like the other two
primary colours, occurs in great purity in some flowers, in the plumage of some birds, and even in portions of the skin of some beasts. But it is found
much less frequently in the vegetable and animal kingdoms than either red or yellow.
Amongst minerals, the lapis lazuli presents the
purest blue that can be conceived, and is converted
by a very simple process into an equally beautiful
pigment.

OF COLOURS.

15

OF THE SECONDARY COLOURS.
ORANGE.

Orange colour is the most powerful of the secondaries, and is a compound of yellow and red. Between
these two colours it appears in the prismatic spectrum,
rainbow, and other natural phenomena. They are,
therefore, its melodizing colours, and its contrasting
colour is the primary blue. The mixture of red with
yellow adds power to the native warmth of the red;
orange is therefore, conjointly in regard to light and
colour, most powerful in its effect upon the eye. From
its combination with green arises the hue citrine, and
with purple that of russet.
Orange colour, like the other two secondaries, has
great variety of tone, according to the predominance of
either of its component parts. As it passes towards
yellow, by a predominance of that colour in its mixture,
pure blue no longer forms its proper contrast, but tones
of bluish purple advancing towards perfect purple, as
the orange colour retires into yellow. On the other
hand, when the orange colour advances towards a reddish tdhe, bluish-green becomes its proper contrasting
colour—the blue approaching the perfect secondary,
as the orange approaches the primary.

16

A NOMENCLATURE

GREEN.

Green is the medial colour of the secondaries,
and is a compound of yellow and blue; its melodizing tones being these two primaries, and its contrasting colour red. As red is the most decided and
powerful of the primaries, so green is the most neutral and soft of the secondaries, and the most pleasing and agreeable of all decided colours to the eye.
It is unlike the other two secondaries in this respect
—that, in its approximation to either of its component parts, it produces no other distinct denomination of colour; all its varieties of tone retaining
the same name. From the union of green with
orange arises the lightest of the hues, citrine; and
from that with purple the deepest, olive colour—to
which it is particularly allied.
Green is nature's favourite colour, prevailing to a
far greater extent in the vegetable kingdom than any
other. By a beneficent exercise of the Divine wisdom, it is exhibited in its greatest intensity and depth
when the sun's rays are most powerful, thereby counteracting the intensity of their reflection, and refreshing the eye by its soft and soothing influence. Green,
however, seldom appears in vegetation in its primitive
purity—hence the beautiful accordance between the
green of the landscape and the blue of the sky, assisted by the intervention of the warm and neutral
gray which prevails in the distance of the one and the
horizon of the other.

17

OF COLOURS.

The effect of green is much deteriorated in artificial
light, from the cause already explained in treating of
yellow.
PURPLE.

Purple arises from the union of red and blue, and
forms the proper contrast to pure yellow. The two
colours of which it is compounded are its melodizing
tones. Although red is one of its component parts,
purple is retiring in its effect, being the darkest of the
secondary colours. In combination with green it produces that soft and useful hue, olive; and with orange
the most powerful of this class, russet.
Purple, like the other two compounds, has various
tones according to the predominance of one or other
of its elements; but these are bounded in its approach
to red by crimson, and towards blue by indigo colour.
Its tints have also names peculiar to themselves, such
as lilac, peach-blossom, French white, &c
These primary and secondary colours form the full
scale of the chromatist, and have all proper names
except orange, which is so called from its resemblance
to the colour of that fruit. They continually occur
in various degrees of intensity in all chromatic spectra
produced by the refraction of light, and are therefore
properly called colours.

B

18

A NOMENCLATURE

OF T H E TERTIARY COLOURS,
OR PRIMARY A N D S E C O N D A R Y H U E S .
Hues are those combinations in which the three
elements occur in their full intensity, and in such proportions as give them a distinct character. The three
primary hues are those which arise from the combination of the secondary colours with one another. That
arising from the combination of orange and green, is
called citrine—that from orange and purple, russet—
and that from purple and green, olive. Their distinctions arise from a double occurrence of yellow in the first,
of red in the second, and of blue in the third. There
is a second class of hues, or semi-neutrals, formed by
the union of the first class. Thus the mixture of citrine
and russet produces a hue having the same relation to
orange that citrine has to yellow. That of citrine and
olive produces one having the same relation to green
that olive has to blue; and that of russet with olive,
another having the same relation to purple that russet
has to red.
The hue termed neutral gray may be explained as
the result of an equal combination of light, shade,

OF COLOURS.

19

and colour, in which the coldness of the two first is
equally balanced with the warmth of the last; and in
which, also, the three primaries are equally balanced in
regard to their respective powers as colours. The
gray produced by the admixture of black and white,
is of a different character, having a predominance of
blue in its composition, and a consequent coldness of
tone.
The Chinese seem to study this in the manufacture
of their well-known ink; the finer qualities of which
give by dilution the most perfect tints of neutral
gray.

20

A NOMENCLATURE

OF THE NUMERICAL POWERS AND
PROPORTIONS OF COLOURS
AND HUES.
According to the language generally employed by
writers upon colour, yellow, red, and blue are said
each to absorb a certain portion of the rays of light,
and reflect or transmit the remainder. But I cannot
consider this doctrine to be correct, while I believe
colour to be produced by the joint influence of light
and shade, as already mentioned. We know that
fire is produced by combustion, and that the active
agent is oxygen, and the passive agent the body consumed, by which joint operation fire is produced. In
like manner, light is the active and darkness the passive agent in the production of colour; and each of the
primaries is thus the effect of the principles of light
and darkness acting together upon the visual organ,
and producing by their joint operation a colour.
As I shall require, in elucidating the various modes
of combining the primaries, to subdivide them, I shall
take 360 as the joint power of light and darkness,
giving to each 180. These two powers, when acting
together in their simplest mode, mutually neutralize
each other in the production of gray, which is in
power to light as 90, and in power to the opposite
principle also as 90, or in'the ratio of 1 to 2 to each
of its constituents, or conjointly as 180 to 360.

21

OF COLOURS.

Out of this combination of light and darkness, the
phenomenon of colour seems to arise by a different
mode of action; and these two principles are apparently
embodied in each of the simple elements of colour in
the following proportions:—
Power as a
Colour.

Relation
to Light,

Relation
to Darkness.

45
30
15

15
30
45

60
60
60

30
30
30

Neutralized to Gray, 90

90

180

90

Yellow,
Red,
Blue,

Total.

Their action is, therefore, collectively either as to
light or darkness, similar to that of neutral gray, and
the mean power of each arising out of the mutual
action of these two opposite principles will be, as a
colour simply, 30.
Red, it will be observed, is the most perfect colour,
from its relation to light and shade being equal, the
two principles acting in it in similar ratio to that
which produces neutral gray, but in a different and
more vigorous mode.
The secondary colours arise from the combination
of these primaries; and by this union one primary
neutralizes another in the production of each of the
secondaries. Merely as colours, therefore, their relative powers to the primaries might be reckoned as
1 to 2, or 15; but in the process of combination, we must consider the powers of the primaries
united, and the quantity thus doubled, so that the
powers of the colours and hues decrease in the inverse ratio to the numbers produced by their com-a

22

A NOMENCLATURE

bination, in the same manner that the number of
vibrations produced by a monochord is always in the
inverse ratio to its length. The secondary colours are
consequently reckoned thus:—
Relation
to Light.

Relation
to Darkness.

Total.

Colour.

Yellow,
Red,

45
30

15
30

60
60

30
30

Orange,

75

45

120

60

Yellow,
Blue,

45
15

15
45

60
60

30
30

Green,

60

60

120

60

Red,
Blue,

30
15

30
45

60
60

30
30

Purple,

45

75

120

60

The powers of the primary and secondary colours
in neutralizing each other, are, according to the relations they individually bear to light and darkness,
thus:—
Relation
to Light.

Relation
to Darkness.

Total.

Colour.

45
45

15
75

60
120

30
60

Neutral Gray, 90

90

180

90

Red,
Green,

30
60

30
60

60
120

30
60

Neutral Gray, 90

90

180

90

Blue,
Orange,

15
75

45
45

60
120

30
60

Neutral Gray, 90

90

180

90

Yellow,
Purple,

23

OF COLOURS.

The neutral gray being produced by the proportionate
combination of the primaries.
The hues arise from the pairing of the secondary
colours, and consequently the primary triad are united
in their composition in various proportions, thus:—
Relation to
Light.

Relation to
Darkness,

Total.

Colour.

120
120

60
60

75
60

Citrine,

135

105

240

120

75
45

45
75

120
120

60
60

120

120

240

120

Green,
Purple,

60
45

60
75

120
120

60
60

Olive,

105

135

240

120

ia

Orange,
Green,

45 .
60

As the secondary colours have been shown to be
neutralized by the primaries, so the tertiaries, or hues,
are neutralized by the secondaries, thus:—
XV

xfctJianoii I/O
Darkness.

Total.

Colour.

105
75

240
120

120
60

180

180

360

180

Russet,
Green,

120
60

120
60

240
120

120
60

Neutral Gray,

180

180

360

180

Olive,
Orange,

105
75

135
45

240
120

120
60

Neutral Gray,

180

180

360

180

Light.

Citrine,
Purple,

135
45

Neutral Gray,

24

A NOMENCLATURE

The neutral gray being produced by the proportionate combination of the primary colours in double
quantity. In each of these three hues the primary
colours occur in the following proportions:—
Citrine.

Yellow,
Red,
Blue,

60
30
30

Russet.

Yellow,
Red,
Blue,

30
60
30

Olive.

Yellow,
Red,
Blue.

30
30
60

By which it will be seen that the yellow is doubled
in citrine, the red in russet, and the blue in olive.
Citrine is therefore the natural shade of yellow, russet
of red, and olive of blue.
The union of these hues in pairs, produce the secondary class called semi-neutrals, which, in like manner, form the proper shades to the secondary colours,
thus:—
Relation to
Light.

Relation to
Darkness.

Colour.

Citrine,
Russet,

135
120

105
120

120
120

Orange hue,

255

225

240

Citrine,
Olive,

135
105

105
135

120
120

Green hue,

240

240

240

Olive,
Russet,

105
120

135
120

120
120

Purple hue,

225

255

240

These hues or shades, like the secondary colours,
are each neutralized by one of the primaries, thus:—

25

OF COLOURS.
Relation to
Light.

Relation to
Darkness.

Colour.

Orange hue,
Blue,

255
15

225
45

240
30

Neutral Gray,

270

270

270

Green hue,
Red,

240
30

240
30

240
30

Neutral Gray,

270

270

270

Purple hue,
Yellow,

225
45

255
15

240
30

Neutral Gray,

270

270

270

The neutral gray being produced by the proportionate mixture of the primary colours in triple quantity.
They are likewise neutralized by the addition of
one of the primary hues, thus:—
Relation to
Light.

Relation to
Darkness.

Orange hue,
Olive,

255
105

225
135

240
120

Neutral Gray,

360

360

360

Green hue,
Russet,

240
120

240
120

240
120

Neutral Gray,

360

360

360

Purple hue,
Citrine,

225
135

255
105

240
120

Neutral Gray,

360

360

360

Colour.

The neutral gray being produced by the proportionate mixture of the three primary colours in quadruple quantity.

26

A NOMENCLATURE

The primaries are united in the semi-neutrals as
follows:—
Orange Hue.

Yellow, 90
Red, 90
Blue, 60

Green Hue.

Yellow, 90
Red, 60
Blue, 90

Purple Hue.

Yellow, 60
Red, 90
Blue, 90

Hence it will be seen that the primary colours
are trebled in these, except blue in the orange hue,
red in the green hue, and yellow in the purple hue, in
which these colours are double only. These hues, as
just observed, are the natural shades of orange, green,
and purple respectively, as the other hues are of yellow, red, and blue; because each holds in its composition the elements of one of those secondary colours,
combined with those of neutral gray.

OF COLOURS.

27

OF THE RELATIVE POWERS OF
COLOURS AND HUES.
As already observed, the powers of these colours
and hues decrease in an inverse ratio to the increase of the elements which unite in their combinations. Thus green appears to be to red as sixty to
thirty, but having only half the power of either of its
constituent parts, and being doubled in quantity in the
process of combination here adopted, it is to red in
power as fifteen to thirty, or in the ratio of one to
two. Therefore, simply considered as colours, and
without reckoning upon their relations to light or
shade, each primary colour is to a secondary in power
as 2 to 1 ; to a secondary hue as 4 to 1, and to neutral
gray as 6 to 1. Each secondary colour is in power to
a hue as 2 to 1, and to neutral gray as 3 to 1. The
primary hues are to gray as 3 to 2, and the secondary
hues are to gray as 6 to 5, or nearly so.
Indeed, independently of the relations of colours to
light and darkness, the harmonic ratios operate upon
them in the production of full tones, semi-tones, and
quarter-tones, as distinctly as they do upon the notes
in the scale of the musician; and, if these ratios were
properly studied in connexion with this subject, it
would enable the student in art to impart, with perfect

28

A NOMENCLATURE

certainty, harmony to his works, and the amateur to
understand and appreciate what is harmonious in
colouring.
As the powers of the colours and hues already enumerated are relative to one another, and as, by their
being placed in juxtaposition, various modes of contrast or harmony are produced, I have given in
Plates L, II., III., and IV., four of those modes,
the principle exhibited in which will equally apply to
all the tints and shades given in the sequel.
In Plate I., red is opposed to green, yellow to
purple, and blue to orange, in Figures 1 and 4, 2 and
5, 3 and 6. Of these contrasts the most perfect is red
and green, the former being equally allied to light and
darkness, and the latter arising out of the combination of yellow and blue, colours related to the principles of light and darkness in equally opposite ratios,
these principles being thus reciprocally neutralized in
the combination. The contrast between yellow and
purple, although less perfect, is more powerful, because
their relations to light and darkness operate along
with their opposition as colours—the former relating
to light as 45, and the other to shade as 75. In like
manner, the contrast between blue and orange has
relation to light and darkness—the former relating to
light as 15, and the other to darkness as 45. Hence
we find, throughout all nature's colouring, a predominance of the most perfect contrast—red and green-—
and this in every conceivable variety and mode.

OF COLOURS.

29

In Plate II.,. russet is opposed to green, citrine to
purple, and olive to orange, in Figures 1 and 4, 2
and 5, 3 and 6.
In Plate III., green hue is opposed to red, orange
hue to blue, and purple hue to yellow, in Figures 1 and
4, 2 and 5, 3 and 6.
This mode of contrast is pleasing, and at the same
time powerful, because the one colour being subdued
by shade, gives additional brilliancy to the other without harshness of opposition.
In Plate IV., russet is opposed to green hue, citrine
to purple hue, and olive to orange hue, in Figures 1
and 4, 2 and 5, 3 and 6. This last is the lowest and
weakest of these modes of contrast, and its effect in
all the varieties of light and shade is soft and delicate.
In mixing the primary colours, without the further assistance of the representatives of light and darkness—black and white—than what naturally enters
into their constitution, distinction seems to cease with
the semi-neutrals. It will, therefore, be requisite next
to employ these representatives in the production of a
series of tints and shades, arising out of the fluxional
power which they exercise upon colours and hues;
at the same time, showing the effect produced upon
the secondary colours by a predominance of one or
other of their constituent parts. In this a system of
intervals must be adopted, by which the innumerable
intermediate varieties may be understood.
It is by the operation of light and shade upon colours,

30

A NOMENCLATURE

that the most beautiful effects of contrast and blending
in nature and art are produced. It has just been shown
that green is the most powerful contrast to red, orange
to blue, and purple to yellow, when these colours are
in their full intensity. But when they are reduced to
tints by the admixture of white, or to shades by that
of black, a perfect contrast can only be produced by
opposing those two representatives of light and darkness to one another. Dark green is therefore the
most powerful contrast to light red, dark orange to
light blue, and dark purple to light yellow — the
shade partaking equally of black as the tint does of
white. Yet beauty does not always consist in such
contrasts, no more than it does in those of intense colours, but often in the more graduated or intermediate.
For instance, a tint of pure red, such as rose colour, is
enhanced by being contrasted with a tint of impure or
neutralized green, and the harmony thereby rendered
more soft and pleasing; and the same principle prevails throughout all the colorific scale. But as I wish
to give, in connexion with the nomenclature, merely a
general idea of the harmony of colour, the tints and shades
will, in the first place, be arranged upon the Plates in
the fullest power of contrast, being the mode best
adapted to convey a correct idea of their relative power.

OF COLOURS.

31

OF THE NAMES OF COLOURS AND
HUES.
Before proceeding to reduce the colours and hues
to tints and shades by the admixture of white and
black, it will be requisite to come to a distinct under*standing regarding their names. Red, yellow, blue,
and green, are the only colours the names of which
are clearly understood. The first is derived from the
Saxon reb, and Welsh rhud; the second from the
Saxon jealepe, and Dutch gheleuwe; the third from
the Saxon Maep, and French bleu; and the fourth from
the German grun9 and Dutch groen. The secondary colour produced by the union of red and blue,
has also its proper name, but its application is far
from being uniform. It is purple—a name derived
from that of a shellfish called purpura, from which
this colour was extracted by the ancient Tyrians, in
the neighbourhood of whose celebrated city this peculiar shellfish was found. To this colour the term
violet is very generally applied; and by Goethe, in
his excellent " Theory of Colours," it is often called
blue-red, or red-blue, according to the predominance
of one or other of its component parts; while to pure
red, he and some other writers apply the term purpur.
There is no reason, however, for depriving this particu-

32

A NOMENCLATURE

lar colour of its proper name, and substituting that of
a flower, or for applying that name to any other colour;
it is therefore here retained, and confined exclusively
to that mixture of red and blue in which these two
primary colours are equally balanced. The name of
the remaining secondary colour, which arises from the
equally balanced union of red and yellow, is well
known to be derived from the fruit of the orange-tree.
Goethe almost uniformly applies the terms red-yellow,
or yellow-red to this colour. But although I have the
same objection to this name that I have to violet, or
any other name derived from a natural object of which
there are variously coloured specimens, I will continue to use it, in default of a better, in preference to
the descriptive one of red-yellow. It will be requisite in the sequel to distinguish the varieties of the
secondary colours, by naming with them one of their
constituent parts; as yellow-green, blue-green, redpurple, blue-purple, &c, thus indicating a predominance in the compound of the primary colour named.
But such a freedom cannot be properly used with
a primary colour; for no sooner is another primary mixed with it, than a secondary colour is produced, and we might as well apply to green the terms
yellow-blue, or blue-yellow, as to orange yellow-red,
or red-yellow, or to purple red-blue, or blue-red;
and consequently specific names must be adopted for
the secondary as well as the primary colours. By this
means, also, a better understanding of the innume-

OF COLOURS.

33

rable hues, tints, and shades, to which they may be
reduced, will be arrived at, than by a constant repetition of the names of the primary elements.
A terminology of this kind might, however, with perfect propriety, be applied to the hues arising from the
six tertiary combinations of the primaries; because they
are simply those colours in single or double occurrence, combined with as many more proportions as
constitute neutral gray—consequently citrine might be
called yellow hue, russet, red hue, and olive, blue hue;
but the names here adopted are preferable, being more
specific. These names were, I believe, first applied
to the primary hues by Field in his valuable work
on colour, " Chromatology." The names citrine and
russet are proper, the first being derived from the
Latin citrinus, and the second from the Latin rusus,
or French rousset; but the name olive, like orange, is
taken simply from the fruit of the olive-tree, the colour
of which it resembles.
To the other three hues I have in a former work
given the names brown, marrone, and slate; but each
of these are shades which, in the sequel, will be shown
to arise from the introduction of black, and the terminology is therefore inaccurate. Orange hue, green
hue, and purple hue, though less specific, are more
appropriate according to the present view of the subject, and are consequently here adopted.
Gray, as has already been observed, is the union of
the three primaries, by which they neutralize each
c

34

A NOMENCLATURE

other, and it cannot therefore be properly termed a
colour. The term is derived from the Saxon graeg,
and Danish grail, or French gris.
Brown is the only other colour beside black and
white that has a proper name; it is uniformly a tertiary
compound or hue in shade, in which red and yellow
predominate, as shall afterwards be shown. The term
is derived from the Saxon bran*
The terms white and black, applied to the representatives of light and darkness, are from the Saxon fyptg,
or Dutch wit, and from the Saxon Mac, respectively.
The only proper names amongst colour are therefore red, yellow, blue, green, purple, citrine, russet,
and brown; with white, gray, and black, for light,
shade, and darkness. Red has, no doubt, two other
varieties to which proper names have been given—
namely, crimson and scarlet; the first being the admixture of red with a small proportion of blue, and
the second being the same with a small proportion of
yellow, as shall be pointed out in the sequel. But
they approach in appearance so near the primary
colour, that their names are often used as a general
term for red. The term crimson is derived from the
Italian crimosino, and that of scarlet from the French
escarlate.

OF COLOUKS,

35

OF THE NAMES OF COLOURS IN
HERALDRY.
According to ancient practice in the science of heraldry, there were only five tinctures, as they are called
in its peculiar language, acknowledged as the proper
armorial colours, viz. white and black, and the three
primary colours, red, yellow, and blue. In the reign of
Richard II. green was added, and, about the middle
of the sixteenth century, purple. The nomenclature
of heraldic colouring is all but uniform over Europe,
and is as follows :—
Argent—Silver or white, from the Latin Argentum,
silver.
Or—Gold or yellow, from the French name for
gold.
Gules—Red, from the Latin Gula, the throat, or
Arabian word Gules, meaning a red rose.
Azure—Blue, from the Arabic or Persian name of
that colour, Lazurd or Lazurion.
Vert—Green, the French name for that colour; although in this science it has been supplanted in that
country by the term Sinople, taken from the name of
a town in the Levant, from wrhence the best green dyestuff was brought.

36

A NOMENCLATURE

Purpure—Purple, from the name of a shellfish, as
already noticed.
Sable—Black—either from the black fur of that
name, or from the French name for sand or earth.
At a more recent period, other two colours were
introduced into heraldry, called tenney and sanguine.
These correspond to orange and russet; the first being
composed of red and yellow, and the other being described as a duskish red. But the use of these colours
in heraldry has been almost exclusively confined to the
Dutch and Germans, and they are of course little
known in English blazonry.
It would thus appear, that at the period of the introduction of heraldry, the three primary colours, only,
were used along with the representatives of light and
darkness, white and black.

OF COLOURS.

37

OF P O P U L A R N A M E S OF C O L O U R S .
There are, besides those already noticed, numerous
popular names for colours, hues, tints, and shades,
which, like orange and olive, are derived from familiar
objects, and are therefore perfectly understood. Of this
kind are straw-colour, lilac, primrose, pink, or rosecolour; others are as distinctly expressed by an adjective. Of these, sage green, pea green, azure blue, indigo
blue, saffron yellow, are examples. This popular
mode of nomenclature is so well established, and so
generally understood, that it would perhaps be quite
useless to attempt to supersede it by one of a more
scientific nature. These and various other popular
names shall therefore be pointed out as they occur in
the systematic mode of combination, augmentation,
and reduction of the various elements of the chromatic scale here adopted. But the ephemeral nomenclature of fashion, in which we find Mazarine blue,
Esterhazy gray, &c. &c, shall be altogether set aside,
because it has no specific meaning, and can only
mislead.
The horse has been honoured with the application
of an exclusive nomenclature of colour to himself. In
this of course is included the general terms, black,
white, and gray. But chestnut, bay, sorrel, and roan,

38

A NOMENCLATURE

belong exclusively to the horse, and are as names of
colours applied to no other objects, either animate or
inanimate, with the exception of the first, which is
sometimes applied to the human hair. A carriage
drawn by a pair of chestnuts, a pair of bays, or a
pair of roans, is as well understood to mean that it
is drawn by horses, as if the noun followed the adjective. But, however much any part of male or female
attire may resemble the colour of the chestnut, or that
of a bay, roan, or sorrel horse, the term is never applied—some other name is always given. These colours
shall be pointed out as they occur in the combinations
which follow ; but neither roan nor sorrel are, properly
speaking, colours, but mottled mixtures of black, chestnut, or bay, with gray or white spots or hairs, and
therefore cannot be represented by a solid colour.

39

OF COLOURS.

OF T I N T S A N D S H A D E S .
In what follows, the relative powers of the six colours
as to light and darkness, must be left to be understood
from the explanations already given, and their effects
as colours alone considered. Each colour shall, therefore, be understood to be in power as 30 in its action
upon white, gray, or black, and the reciprocal action
of these modifiers to be in like manner 30. These
powers shall be so divided, that the intervals between
the tints and shades shall be in the same proportion
as that between the primary colours, yellow, red, and
blue, in their relati6ns to light and darkness; namely,
in the numerical progression of 1, 2, 3, of the colour
acted upon.
I adopt these wide intervals, not only as being the
course indicated by the natural laws of the phenomenon
itself, already pointed out; but because the exhibition of a closer series of tints and shades, would
multiply the examples to an extent beyond the limits
of a work of this nature.
Plate V. exhibits three tints produced by red, and
three shades produced by green, as follows:—
Figures,
Red,
White,

1
5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,
Green,
Black,

4

5

6

5
15

10
10

15
5

40

A NOMENCLATURE

The tint Figure 1, and the shade Figure 4, produce
a perfect contrast, the one being allied to light in the
same proportion that the other is to darkness; so are
Figures 2 and 5, and 3 and 6. This mode shall be
continued in those examples that refer to the tints and
shades of positive colours; but a diiFerent system of
contrast will be adopted in such as are produced by
the reduction of the hues. The tints of pure red are
all pale or deep pinks, or rose-colours, and their
varieties are simply pale or deep, until they lose their
distinction in pinkish white on the one hand, or light
red on the other; but to specify precisely the point at
which either of those changes takes place, would be
equalled in difficulty only by its inutility.
The darker shades of green have various popular
names, amongst which are myrtle green, sea green,
bronze green, &c.; but as these are modified otherwise
than by a simple reduction to shade, they will occur in
other examples.
Plate VI. exhibits three tints of green, and three
shades of red, as follows:—
Figures,

1

Green,
White,

5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,
Red,
Black,

4

5

6

5
15

10
10

15
5

In this plate, it will be observed that the contrasts
are upon the same principle as the preceding, but
reversed as to tints and shades.
In the popular nomenclature of colours, the tints of
green have a greater number of appellations than those

OF COLOURS.

41

of any other colour, as will be observed in the sequel.
But the only one of these that can be applied to a pure
tint of this colour, with the exception of light or pale
green, is the well-known one of pea-green, (Figure 1;)
all the others being modified either by the predominance of one of their constituent parts, or by their
being gently neutralized with red.
The lighter shades of red are popularly denominated marrone colour, (Figure 6,) and its deeper shades
chocolate colour; although the latter is more perfect
when slightly modified by yellow.
Plate VII. exhibits tints of yellow, and shades of
purple, as follows:—
Figures,

1

Yellow,
White,

5
15

2

3
10
10

Figures,

4

5

6

15
5

Purple,
Black,

5
15

10
10

15
5

The only popular name for a light tint of pure
yellow, is primrose, a lighter tint than Figure 1. The
deeper tints are generally called straw colours. To
shades of purple, the terms violet and indigo are
generally applied, although the latter is more properly
a shade of blue. But the term violet is here quite applicable, as that flower exhibits in its numerous varieties every shade of purple down to black.
Plate VIII. The order of the foregoing plate is
here reversed, as follows:—
Figures,
Purple,
White,

1

2

3

5
15

10
10

15
5

Figures,

4

5

6

Yellow,
Black,

5
15

10
10

15
5

42

A NOMENCLATURE

Lilac is the popular name for a light tint of purple ; and the adjectives deep and pale are generally
applied until it reaches light purple on the deep side,
and the well-known tint French white on the pale
side.
The shades of yellow, from the predominance of
blue in black, are green, and may be termed yellowish
olive, but they produce no distinct hue having a popular name.
Plate IX. exhibits three tints of blue, and three
shades of orange, as follows:—
Figures,
Blue,
White,

1

2

3

Figures,

4

5

6

5
15

10
10

15
5

Orange,
Black,

5
15

10
10

15
5

The most popular name for a tint of blue is the
heraldic term azure, meaning simply light blue, but
of no specific degree of intensity. Ethereal or sky
blue, is another name for tints of this colour.
The shades of orange which accompany these tints
are browns, Figure 6 being the most perfect.
In Plate X. these colours are reversed in regard to
light and shade, as follows:—
Figures,

1

Orange,
White,

5
15

2

3
10
10

Figures, 4

5

6

15
5

Blue,
5
Black, 15

10
10

15
5

Salmon colour is the name usually given to such
tints as those produced by the attenuation of orange.

43

OF COLOURS.

Indigo is the only popular name applied to a shade
of blue, and is derived from the dye-stuff of that name.
It has already been observed, that the secondary
colours are subject to such modifications as arise from
an excess of one or other of the primary colours, of
which they are respectively composed. These modifications shall now be given in similar intervals to those
of the tints and shades just described, and similarly
contrasted.
Plate XL exhibits three varieties of red orange
opposed to as many of blue green, as follows:—
Figures,

1

Orange,
Red,

5
15

2

3
10
10

Figures,

4

5

6

15
5

Green,
Blue,

15
5

10
10

5
15

Red orange has no specific name until it reaches
scarlet, of which colour Figures 1, 2, and 3, are varieties.
Sea green is the name popularly applied to a green
in which blue predominates; but this element is liable
to so many changes of hue, that it would be difficult to
point out one even as its general characteristic colour.
Figure 4 is the tone of green generally termed myrtle.
Plate XII. exhibits yellow orange and blue purple,
as follows:—
Figures,

1

2

3

Figures,

4

5

6

Orange,
Yellow,

5
15

10
10

15
5

Purple,
Blue,

15
5

10
10

5
15

44

A NOMENCLATURE

This modification of these two colours gives rise to
no colour having another name except Figures 1 and
2, which are the tones of yellow generally called amber
colour. The blue purples are varieties of violet.
Plate X I I I . exhibits yellow green and red purple,
as follows :—
Figures,
Green,
Yellow,

1

2

3

Figures,

4

5

6

5
15

10
10

ID
5

Purple,
Red,

15
5

10
10

5
15

Pomona green is the popular name of all full-toned
greens in which yellow predominates. This of course
means the colour of an apple, and consequently admits
of ample latitude as to variety of tone.
Crimson is the characteristic colour of red purples,
of which Figures 1, 2, and 3, are varieties. The name,
as already observed, is derived from the Italian crimosino, and is sometimes applied to red in general. It is
a favourite colour in all kinds of decoration, and derives
its beauty from being the warmest and most positive
of colours, mellowed by a slight infusion of the most
negative and cool.
To reduce each of these modifications of the secondary colours to tints and shades, would too much extend
the number of examples without producing any very
distinct varieties. I shall therefore only reduce those
that occur intermediately from the equal proportions
of the primaries and secondaries, in Figures 2 and 5 of
each of the three foregoing plates, to which the terms

45

OF COLOURS.

red orange, yellow orange—blue green, yellow green—
red purple and blue purple, shall be applied.
Plate XIV.—
Figures,

1

2
10

15

10

Red orange, j
or scarlet, )
White,
15

3

5

Figures,

4

5

6

Blue green,

5

10

15

15

10

5

Black,

To light tints of scarlet, flesh-colour is generally
applied; but the shades of blue green have no specific
popular name; and from this tone of green being so
allied to black, it is almost concealed when mixed in
the specified proportions, unless brought out, as it may
be, by being placed in juxtaposition to an equally deep
shade of red.
Plate XV.—
Figures,
Blue green,
White,

1
5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,

4

5

6

Red orange, 5
Black,
15

10
10

15
5

The lightest of these tints is generally called turquoise green, from the stone of that name, and the two
deeper tints resemble the peculiar green of verdigris,
but without its brilliancy.
The shades of red orange produce those warm-toned
browns generally denominated chestnut, auburn, &c.
The first of these names is derived from the well-known
nut so called, and the other applied popularly, as well
as by many authors, to a peculiar colour of the human
hair; but from what originally derived it is difficult to
say, unless, probably, it be a corruption of brown.

46

A NOMENCLATURE

Plate XVI.—
Figures,

1

2

Yellow orange, 5
White,
15

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,

4

5

6

Blue purple, 5
Black,
15

10
10

15
5

The lightest of these tints (Figure 1) is what is popularly termed deep cream colour. The other two tints
are varieties of amber colour.
The shades of blue purple are varieties of violet
colour.
Plate XVII. In this plate the order of the foregoing is reversed:—
Figures,
Blue purple,
White,

1
5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,

4

5

6

Yellow orange, 5
Black,
15

10
10

15
5

The tints of blue purple are varieties of lilac.
The lightest shade (Figure 6) of yellow orange produces the deepest tone of that species of brown called
dun; the other two approach the olive hue, but are of
a warmer tone.
In Plate X V I I I . are given tints of yellow green and
shades of red purple, as follows:—
Figures,

1

Yellow green, 5
7
°
White,
15

2

3

10

15

10

5

Figures,

4

5

6

^ ^ M
5
or crimson,)
Black,
15

10

15

10

5

These tints are simply varieties of pomona green.
The lightest of the shades of red purple (Figure 6)
is what is usually called a deep marrone. This term

47

OF COLOURS.

I have already used, but can give no account of its
derivation. The shades, however, to which it is applied, have a distinct character, and are amongst the
most useful of the deep tones in several kinds of
manufacture; they are therefore, as a class, entitled
to a specific name.
Plate X I X . exhibits the foregoing arrangement reversed, as follows:—
Figures,
Red purple,
White,

1
5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,

4

5

6

Yellow green, 5
Black,
15

10
10

15
5

The lightest of these tints is what is generally termed peach-blossom, from its resemblance to that flower;
its deeper tints have no specific character until they
reach the depth of light crimson.
The shades of yellow green are of a soft and mellow
character, but have no other names than dark pomona
or olive.
It will be observed throughout the foregoing examples, that the most agreeable contrasts arise from the
colours most allied to shade being diluted to tints, and
those most allied to light being reduced to shade, of
which Plate X I X . is one of the most pleasing examples. It will likewise be observed, that all the colours
in which blue predominates, become almost obscured
in the deepest shades, although they form one-fourth
of the composition. But this effect is not to be wondered at, considering that blue itself is related to black

48

A NOMENCLATURE

or darkness, in the ratio of one to two. Even yellow,
the colour most allied to light, is almost obscured in
the deepest shades. Although a certain degree of
variety would be produced by a reduction of the hues
with black, yet it would be so slight as only to be discernible when such shades were placed in juxtaposition with equally deep shades of opposite colours, and
it would therefore be useless to give any examples of
this kind. Indeed, the hues themselves are a medial
class between colours and shades, being equally allied
to the principles of light and darkness in three-fourths
of their component parts, as already shown. But when
attenuated by white, they assume a very different character, and produce many beautiful tints. They may
also, like the secondaries, be varied by an approximation to one or other of their constituent parts, and
these varieties, likewise, will each form a series of
beautifully modified tints.
In Plate X X . is given the first of this series of neutralized tints, and exhibits russet and green hue reduced,
as follows:—
Figures,
Russet,
White,

1
5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,
Green hue,
White,

4

5

6

5
15

10
10

15
5

These tints are simply modifications of red and
green, such as are produced in nature by the interposition of the atmosphere between the foreground and
distance of the landscape.

49

OF COLOURS.

This mode of reducing colours, by their admixture
with the elements of neutralization in mathematical
progression, might, I have no doubt, be employed with
advantage in fixing the relative powers of colours
at certain points, corresponding to other points in the
linear perspective of a picture.
For instance—in a battle piece, where, upon a certain area, numerous bodies of military are represented,
the relative difference of size between those in the
foreground, extreme distance, and various intermediate
situations, must have a perfect mathematical proportion to one another, corresponding to the relative
positions they occupy in the area upon which they
are placed, and this can only be done correctly by
an adherence to the precise rules of linear perspective
—and the application of these rules is the only mode
of testing the accuracy of such a work ; so also should
the relative strength of the colours which distinguish
these figures, whether in light or shade, be mathematically proportioned to their situations in the picture.
I am well aware, that after the artist has studied
carefully the rules of linear perspective, he does not
require to do more than fix a few points between the
foreground and extreme distance of his picture, by
the sytematic application of these rules—filling up all
intermediate parts by the eye alone. No such aid,
however, has been made available? even to this extent,
in colouring; and consequently the eye alone has been
the guide. But if a systematic rule be of service in
D

50

A NOMENCLATURE

the one case, it must be so in the other; and the
attainment of a knowledge of the mathematical gradations by which a positive colour is made apparently to
retire, will be as useful to the student as that of linear
perspective, when applied to a series of figures, trees,
or columns, in a picture. It is, no doubt, requisite in
all cases to make allowance for the kind of atmosphere in which the objects in a picture are represented. But this may be done without violating the
rules of gradation, or altering the relations of the
tints; for it only affects their general tone or mode of
retiring, in the same manner that the situation of the
point of distance extends or shortens the space occupied by a colonnade in linear perspective
In Plate X X I . this series of neutralized tints is continued, as follows:—
Figures,

1

Citrine,
White,

2

5
15

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,
Purple hue,
White,

4

5

6

5
15

10
10

15
5

The tints of citrine are generally denominated drab,
or, more properly, tawny colours. Those of purple
hue are a close approximation to the true or colourless gray, produced by the admixture of black and
white, the small proportion of red and yellow which
they bear being almost obscured.
Plate X X I I . completes the series, as follows:—
Figures,
Olive,
White,

1
5
15

2

3
10
10

15
5

Figures,

4

5

6

Orange hue, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

51

OF COLOUKS.

The lightest tint of olive (Figure 1) is a perfect sage
green; one of the most pleasing varieties, pr rather
modifications, of that secondary colour. The two
lightest tints of orange hue are what are properly
termed fawn colours; the deepest is a warm brown,
or light chestnut colour, approaching what is technically termed bay in the colour of a horse.
The hues are a very important class in the colorific
circle, and, like the secondary colours, are subject to
various modifications by a predominance of one or
other of their constituent parts. These modifications
carry them, on the one hand, towards the colours of
which they are the natural shades, and on the other,
towards their common constituent—neutral gray. In
the first case they are simply modifications of the six
positive colours; and the terms, tempered red, tempered green, &c, are very appropriate.
In the
second case, they are modifications of the six positive hues, and may consequently be called tempered
russet, tempered green hue, &c. Russet itself is no
doubt tempered red, but it is so in that intermediate
ratio which produces this peculiar hue.
The three following Plates exhibit the primary and
secondary colours thus modified at three points between
the pure state and the tertiary hue, as follows:—
Plate X X I I I . : —
Figures,
Red,
Russet,

1

^2

3

15
5

10
10

5
15

Figures,
Green,
Green hue,

4

5

6

15
5

10
10

5
15

A NOMENCLATURE

52

Plate XXIV. :—
Figures,

1

2

3

Yellow,
Citrine,

15
5

10
10

5
15

1

2

3

15
5

10
10

5
15

4

5

6

15
5

10
10

5
15

4

5

6

15
Orange,
Orange hue, 5

10
10

5
15

Figures,
Purple,
Purple hue,

Plate XXV.:
Figures,
Blue,
Olive,

Figures,

The contrasts produced by these tempered colours
are of a soft and pleasing character, and the colours
themselves seem to possess, by this process, that intrinsically mellow tone so much admired in the works of
the best colourists of antiquity.
The next three Plates exhibit the six colours as
they appear at three points between their occurrence
in the tertiaries or hues, and their perfect neutralization
in gray, as follows.
Plate XXVI.:—
Figures,
Russet,

Gray,

1
15
5

2

3

10
10

5
15

Figures,
Green hue,
Gray,

4

5

6

15
5

10
10

5
15

15
5

10
10

5
15

Plate XXVII.:—
Figures,

1

2

3

Citrine,
Gray,

15
5

10
10

5
15

Figures,
Purple hue,
Gray,

53

OF COLOURS.

Plate X X V I I I . : —
Figures,

1

2

3

Olive,

15

10

5

Gray,

5

10

15

Figures,
Orange hue,
Gray,

4

5

6

15

10

5

5

10

15

Thus we have of each of the six colours a series of
seven modifications, producing forty-two distinct hues,
in each of which the whole colorific circle or scale is
combined. For example, take red, of which we have
the first modification in Plate X X I I L , Figure 1.
The second in the same Plate, Figure 2.
The third in the same Plate, Figure 3.
The fourth in Plate II., Figure 1, (russet)
The fifth in Plate X X V I , Figure 1.
The sixth in the same Plate, Figure 2 ; and
The seventh in the same Plate, Figure 3.
Of these modifications, the fourth of each of the
colours has already been reduced to tints by three
degrees of attenuation of the hues with white in Plate
XX., XXI., and X X I I .
In the three Plates that now follow, the second
modification is similarly reduced.
Plate X X I X . : —
Figures,

1

2

3

Tempered red, 5

10

15

White,

10

5

15

Figures,
Tempered)
green, j
White,

4

5

6

15

10

5

54

A NOMENCLATURE

Plate XXX.:—
Figures,

1

Tempered }
yellow, j
White,
15

2

3

10

15

10

5

Tempered j
purple, }
White,

2

3

Figures,

10

15

10

5

Figures,

4

5

6

5

10

15

15

10

5

4

5

6

5

10

15

15

10

5

Plate XXXI. :—
Figures,

1

Tempered |
blue, )
White,
15

Tempered }
orange, )
White,

The delicate beauty imparted to the positive colours
by the neutral gray, becomes more apparent when they
are reduced to tints, as shown in these examples.
In the next three Plates are given the tints arising
from the sixth modification of the positive colours,
producing what are usually termed warm and cooltoned grays, as follows.
Plate XXXII.:—
1

2

3

Reddish gray, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

Figures,

Figures,

4

5

6

Greenish gray, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

4

5

6

Purplish gray, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

4

5

6

Orange gray, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

Plate X X X I I L : 1

2

3

Yellowish gray, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

Figures,

Figures,

Plate X X X I V . : Figures,

1

2

3

Bluish gray, 5
White,
15

10
10

15
5

Figures,

55

OF COLOURS.

These tints almost lose their relation to the primary
which predominates in them, being deduced from that
modification which, with the exception of the seventh,
is the closest systematic approximation to the perfect
neutral gray of which the positive colours are susceptible.
It would be observed, that in subduing the six colours
to shade by their admixture with black, in the same
ratios as were employed in attenuating them to tints by
white, they became obscured at five of colour to fifteen
of black, or when the colour was to the black as 1 to 3 ;
but that on the light side, when the colour was to
white in the same ratio, it appeared in considerable
power. I have therefore added the six following Plates,
in which these colours and their corresponding tertiaries
are still further attenuated with white. In this a
different mode of gradation has necessarily been adopted, in which the intervals are as follows.
Plate X X X V . : —
Figures,
Red,
White,

1

2

3

1
15

2
15

3
15

Figures,
Green hue,
White,

4

5

6

15

3
15

4

5

6

1
15

2
15

3
15

1
15

2

Plate X X X V I . : —
Figures,

1

Yellow,
White,

1
15

2

3
2
15

3
15

Figures,
Purple hue,
White,

56

A NOMENCLATURE

Plate X X X V I I . : —
Figures,
Blue,
White,

1

2

3

1
15

2
15

3
15

Figures,
2
15

3
15

4

5

6

Orange hue, 1
White,
15

Plate XXXVIII.:—
Figures,
Green,
WThite,

1

2

3

1
15

2
15

3
15

Russet,
White,

1
15

2
15

3
15

Figures,

Plate X X X I X . : Figures,
Purple,
White,

1

2

3

Figures,

4

5

6

1
15

2
15

3
15

Citrine,
White,

1
15

2
15

3
15

Figures,

4

5

6

1
15

2
15

3
15

Plate XL. :—
Figures,

1

2

3

Orange,
White,

1
15

2
15

3
15

Olive,
White,

Amongst these tints, that of the rose, the primrose, and
the lilac, are the most decided of those that arise from
the reduction of the positive colours. The light tints of
the hues are of a delicate and retiring character, but
have no specific denomination. Yet, as they bear the
same relation in point of contrast to the tints of the
positive colours with which they are associated, as that
exhibited between the colours and hues in Plates II.
and III., they will be found useful in all light arrangements, whether employed as contrasting or melodizing
colours.

OF COLOURS.

57

To have completed this system of colours, one hundred and forty-four additional examples of tints and
shades should have been given; but such an addition
would have rendered the book too expensive for many
of the classes for whose use it is intended. I shall,
however, here point out the tints and shades omitted, in
order that the practical artist may be enabled to complete the series when applying this system to his works.
It will be observed in Plates XL, XII., and XIII.,
that each of the secondary colours are subjected to six
systematic modifications, from each of which a series
of tints and shades ought to be produced. But the
examples have been confined to the reduction of two
of those modifications only; namely, Figures 2 and 5
of each plate. This, however, is sufficient to point out
the mode by which the remaining seventy-two examples may be systematically produced in practice.
It has also been shown (p. 53) that the six positive
colours—red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange
—have each seven systematic modifications between
their positive and negative states, each of which may
be reduced to a series of distinct tints. But the
second, fourth, and sixth only, have been so exhibited in the examples, leaving the seventy-two
tints which would arise from the attenuation of the
intermediate hues, to be understood from these by the
practical artist. So also might the lighter tints of
the colours and hues, shown in the last six Plates, be
systematically reduced to reddish white, greenish
white, French white, cream white, &c. &c.; but these

58

A NOMENCLATURE OF COLOURS.

tints have been omitted for the reasons already adduced.
In the practical application of this system to the
purposes of art and manufactures, therefore, these
onxissions will occasion but little inconvenience.
They may, however, be more felt by the naturalist,
the botanist, and the professor of anatomy, in applying
it to descriptions of the objects of their respective
studies. Yet enough has been given to enable any
one, by a little attention, to perceive to what class any
colour, hue, tint, or shade, belongs, and to name its
character and position in the series, whether exhibited
in the examples or not. Little apology, however, is
called for on account of this limitation in the examples,
considering that they already amount to upwards of
double the number given in any similar attempt that
has yet been made, and that it is the only nomenclature in which a system of deduction from the primary
elements has been followed.
In conclusion it may be remarked, that many objects
in nature exhibit colours of a more brilliant and intense nature than any of the examples here given; and
that in art also, it is possible by glazing, and other
adventitious means, to enhance the brilliancy and
intensity of pigments; but no such means of producing
an effect is here employed; and every hue, tint, and
shade, in these examples, are consequently made to
bear their true relations to the six positive colours
given in Plate L, being also, for the most part, produced by combinations of the same pigments.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX

OBSERVATIONS UPON THE SCIENTIFIC
THEORIES OF LIGHT AND COLOUR.
COLOUR is the result of the mutual operation of
the active and passive principles of light and darkness;
for the action of light being partially interrupted in
the production of this phenomenon, every colour is
consequently in some degree allied to both—to the
latter as well as to the former. Colour is therefore an intermediate phenomenon, the perception of
which, like light itself, is conveyed to the mind through
the most perfect of our senses, whether in regard to
the accuracy and variety of the information it affords,
or the pleasure we derive from its exercise. The
impression made upon this sense, which conveys to the
understanding the perception of light and colour, we
receive as we do sound, by means of some inherent
quality in the atmosphere; a few observations upon
which, and upon the manner in which it is or may be
supposed to be acted upon, in the production of
colours, shall be here attempted.

62

APPENDIX.

Natural philosophers do not appear to have yet arrived at a precise understanding of the nature and
properties of light, the consequence of which has been
the promulgation of many theories, compounded almost wholly of mere conjecture. But the first theory
generally adopted as correct, was the hypothesis that
light consists of excessively minute material particles,
or molecules, thrown off from the luminous body,
whence they emanate with great velocity; diverging in
all directions, and always in straight lines. This
theory was conceived by Newton, and is called the
Newtonian theory. The particles thus thrown off are
supposed to be possessed of inertia, and endowed with
attractive and repulsive forces, and are emitted from
all luminous bodies with nearly the same velocity,
about 200,000 miles per second;—that they differ
from each other in the intensity of the attractive and
repulsive forces which reside in them; and that, impinging on the retina, they stimulate it, and excite
vision; producing colour, at the same time, by their
different degrees of inertia. It is also supposed that
their action upon the molecules of material bodies, and
vice versa, is that of attraction and repulsion.
Another doctrine maintains, that light is caused by
the independent motion of an imaginary fluid called
ether, diffused throughout all space, in which waves or
undulations are produced by the action of luminous
bodies, and propagated in the same manner as sound
is, by aerial pulsations. This hypothesis was advanced

APPENDIX.

63

by Huygens, and is called the Huygenian theory. The
fluid or elastic medium just spoken of, is supposed to
be so subtle as to offer no appreciable resistance to the
motions of the planets; and is believed to penetrate all
bodies, but to possess a different degree of intensity
and elasticity in their interior, to that which belongs
to it in a disengaged state.
But neither of these theories seems to agree with
many ascertained facts in natural philosophy; nor does
either of them account in a satisfactory manner for the
various phenomena connected with the transmission,
reflection, refraction, and velocity of light.
If light be composed of material particles, it is not
easy to conceive how they should become weaker as
they recede from the luminous body whence they
emanated, while their velocity, as is admitted, continues
the same; nor is it easy to conceive how they should
be reflected in such variety from opaque bodies, and
change their character when transmitted through
those that are transparent. Besides, material particles,
emanating in straight lines from a convex surface,
must separate and become more diffused as they recede
from it; consequently, light, under such circumstances,
instead of becoming gradually weaker, would become
necessarily mottled. These, and various other objections, especially that regarding the transmission of light
through apparently solid bodies, have been often
raised against this theory, but never satisfactorily answered.

64

APPENDIX.

Again, to conceive that there is a separate and distinct fluid coexisting with the common atmospheric
air, for the purpose of conveying light by undulation,
in the same manner as the former is acted upon by
vibratory bodies when put in motion, is to conceive a
complexity of means greatly at variance with the general simplicity of those by which, so far as they have
been investigated, the other wonderful operations of
nature are performed. Neither does such a supposition appear consistent with many facts regarding the
nature and properties of sound, nor even with those of
light, as ascertained by the experimental enquiries of
those great men themselves whose names have been
mentioned, or of the other eminent philosophers who
have followed out their investigations. One of the
most celebrated of the latter * observes, " the fact is,
that neither the corpuscular" (the Newtonian theory)
"nor the undulatory," (the Huygenian theory,) " nor
any other system which has yet been devised, will furnish that complete and satisfactory explanation of all
the phenomena of light which is desirable."
Under these circumstances, and as little beyond
conjecture has yet been advanced regarding the cause
of light, or the mode in which it operates in the production of colour, I may perhaps be permitted to
hazard an idea of my own upon the subject.
The atmosphere has been ascertained to be an elastic
fluid, impenetrable, inert, moveable, and possessed of
* Sir J. F. W. Herschel.

65

APPENDIX.

a certain gravity, reducible in proportion to the degree
of attenuation to which it may be subjected. It cannot be annihilated, and in its attenuated state it retains
the same proportions in its gaseous elements. The
fact has also been ascertained that the atmosphere,
when pure, is composed of two gases, with the admixture of a small proportion of aqueous vapour and carbonic acid.* We know that it is at the same time the
common receptacle of all the vapours and exhalations
that arise from the earth, and which diffuse themselves
gradually through it, and as gradually unite again by the
principle of affinity or gravitation. To each of the elements just mentioned as constituting by their combination atmospheric air, a specific use in the economy of the
animal and vegetable creation may be assigned, except
to the aqueous vapour; the simple fact of whose
presence, however, is alone sufficient assurance of its
having a purpose to serve, since in the productions of
nature there is nothing superfluous. Now, as the atmosphere is admitted to be a body, may we not suppose that it is constituted like other elastic bodies,
though it cannot, like those that are solid, be brought
within the sphere of microscopical investigation, and
that this aqueous vapour is distributed throughout the
* The proportions of these elements are as follows:—
By Weight.

Nitrogen Gas,
Oxygen Gas,
Aqueous Vapour,
Carbonic Acid,

By Measure.

77*50
21*00
1*41
0*08

75*55
23*32
1*03
0*10
E

66

APPENDIX.

atomic interstices in the form of an infinitely minute
and symmetrically reticulated fibrous tissue, susceptible
of tension and attenuation, like that known to exist in
animal and vegetable substances ?
By such a supposed distribution of the aqueous
vapour, an independent vehicle of sound is at once supplied, and the gaseous elements of the atmosphere
left to perform their wonderful and important duties
in the economy of the creation, undisturbed. By
such a supposition, too, regarding the constitution
of the atmosphere, and of liquid and aeriform bodies
generally, their various capabilities of condensation and
attenuation would perhaps be more easily accounted
for; as also the phenomenon in acoustics produced by
the attenuation of atmospheric air under the receiver of
an air-pump, when it so far loses its vibratory power
as to become, in consequence, incapable of conveying
sound. The supposition which I have hazarded, will
also satisfactorily account for the greater facility with
which sound is transmitted in the lower regions of the
atmosphere, where the relative proportion of the aqueous vapour to that of the gaseous elements is greater
than in its higher regions.
The manner in which smoke and other visible vapours
are observed to diffuse themselves through the atmosphere—the phenomenon of snow assuming beautiful
hexagonal figures, as well as the extremely elegant appearance and combinations which hoar-frost presents
when minutely examined—favour the supposition now

APPENDIX.

67

advanced. Because, unless there were in the body of
the atmosphere symmetrical reticulation, we should not
find in snow-flakes the uniform figures which they present, and which, it is presumed, they could not otherwise
acquire than by passing through such a medium.
The gases which enter into the composition of atmospheric air, as well as all other gases, are, according to a
well-established theory, composed of atoms or molecules.
Now, adopting this theory, may not the sun or any other
luminous body possess a power of acting upon the atomic
particles of one or both of these gases—electrically or
otherwise—in such a manner as to put them into harmonic motion amongst themselves, each upon its own axis,
and rendering them luminous by friction, thus producing
white light ? May not the partial interruption or change
in the mode of this atomic motion produce shades and
colours, and its total interruption blackness ? As every
material body is also understood to be composed of
atoms or molecules, may it not likewise be reasonably
supposed that the modes of arrangement, or the configuration of these atoms, render them capable of receiving this motion of light, in ways infinitely various*
producing every variety of colour ? May not dyeing be
simply the production of a change in the arrangement
of the atoms of which the substance dyed is composed,
thus affecting the atomic action of light upon its surface ? May not the mode of arrangement in the atoms
of crystals and other transparent media be thus affected,
and made to communicate a like motion to those of

68

APPENDIX.

the atmosphere beyond them, producing coloured light,
as those atoms on the surface of opaque bodies reflect
it?
That light does act in some such manner, seems certain, from a communication made on 20th December
1843, to the Microscopical Society, by Mr Ross, relative to the daguerreotype process first noticed by Mr
Solly—" If an ordinary daguerreotype portrait be examined with a power of about 200 linear, the surface in
the parts upon which the light has acted, is found to
be covered with a series of minute dots or globules arranged in a hexagonal form." *
It seems an ascertained fact, though by the theories
hitherto advanced difficult to be accounted for, that
the velocity of the transmission of light is in no wray
dependent on the strength of the light transmitted, and
that the reflected light of the moon travels with equal
velocity as the direct light of the sun. But by this
supposed atomic motion, the difficulty seem& removed;
for, whether rapid or slow in itself, it may be communicated with equal velocity, in the same manner that the
rotatory motion of a notched wheel, at the end of a
series of any conceivable length, would transmit to the
wheel at the other end a similar motion almost instantaneously.
All this may be easily supposed to take place independently of any vibration, undulation, or other motion
in the fibrous tissue, or even in the gases themselves;
* Athenceum, No. 844.

69

APPENDIX.

for we know that when the atmosphere is in a progressive motion, its vibrations follow the direction of
its progress. For instance, when the wind blows
strongly from east to west, or vice versa^ a sound is not
transmitted so rapidly or distinctly from south to north
as when the wind blows in that direction; while the
sun's rays, or those of any other light, are equally
direct, and proceed with the same velocity, whatever
may be the motion of the body of the atmosphere at
the time. It may therefore be supposed, that the motion producing light and colour is imparted to the
atoms while following the course of the general body
of the atmosphere as they come in contact with those
under the direct influence of the luminous body, and
that this motion is communicated with the rapidity of
electricity, which supposition is not inconsistent with
other phenomena in nature.
The hypothesis, that variously coloured rays emanate from the sun, each possessing a different degree
of intensity, has given rise to the supposition, that
there may possibly be a multitude of rays of each
colour moving with various velocities, and only affecting the sense when they have the velocity appropriate
to that colour in the eye.* But the hypothesis of
atomic motion here suggested, is independent of any
such complicated process; for although the motion it
supposes to be communicated by luminous bodies to
the gaseous atoms may be various, the progress of
* Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Article, CHROMATICS.

70

APPENDIX.

the communication may be perfectly uniform. This
hypothesis may also satisfactorily account for the
reduced velocity of light when it enters a denser
medium.
We know that motion produces friction, and that
friction produces electricity. If light, therefore, be
produced by motion amongst the gaseous atoms that
enter into the composition of all matter, the mode of
its production must resemble that of electricity, which
it must consequently resemble also in its nature.
It is known that electricity is generated in the
atmosphere, in greatest quantities, at that particu*
lar season of the year when the sun exercises the
greatest influence on it—may not this atomic friction
be the cause ? Friction produces heat, heat ignition,
and ignition produces light. If the rays of the sun be
concentrated, such concentration produces the effect of
friction in causing ignition; and when ignition is communicated from one body to another, rapid motion of
the air which surrounds the body accompanies its decomposition.
Goethe, in his admirable " Theory of Colours," says,
" In examining every appearance of nature, but especially in examining an important and striking one, we
should not remain in one spot, we should not confine
ourselves to the insulated fact, nor dwell on it exclusively,
but look round through all nature to see where something
similar, something that has affinity to it, appears; for it
is only by combining analogies that we gradually arrive

APPENDIX.

71

at a whole which speaks for itself, and requires no further explanation." Such an analogy is found between
sound and light, and is in no way at variance with the
idea of light being the result of an independent motion
of the gaseous molecules in the atmosphere. It is an
established fact, that sound is the result of vibratory
motions or undulations produced in the atmosphere,
similar to the undulations of water into which a stone
or other substance has been thrown, with this difference, that in the one case they are apparently superficial, in the other known to be spherical, diverging equally on all sides, perpendicularly and laterally. The effects of this motion in the atmosphere
is far from being uniform: sound is undoubtedly
the result, but this result is produced in various degrees of modification as to pitch and tone, and these
degrees have been ascertained to be communicated
through the atmosphere with equal velocity. It has
also been ascertained, that a musical note produced by
this pulsatory motion in the atmosphere, is invariably
accompanied by other sounds called harmonies, in a
manner quite perceptible to a fine ear; and that this
accompaniment bears the same mathematical relation
to the original note that the three primary elements
of colour bear to each of their constituents.
Sir David Brewster has shown, that no refracting
power is capable of perfectly separating the three
colours now universally acknowledged to be the primary elements of chromatics; for however bright they

72

APPENDIX.

may be made to appear in the solar spectrum, they
still have individually an admixture of one of the other
two. We are thus made aware that not only do the
elements of sound agree in number with those of
colour, but in their affinities; and I have elsewhere
endeavoured to show that they also have, in their
effects upon the senses to which they are respectively
addressed, the most perfect analogy.*
The more we investigate the operations of nature,
the more we become convinced of the simplicity of
the means by which the phenomena that are daily attracting our attention are performed. If, therefore,
we can account for the phenomena of light and colour
as satisfactorily by the means known to exist, as by
supposing the necessity of material particles, or an
ethereal fluid, to assist these, the subject is simplified,
and so far agrees with the facts which philosophy has
brought within the sphere of our knowledge.
I, however, offer these observations with much diffidence ; and should they have no other effect than that
of keeping alive a spirit of enquiry into the cause of
this, one of the most interesting of the phenomena of
nature, they will have served, it may be presumed, no
unimportant purpose.
* Essays on Form, Proportion, and Colour.

THE END.

WORKS BT D. R. HAY,
Lately Published.
i.

A NOMENCLATURE OF COLOURS, HUES, TINTS, AND SHADES.
With Coloured Examples. 21s.
W. BLACKWOOD & SONS, London and Edinburgh.

II.

AN ESSAY ON ORNAMENTAL DESIGN, IN WHICH ITS TRUE
PRINCIPLES ARE DEVELOPED AND ELUCIDATED,
&c, &c.
Oblong Folio.

57 Plates, and numerous Woodcuts.

Price £ 2 , 2s.

D. BOGUE, London ; J. MENZIES, Edinburgh.

III.

PROPORTION, OR THE GEOMETRIC PRINCIPLE OF BEAUTY,
ANALYSED.
Quarto.

17 Plates and 38 Woodcuts.

Price 25s.

W. BLACKWOOD & SONS, London and Edinburgh.

IV.

THE NATURAL PRINCIPLES AND ANALOGY OF THE HARMONY
OF FORM.
Quarto.

18 Plates and numerous Woodcuts.

Price 15s.

W. BLACKWOOD & SONS, London and Edinburgh.

V.

THE LAWS OF HARMONIOUS COLOURING ADAPTED TO INTERIOR
DECORATIONS.
Fifth Edition.

Eight coloured Diagrams; to which is added, an Attempt to define
iEsthetieal Taste. Octavo. Price 7s. 6d.
W. S. OKR & Co. London.

2
NOTICES OF THE ESSAY " ON ORNAMENTAL DESIGN.
T h e Athenaeum, A p r i l 1 2 . 1 8 4 5 .
will, from its intrinsic interest, prove an attractive
" In conclusion, Mr Hay's book goes forth with work for the study and the drawing-room."
our best wishes. It must do good. It must be prolific of thought—stimulant of invention. It is to
Scotsman, J u l y IO. 1 8 4 4 .
be acknowledged as a benefit of an unusual charac" To illustrate and define first principles—and
ter conferred on the arts of ornamental design."
to develope a system whereby an endless variety of
original geometric diaper designs can be produced,
T h e Spectator, J a n u a r y 4 . 1 8 4 5 .
based upon the true principles of harmony—seems
" Mr Hay has studied the subject deeply and to be the aim of the author in this work ; and he
scientifically. In this treatise on ornamental de- has, we think, been eminently successful, as indeed
sign the student will find a clue to the discovery of might have been expected from his high standing
the source of an endless variety of beautiful forms as a practical ornamental painter. We cordially
and combinations of lines, in the application of cer- recommend this work to the attention of our matain fixed laws of harmonious proportion to the pur- nufacturers and decorators."
poses of art. Mr Hay also exemplifies the application of his theory of linear harmony to the producT h e Glasgow Constitutional, F e b . 1845.
tion of beautiful forms generally, testing its sound" This fasciculus (Nos. VII. to XI.) brings Mr
ness by applying it to the human figure and the
Hay's ingenious, elegant, and useful work to a conpurest creations of Greek art."
clusion ; and now that the book is before us in a
perfect shape, we take the opportunity of reiteratFraser's m a g a z i n e , J a n . 1 8 4 5 .
* * * ct w e come now to Mr Hay's last, and, ing the cordial commendations which from time to
[ time we have had to bestow upon its several parts.
we are almost tempted to say, his best work, because of the more popular nature of its interest. I It is a volume which, to the large class of artists
Each part is enriched by diagrams of great beauty, ! and operatives, for whose use it is specially designed,
direct emanations of principle, and consequently ; must be absolutely indispensable ; and we may furpresenting entirely new combinations of form. Had ther recommend it to the attention of all who are
our space permitted, we should have made some interested in the fine arts, as containing much that
extracts from this Essay on Ornamental Design ; will gratify and delight them, and not a little that,
and we would have done so, because of the discri- to most of them, will be new and instructive."
minating taste by which it is pervaded, and the
forcible observations which it contains, but we canR e n f r e w s h i r e Advertiser, F e b . 1845.
not venture on the indulgence."
" So broad are the principles, and so pervading
the illustrations which Mr Hay has laid down in
Civil E n g i n e e r and Architect's Journal,
this work, that it cannot be said to include no other
May 1 8 4 5 .
students than those connected with the industrial
" Mr Hay has paid particular attention to this arts, to whom he has addressed his able and imbranch of design, which is of extensive application, portant Essay. It involves the whole range of orand as to which few accessible examples exist. It namental design."

NOTICES OF THE THREE WORKS ON " PROPORTION/' " FORM," AND " COLOUR/' IN
T h e Edinburgh R e v i e w , Oct. 1843.
" These works are highly honourable to Mr Hay
as a practical man. He has been long known as an
extensively employed and elegant Artist in the department of Decorative Painting ; and he has found
leisure, notwithstanding the pressure of his professional avocations, to appear before the Public as an
Author, with strong claims to its attention and respect. He is one of the few artists who have drawn
the resources of their profession from the recognised
fountains of knowledge ; and who, in offering the
lessons of their experience at the shrine of Science,
have been anxious to listen, in return, to her infallible counsels. The disposition to this species of
exchange, and to introduce into the intellectual
community the principles of free intercourse, is by
no means general; but we are confident that Art
will not sufficiently develope her powers, nor Science
attain her most commanding position, till the prac-

tical knowledge of the one is taken in return for the
sound deductions of the other.
" Many causes have concurred to place art and
science at variance ; but these causes have been gradually diminishing, and in the present advanced
state of the mechanical and useful arts, they have
almost wholly disappeared. It is in the fine arts,
principally, and in the speculations with which they
are associated, that the controlling power of scientific truth has not exercised its legitimate influence.
In discussing the principles of painting, sculpture,
architecture, and landscape gardening, philosophers
have renounced science as a guide, and even as an
auxiliary; and a school has arisen whose speculations will brook no restraint, and whose decisions
stand in opposition to the strongest convictions of
our senses. That the external world, in its gay colours and lovely forms, is exhibited to the mind only
as a tinted mass, neither within nor without the

3
eye, neither touching it nor distant from it—an ubi- ence between Mr Hay's views and our own, we have
quitous chaos which experience only can analyse, derived the greatest pleasure from the perusal of
and touch transform into the realities which com- these works. They are all composed with accuracy,
pose i t ; that the beautiful and sublime in nature and even elegance. His opinions and views are disand in art derive their power over the mind from , tinctly brought before the reader, and stated with
association alone, are among the philosophical doc- that modesty which characterises genius, and that
trines of the present day, which, if it be safe, it is ! firmness which indicates truth."
scarcely prudent to question. Nor are these opi- J
nions the emanations of poetical or ill-trained minds, T h e B r i t i s h and F o r e i g n XVIedical R e v i e w .
which ingenuity has elaborated, and which fashion j
No. X X X V . P. 171.
sustains. They are conclusions at which most of
" There is harmony of numbers in all nature—
our most distinguished philosophers have arrived. in the force of gravity—in the planetary movements
They have been given to the world with all the au- —in the laws of heat, light, electricity, and chemithority of demonstrated truth ; and in proportion cal affinity—in the forms of animals and plants—in
to the hold which they have taken of the public the perceptions of the mind. The direction, indeed,
mind, have they operated as a check upon the pro- of modern natural and physical science is towards
gress of knowledge.
a generalization, which shall express the fundamen* * * tt While opinions like these were consi- tal laws of all by one simple numerical ratio. We
dered as sound and well established, philosophers would refer to Professor Whewell's i Philosophy of
never thought of studying the laws of visible direc- the Inductive Sciences,' but more particularly to
tion in single and double vision, by which all the Mr Hay's ' Researches into the Laws of Harmonious
difficulties of the subject have been subsequently Colouring and Form.' From these it appears that
removed ; and in like manner, while the present the number Seven is distinguished in the laws retheories of taste prevail, there can be no induce- gulating the harmonious perception of forms, coment to discover the rules of harmonious colouring, lours, and sounds, and probably of taste also, if we
or to investigate the origin of beautiful forms, or to could analyse our sensations of this kind with madevelope the laws of regular and irregular symme- thematical accuracy. We think modern science
try. When speculation, however, is thus in the will soon show that the mysticism of Pythagoras
ascendant, and theorists least apprehensive of dan- was mystical only to the unlettered, and that it was
ger, truth is often securing auxiliaries from locali- a system of philosophy founded on the then existing
ties the least likely to supply them. The sove- mathematics, which latter seem to have comprised
reignty of association in matters of taste had never more of the philosophy of numbers than our prebeen recognised by practical men, who study nature sent."
principally through the eye; and the painter, the
sculptor, the architect, and the landscape garFraser's M a g a z i n e .
dener, had been striving in their respective spheres
" We have now gone over all Mr Hay's works ;
to discover those ' Laws of Harmony,' both in but, we confess, not in a manner calculated to do
colour and form, which ought to regulate the taste, them the justice they deserve. This, indeed, could
and direct the hand of the artist. In so far as be done only in the pages of a work devoted to
we know, Mr Hay is the first and the only modern scientific pursuits, and whose particular class of
artist who has entered upon the study of these readers may be supposed to possess that peculiar
subjects without the trammels of prejudice and au- turn of mind which delights in philosophical inthority. Setting aside the ordinances of fashion, quiry, and in the abstruse investigations of science.
as well as the dicta of speculation, he has sought In a periodical like ours, such inquiries would be
the foundation of his profession in the properties of out of place.
light, and in the laws of visual sensation, by which
"• Yet, enough has been said, it is presumed, to
these properties are recognised and modified. The show that the author of the works we have just
truths to which he has appealed are fundamental been noticing is a remarkable man. He undoubtand irrefragable ; and the conclusions which he has edly is. He is a leader in his vocation ; one of those
deduced from them, will admit of no modification men who stand prominently out in the front of his
either from taste or fashion. In the adaptation of fellows, and who, by the force of original genius,
his principles, indeed, to the various circumstances have acquired a certain ascendency over the public
in which they are to be applied, taste and judgment mind.
are undoubtedly required ; and even in the decora" Looking to the philosophical spirit and chation of the boudoir and the drawing-room, harmony
of colour, and symmetry of form, may be made to racter of Mr Hay's treatises, we cannot but consider them valuable acquisitions ; their purpose becoexist with, and even to control, the caprices of
ing to improve the general taste* and by consefashion, and the glitter of meretricious ornament.
quence, for it is a consequence thereof, to contri" Notwithstanding some trivial points of differ- bute to the advancement of civilization.

4
NOTICES OF " THE Hi? .RMONY OF FORM " IN
T h e Athenaeum.
J cannot dissent from him as to what is beautiful.
" The study of the true, the good, and the beautiful, We feast the eye with geometrical symmetry as we
has formed an important occupation of life in all turn over the figures on his plates.
highly civilized nations, and has been inculcated by
" The fact that Mr Hay, by an independent prothe truest patriots and the highest philanthropists. cess of his own mind, versant about proportion and
Science, virtue, and beauty, form the noblest ele- beauty, has arrived exactly at some of the identical
ments of creation, and of the human soul—they proportions of the Platonic Theory, as we underform the first objects of our national institutions, the stand and apply it, is to be reckoned as an importhighest elements of a national character, and the ant psychological phenomenon, demonstrating the
best themes of a national literature.
inherence of certain fixed and essential principles
" I t would be a great step in the advancement of of proportion and beauty in the human soul.
our national civilization, were the love of the beau" The two symmetrical triangles of Plato are,—
tiful and the power of appreciating the value of its 1. That triangle which is half of the square ; and
manifestations, more intimately mixed up with the 2. That which is half of the equilateral triangle.
associations and habits of our countrymen. That The first exemplifies the relations of the number
we have artists of high powers—architects of con- two, and the second adds to these the properties of
summate skill—that we have, or have had, Barrys the number three. Calling the least angle one,
and Cockerells, Wilkies and Ettys, Landseers and the magnitude of the next is two, and of the next
Mulreadys, Flaxmans and Chantreys and West- three. If, then, we try these triangles by the canon
macotts, is matter of national congratulation ; but of criticism of Michael Angelo, we find them beardoes little to prove the existence of a high standard ing, in the highest possible degree, the combinations
of national taste. The habit of enjoying the beau- of his numbers, one, two, and three.
tiful, and the power of appreciating it, should per" Now, then, Mr Hay's Do is the circle, his He is
vade the national character, should determine its the parallelogram, which is composed of a pair of
national institutions, and be diffused among the triangles of the second species of Plato ; his Mi also
peasantry of our streets and hamlets i The farmer ' consists of a pair of the same, with their largest side
and the mechanic (we quote Channing) should cul- outermost; his Fa is a group of four of these tritivate the perception of beauty?—' Every man should angles ; his Sol is a pair of the first species of Plato ;
aim to impart this perfection to his labours. * Were his La is an ellipse, whose axes are in the proporevery man a judge and appreciator of beauty, tion of two of the sides of the second species of trithen indeed might we expect forms of loveliness angle ; and his Si is a group of twelve of these triand grace to pervade the regions of domestic and angles ranged round a point.
everyday life—to replace, in our streets, the expen" All Mr Hay's proportions are, therefore, good.
sive ugliness of our street decoration—in our homes, They exist in the best specimens of perfect archithe vulgarities of ornamental deformity—and in tecture ; they are necessary elements in judicious
our churches, the distortions and anomalies of me- decoration. They give rise to symmetry and simple
retricious decoration.
numerical proportions in angular compositions.
" We hail, therefore, with delight the appearance I They pervade the works of the Greek artists, and
among us of any evidence of progress towards the were the identical principles taught by the philosodiffusion of correct principles in taste, of accurate phers who gave wisdom to the times of Pericles and
knowledge of art,—and we receive the work before Phidias."
us as a harbinger of better times—as an index of
T h e Court Gazette.
the wider diffusion of knowledge in art.
" ' Hay on Harmonious Colouring' formed the
" This is a work of great talent and value. It has^
precursor to ' Hay on the Harmony of Form.' The Ii the peculiar merit of being new and original, in the
former work was chiefly designed to correct and ! midst of the sickly spirit of repetition., which seems
direct the public taste in the decorations of do- to shed its drowsy influence over the largest departmestic life ; the present has a higher aim—the I ment of modern publication. It is devoted to form.
determination of the forms and proportions which The author is one of the individuals peculiarly engive to objects and structures a maximum of dowed with that rich gift which constitutes the
beauty.
sculptor, the architect, and the painter ; and hence
" Mr Hay's proportions, as assigned to form, the ingenious theory developed in this work, which
are most correct and most beautiful: they are logically associates sight with sound, geometry with
not, however, those of the beautiful sounds to acoustics. It is the developed theory of Plato,
which he assigns them,—and are not therefore who eloquently commented on the music of beautibeautiful. But it does not follow that because ful forms; a theory which Darwin, the Platonic
they are not therefore beautiful, they are neces- poet, in a note to his ' Temple of Nature,' practisarily therefore not beautiful ;—on the contrary, cally carries out, by suggesting the construction
the beauty, whose proportions he assigns, has been of a machine which, while producing the varied
the beautiful of all time—at least, of all civiliza- notes of the gamut to the ear, should, at the same
tion.
time, present to the eye the ' various modulations'
" It is only necessary to glance the eye over Mr of the prismatic colours. Mr Hay's theory is someHay's eighteen beautiful plates, to learn that, how- what like this ; but practically developed for the
ever we may differ from him as to why beauty is, we I painter, the sculptor, and the architect. The il-

5
lustrated architectural examples deserve especial . would encourage him in his progress. Let him renotice. The geometrical production of the facade member that the discoverers of truth are ever ultir
of a Doric temple, from the projected combination matdy honoured and rewarded.'
of the vescica piscis, or double circle—(the freemason's secret of Ancient Egypt, and the monastic
T h e G l a s g o w Herald.
architects of the middle ages)—is most curious.
" Mr Hay is well known as the author of an inWe cordially recommend to our readers this inge- genious work upon ' Colour,' in which he endeanious work, which is profoundly philosophical in vours to show that an exact analogy exists between
its geometrical analysis of abstract form, and re- the principles of harmony in colouring and harmony
plete with the exciting spirit of poetry and music in in sound. But although this theory of harmonious
its tasteful associations."
colouring is highly interesting, and is illustrated by
its author in such a manner as to create a strong
The Sun.
impression of its accuracy, it is not in its nature ab" The object of this treatise is to show that the solutely capable of demonstration — at least our
impressions made upon the eye by forms are really knowledge of colour is yet too imperfect to furnish
founded on natural principles ; and that the pro- an absolute test of its truth. But we are differently
portions and peculiarities of form which produce placed in relation to music and form: the notes of
the most pleasing impressions, are in reality, as well the former being ascertained simply to consist of
as appearance, dictated by nature, being a response undulations of air following one another in certain
to those principles in the human mind. The trea- definite ratios of rapidity, and the proportions of
tise is singularly well written, both as respects man- the latter being capable of accurate geometrical
ner and matter, exhibiting a force and closeness of ' measurement. Mr Hay's theory of the harmony of
reasoning which lead to the inference that the author form can, therefore, be put to a more rigid test than
has a decided penchant for mathematical pursuits, that of his original one of the harmony of colour.
and is extensively acquainted with that difficult and
" Assuming that there "are certain principles in
complicated science. Harmony of form, he observes, nature which regulate those relations which we independs upon three homogeneous parts, and these stinctively feel to be harmonious or discordant in
parts are analogous in every respect to the three colour and form as well as in sound, Mr Hay's
homogeneous primitive sounds, proved by the con- doctrines, if ultimately proved to be correct, will
current testimony of natural philosophers to be the establish another illustration of the simplicity with
foundation of harmony in music. The writer then which nature works to all her ends, and produces
goes on to state that there are only three kinds of all her effects ; for their object is to show that what
lines used in producing forms, and that these are constitutes beauty in the combinations of colours,
the straight line, the crooked line, and the curved of forms, or of sounds, are all referable to the same
line : adding,' all varieties of form, however com- standard, and consists in their being placed, in replex—all the similarity and dissimilarity that com- gard to each other, at certain intervals, correspondbine in the harmony of forms, are produced by these ing exactly with those of the musical scale.
simple elements.'' The varieties of which these three
" It is, of course, impossible, in a cursory notice
kinds of lines are capable are next considered, after like this, to do more than indicate the general chawhich the author gives several curious and interest- racter of the very profound, as well as extremely ining plates, illustrative of certain theories advanced ' teresting theory which Mr Hay has propounded.
in the course of his treatise. These plates are finished In so far as the precise proportions of numbers are
off with the utmost nicety, and artists and men of i concerned, we have seen it questioned whether the
science will derive many a useful suggestion from i ratios of vibrations in the musical scale, and of cirthem.
I cumferences in his scale of form, correspond so very
accurately as he takes for granted. That they apT h e Scotsman.
proximate there is no doubt, and their mere ap" Mr Hay, our ingenious and respected towns- proximation is sufficient to give a high degree of
man, has discovered a very remarkable analogy be- speculative interest to the investigation of those
tween the natural principles of Harmony in Form, principles of harmony of form which he has so ably
and those of Sound and Colour; and in short he instituted. That they do exist in nature, and may,
has, in our opinion, unfolded another link in the by earnest philosophical inquiry, be successfully exgreat chain of simplicity and unity, of similarity and piscated, may at least be regarded as points already
identity, which binds together all the elements of established by his ingenuity and perseverance ; and
to have taken the lead in such an investigation, is,
the material creation.
"• It is to the developement of this curious fact that of itself, an honour not much less than that of atMr Hay has devoted his ingenious work, which it is taining, if attained by another, its ultimate demonour purpose warmly to commend to public notice. stration. We have said enough to induce such of
Diagrams are given which bear out all his ideas. our readers as take an interest in such inquiries to
We are glad to learn, however—the present essay consult Mr Hay's work itself as to his views. The
being too short—that the author has the intention volume, we may remark in conclusion, contains nuof giving his investigations a more popular and ex- merous most beautiful diagrams, illustrative of the
tended form ; and we may then hear those who author's theory, and the reader may feel himself
4
smile at the inquiry as fanciful though ingenious, amused, as well as instructed, by studying the
making admission that Mr Hay has in reality ad- melody of the portico of the Parthenon,' expressed
vanced one step onwards in the great course of in musical notes, as well as by the intervals of Mr
simplifying the phenomena of the universe. We Hay's scale of harmony of form."

6
T h e G l a s g o w Citizen.
w
This is decidedly an able as well as original
publication, in some degree in the subject, but more
so in the author's manner of treating it.
" Mr Hay considers that there is a strict analogy
betwixt forms, sounds, and colours, and that, as in
acoustics, there are three original or primitive
sounds—the tonic, the mediant, and the dominant;
and in colours, three which are primary and uncompounded—blue, red, and yellow ; so, in form,
harmony is dependent upon three grand elements
or primary forms—the circle, the triangle, and the
square. This forms the subject of the able and ingenious treatise before us, and is supported, we might
say proved (did we consider ourselves competent to
the thorough examination of the proof), by a variety
of arguments closely and ingeniously put together,
and enforced by copious illustration and example, as
well as by various curious and well-imagined diagrams, and elevations of celebrated buildings. To
persons of taste and knowledge in art, Mr Hay's
work will be peculiarly acceptable, and we are confident that such will consider it as no slight contribution to the cause of art and science."

guidance of the public taste in judging of works of
art that owe their excellence to beauty of form. Mr
Hay has here undertaken to demonstrate, and, so
far as we are able to judge, he has done so clearly
and convincingly, that the impressions made upon
the eye by forms are really founded on natural principles ; that the proportions and peculiarities of
form which produce the most pleasing impressions
are dictated by nature, being a response to these
principles in the human mind ; and that forms are,
in all respects, analogous to sounds ; so that a system of linear harmony may be established similar to
that which regulates the arrangement of musical
notes. It is impossible here to follow Mr Hay in
the train of reasoning by which he elucidates the
above positions, and traces the perfect analogy between the laws which regulate the harmony of sound
and of form, as his deductions are in a great measure
established by reference to a numerous series of
plates of figures, which render palpable to the eye
the beautiful theory of the text. We can only refer our readers to the tasteful volume itself, as an
attentive perusal of it, we are convinced, they will
not esteem labour lost. To the architect, Mr Hay's
work indeed must be one of great interest and utiT h e Caledonian Mtercury.
lity ; and generally to all who study the arts of de" This treatise on the principles of linear har- sign and analogous branches of taste, so novel and
mony, will eminently conduce, we think, to one J original an exposition of the natural principles of
main object, which its ingenious author seems to \ form in their analogy to those of sound and colour,
have had in view ; namely, the improvement and : cannot fail to be singularly attractive."

NOTICES OF " THE LAWS OF HARMONIOUS COLOURING," &C. IN
E r a s e r ' s Magazine.
" In the absence, in the general case, of all indications of taste in the internal decorations of our
dwellings, or which is, perhaps, yet more to be lamented, in the presence of the evidences of a bad
one, our understandings have been hitherto wrapped
in a kind of Cimmerian darkness, as regards the
employment of decorative painting for domestic purposes, for the embellishment of our dwellings. A
ray of light, however, and a brilliant one, has been
let into this dark profound by Mr Hay, who not
only points to a better state of things, but leads the
way. Urged by the irrepressible energies of an active, vigorous, and original mind, Mr Hay has
stepped from the ranks of a profession, hitherto of
the humblest pretension—a profession whose practice was thought to require little judgment and still
less taste—and has rendered himself remarkable by
the ability with which he exposes this fallacy. Mr
Hay has, in truth, elevated house-painting to the
dignity of an art ; an achievement which he has accomplished simply by recognising principles, the
power of which in producing the most beautiful, in
both form and colour, his own practice has long illustrated. In his Laws of Harmonious Colouring,
Mr Hay blends the scientific with the practical,
which, in popular language, means two things:
first, that he begins at the beginning of his subject;
and, second, that he gives reasons for all he advances.

" The work which we have just named has been
too long before the public to render it necessary to
give a detailed account of its objects and purposes
here. We need but briefly state, that these are
principally to introduce a better taste in housepainting or interior decoration than has hitherto
prevailed ; and to show that this can be effected
only by a very vigilant attention to the harmonious
relations of colours to each other throughout all
their ramifications of hues, tints, and shades ; taking care that no harsh contrasts nor incongruous
associations offend the eye, but that the whole present that bland consistency which is so agreeable to
contemplate, and which fills the mind with such
pleasurable sensations. Such effect, cannot, however, be produced without a rigid adherence to
principles, without a knowledge of, and compliance
with, the laws that regulate the harmonious disposition of colours. It cannot be produced by chance,
neither can it be produced in all circumstances, nor
at any time, in greatest perfection, even by experience. Uniform and certain results can be derived
from the operation of principle alone. This Mr Hay
well understands, and it is the doctrine, par excellence, which he most anxiously inculcates, and
which, in all his works, he most urgently presses on
the attention of the reader. He knows that amongst
a thousand diverging paths there is but one that
leads to the most beautiful ; and that, therefore, it
is next to an impossibility that this path should be

7
The Atlas.
taken by any but those who know the marks and
" This is a new and improved edition of Mr Hay's
signs by which it is indicated. As well might the
work on the Laws of Harmonious Colouring, and is
mariner seek his way across the trackless ocean
without the aid of the compass, as the artist seek to adapted to every art and science in which colours
attain the most perfect results in his art without a form an accessory. Every line of this useful book
knowledge of, and adherence to, the principles on shows that the author understands his business;
which it is founded. For what the compass is to the and he has contrived to intellectualize his subject
in a very interesting manner. The principles of
one, is such knowledge to the other.
" Mr Hay, as will be observed by the title, has harmony in colour, as applied to decorative puradded to the present edition of his work on colour- poses are explained and enforced in a lucid and
practical style, and the relations of the various tints
ing, An Attempt to define JEsihetical Taste.
" This treatise is characterized throughout by and shades to each other, so as to produce an hara searching and highly philosophic spirit, by vi- monious result, are descanted on most satisfactorily
gorous thought, and a very remarkable clearness of and originally. The application of the laws of coperception. So remarkable, indeed, is it for these louring to house-painting is an era in science ; and
qualities, that we wish Mr Hay had quoted less and the precepts given cannot fail to dignify the calling,
written more ; that he had been more liberal of his by converting it into an imaginative as well as an
own opinions and more sparing of those of others, agreeable and useful pursuit."
as we greatly prefer his own remarks in almost
T h e Civil E n g i n e e r and Architect's Journal.
every instance to those of the authors he quotes.
" The art of house-painting has hitherto been j " Mr Hay's book is the fourth edition of a work
considered a very humble one ; but it would be no ! decidedly esteemed for its practicability, cheapness,
difficult task to show, that it is far from being so in- and the soundness of its principles ; and to it is
herently, and that its degradation was wholly the added, in this edition, an excellent treatise on houseresult of combined negligence and incapacity. The painting. It is, indeed, the cheapest and best book
proof of this may be found in the elevation to which on the subject, and one to which our readers of all
it has been raised by the genius and talent of Mr classes, may refer with advantage and delight."
Hay."
T h e Architectural M a g a z i n e .
" It is impossible to peruse the work before us,
T h e Spectator.
without being convinced that the author is tho" Mr D. R. Hay, of Edinburgh, affords another roughly acquainted with the science of his art. We
and a striking proof of the advantage, as well as the have given as distinct an idea as we can of Mr Hay's
pleasure, derivable by a craftsman in intellectua- Treatise, without the aid of his coloured plates ;
lizing his labour by scientific study. He thoroughly and we have done so with a view of showing every
understands his subject—a merit that does not be- young architect, or other person connected with
long to all writers—and he lays down the principles houses or furniture, how much they may gain from
of Harmony in Colour, as applicable to decorative Mr Hay's book. In short, there is no other such
purposes, explicitly and fully, and in a practical work on the subject of which it treats, and none of
which it may be so truly said, that it ought to be in
manner."
the hands of every one at all connected, however
remotely, with building or furnishing. We repeat,
T h e M o r n i n g Chronicle.
that we cannot too strongly recommend Mr Hay's
" In the early part of his work, Mr Hay throws a work to our readers."
most important light on the theory of Colours, by
the agency of which he has been enabled to go much
T h e Edinburgh Chronicle.
further towards the elucidation of this subject than
" Mr Hay has struck out new lights as to his proany previous writer. He then, in a lucid manner, fession, and has shown in this publication that the
explains the relations which colours, in their various business of a house-painter should be founded on
tints, hues, and shades, should have to each other j science, and regulated by laws, as well as the higher
to produce an harmonious result.
departments of art. And, what is more, he is the
" After the extracts we have made, it is hardly great sublime he draws. In his own extensive bunecessary to observe, that this is a work of great l siness, he has carried most successfully into effect
originality ; and we have not the least hesitation in I those great principles which he has so well deveadding, that we believe that a diffusion of the know- loped in the work before us ; indeed, his own bright
ledge of the principles laid down in it, would prove example has done, for the art of " Harmonious Coof material use to our manufacturers. In addition louring," in this city and neighbourhood, more than
also to the utility of the study of those laws which has been effected by his predecessors in the same
regulate Harmonious Colouring to those engaged in profession for centuries. This book and his example
productive industry, there can be little doubt that combined will, in fine, form an era in the history of
a knowledge of them would greatly enhance the the art to which they refer, and dignify a business
pleasure derived from pictorial art."
which has hitherto been conducted without repute
and without science."

8
NOTICES OF " THE NOMENCLATURE OF COLOURS,
T h e Scotsman.
" Here is another professional work by Mr Hay,
and one distinguished by all the characteristics by
which his other works recommend themselves to
public notice and favour— vigour, originality, and
an entire and thorough mastery of his subject.
" The work is enriched by a series of plates, on
which are exhibited specimens of the various colours
referred to in the text. These are tastefully got
up, and are marked by a precision which must render them extremely useful for practical purposes.
Taking the work altogether, there can be no doubt
of its being one of the very best of its kind that has
yet been presented to the public. The amount of
practical knowledge it contains, and the masterly
way in which that knowledge is placed before the
reader, cannot fail to impress him with sentiments
of the highest respect for the talents and acquirements of the author. Nor will these sentiments be
weakened by noting the philosophical spirit in
which, when opportunity offers, he treats his subject ; affording in this, evidence of an order of intellect equal to much greater things than the demands
of his profession."

&c.

will find nowhere else, and from which even those
whose eye has been most carefully cultivated in the
perception and discrimination of colour, will find
that they have much to learn."
E d i n b u r g h "Weekly Journal.
" Mr Hay may in his works, both as an artist and
an author, be almost considered as the founder of a
new department of design, which, though inferior in
ambitious pretence to the historic or landscape
painter's, is perhaps more conducive to the general
amenity and improved civilization of our social condition, for his object is to define and explain the
laws on which grace, proportion, and beauty depend,
and to apply them to all means of decoration, from
the magic combinations of the crowded gothic arch
—where apparent confusion is ever blending into exquisite harmony—to the delicate tintings and associated hues which make even the paper-stained walls
of the drawing room a continued challenge to criticism, and delight to the eye of taste. That he was
thoroughly master of his subject, the warm approbation which has greeted his works on Harmonious Colouring, Form, Proportion, &c. sufficiently
evinces ; and the present work may be considered
as the practical application of some of the theories
propounded, as, after teaching his disciples how to
use their tools to produce the best effects, he here
gives the tools themselves, viz. colours, mapped out,
arranged, classified, and described, not only as to
the essential composition, qualities and effects of
each, but also its relations to its neighbour and its
antagonist tints, and the exact influences over all
by the interference, more or less, of the two great
opposites, black and white, darkness and light."

T h e Courant.
" The whole tenor of the work evinces on the
part of the author a sincere desire to advance art,
a spirit of genuine philosophy, and a lively appreciation of the beautiful. Never before has been exhibited so systematic, so complete, so satisfactory an
arrangement of colours. The whole of the chromatic scale through all its gradations and modulations is shown. Its melodies, harmonies, and contrasts, are all clearly defined. All the individual
colours, tints, and hues, are placed in their proper
position, extending through a series of two hundred
and forty. The arrangement is so skilful, that the
T h e Glasgow A r g u s .
eye wanders delighted over them all, from the fiery
and exciting colour of red down to the most gentle
" Mr Hay is not alone a patron of the arts, but as
and retiring of the neutral tones."
an instructor of the followers of art, he is a benefactor to the public. All his works, whether he
writes upon Ornamental Design, or the Harmony
T h e Glasgow Constitutional.
of Form, the Laws of Harmonious Colouring, or
" This, perhaps, will be found to be the most ge- brings his comprehensive mind to bear analytically
nerally useful of the many valuable and very inge- upon the Geometric Principles of Beauty, while
nious works with which its indefatigable author has, they improve and delight the reader, render him
within these few years, enriched our literature. It the more capable of being of use, by extending his
so far surpasses all previous attempts of the kind as sphere of action, and placing him nearer that perto preclude any comparison with them.
fection it must be the constant aim of every artist
" The book addresses itself more immediately to to arrive at.
those engaged in the study of the arts, sciences,
" The primary colours are taken by Mr Hay in
and manufactures ; and of its value and importance their natural order; and not only will the artist
to this class of persons we need say nothing. But and connoisseur find ample material for thought,
we would strongly recommend it also to the atten- but the naturalist, the mineralogist, and the botation of all wTho take an interest in objects of taste, nist, will discover new lights opened out to him of
as containing an amount of information which they the most valuable tendency."

Edinburgh : Printed by Maepherson & Syme.

PLATE 1.

PLATE 2.