First Kind. Harmonies Of Analogous Colours

1. The harmony of scale, produced by the simultaneous view of different tones* of a second scale, more or less approximating.

2. The harmony of hues,† produced by the simultaneous view of tones of the same height or nearly so, belonging to scales more or less approximating.

3. The harmony of a dominant coloured light, produced by the simultaneous view of different colours assorted conformably to the laws of contrast, tut one of them predominating, as would result from seeing these colours through a slightly stained glass.

* Pure tints modified by black or white. † Hues are formed by the modification of any pure colour by small amour.ts of some other colour.

Second Kind. Harmonies Of Contrasts

1. The harmony of contrast of scale, produced by the simultaneous view of two tones of the same scale, very distant from each other.

2. The harmony of contrast of hues, produced by the simultaneous view of tones of different height, each belonging to contiguous scales.

3. The harmony of contrast of colours, produced by the simultaneous view of colours belonging to scales very far asunder, assorted according to the law of contrast: the difference in height of juxtaposed tones may also augment the contrast of colours.

Chevreul names blue and orange as good contrasts; violet and yellow, red, with white or black, in juxtaposition.

Colours placed in juxtaposition effect a modification in tint or hue on each other. Place blue and green of nearly the same height of tone side by side, and you will perceive that the blue will look less greenish and become more violet, and the green will take an orange tinge.

"Under similar conditions an orange and a red mutually affect each other, and pass respectively towards yellow and crimson. Even two white stripes by the side of two black, or even two grey stripes matched with two brown ones, undergo severally, and severally induce, a change, the tone of the grey or the brilliancy of the white being heightened, those of the brown and of the black being in a corresponding degree lowered by the mutual neighbourhood of these different stripes. It is then a phenomenon affecting tone (i. e., relative depth of greyness) as well as tint (i. e., relative quality of colour). Furthermore, black, white, or grey, placed in juxtaposition with coloured stripes, exhibit changes, the character of which can be readily anticipated by reference to Chevreul's law. Thus white with red mutually produce difference both in tone and tint. The high tone of white (absolute whiteness being the greatest height of tone to which all colour can approximate) reacts on the tone of the red lowering it. The colour of the red reacts on the colourlessness of the white, impressing this with a slight tint of the colour most different from the red - that is to say, the complementary colour to the red, namely, green.

Thus red and white become respectively a deeper toned (darker) red contrasted with a slightly greenish white. Thus, too, black and red become a very faintly greenish and much less rich black and a more white (lower toned, paler) red. The hue variations become marvellously distinct in a well-chosen grey whose tone is commensurate with that of the colour juxtaposed to it. Here, the modification of tone not affecting the relative brilliancy of the colour and the grey, the former impresses on the latter its complementary tint, so that a red will render a like-toned grey quite perceptibly green, itself becoming of a purer redness, while a blue similarly brightened will impart to it a decided orange. Greys slightly tinted with any colour have that colour in a surprising way intensified by juxtaposition with its complementary, so that a bluish grey will become almost a decided blue in the neighbourhood of orange."*

* Fraser's Magazine, Nov. 1855.

These hints on the art of colour may be (if carefully thought out) of some service to the housewife furnishing. She should see that the stuff which covers the cushions of her rosewood chairs is of a colour adapted to set off the wood; and then be careful that this colour is in harmony (whether by contrast or judicious analogy of hue) with the wall-paper, the curtains, and the carpet; and that the various hues and tones of these are borne out by tints and hues on cornice and wainscot which will harmonize with the whole, giving an effect of a blooming light to the room, which has a peculiar, and to the uninitiated in art a mysterious charm of its own.

The greys will be found of great service contrasted with their complementary colours, and shades of the same colour are also pleasant to the eye. In papering, forethought regarding the furniture to be placed in the room must constantly be exercised. The bloomy papers, all of one tint, with gold mouldings or panellings always look well, if the colour be chosen with regard to that of the carpet, curtains, and general style of furniture. But fashion regulates the style of papers, with or without the "dado".

We have insisted elsewhere in this volume on the beneficial effect of LIGHT. Colour has been said by one of the wisest and most practical of Englishwomen to be, like light, a physical boon as well as a thing of beauty.

"The effect in sickness of beautiful objects, of variety of objects, and especially of brilliancy of colour," says Miss Nightingale, " is hardly at all appreciated;

"Such cravings are usually called the ' fancies' of patients. And often doubtless patients have 'fancies,' as, e.g., when they desire two contradictions. But much more often, their (so called) 'fancies' are the most valuable indications of what is necessary for their recovery. And it would be well if nurses would watch these (so called) ' fancies' closely.

"I have seen, in fevers (and felt, when I was a fever patient myself) the most acute suffering produced from the patient (in a hut) not being able to see out of window, and the knots in the wood being the only view. I shall never forget the rapture of fever patients over a bunch of bright-coloured flowers. I remember (in my own case) a nosegay of wild flowers being sent me, and from that moment recovery becoming more rapid.