Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-02
x1scEI1AH1oUs READING.
BLUNDERS OF VISION.

1t is estimated by those who have taken
special pains to investigate the matter, that
two persons out Of every hundred are decid-
edly color-blind. Many comical mistakes
have been made on account of the inability
of parties to distinguish colors. The follow
ing cases are reported in the Philosophical
Transactions:
A gentleman relates how he was shocked
just before the marriage of his daughter by
the appearance of the bridegroom in q suit
of black; for in earlier times it seems color
was indispensable to matrimony Papa in
sisted that the poor fellow should 60 home
and assume some less melancholy attire; but
the bride who would probably have married
him in sackcloth, like noble woman-
at least so we suspect rushed to the rescue,
and declared that her lover was correctly
clothed in rich scarlet-colored dress. Such
was the fact. One day, after service at
church, gentleman went up to lady and
inquired, with great concern tor whom she
was in mourning. For no one, was the re-
ply; why should he imagine that such was
the case? The querist explained-was not
her bonnet deep black Certainly not; it
was crimson velvet! A person who had lost
relative, greatly scandalized his friends by
sealing his black-edged letters with red
wax, just as many an heir-st law would
probably do, if, after testifying his regard
for the memory of the departed by using
sheet with the deepest and darkest Of bor-
ders, he were at liberty to symbolic his gen.
uine sentiments when he came to the SEAL
But this was nothing to the blunder Of an
upholsterer's apprentice, who was sent to
l.. a. N ,,fH
and returned with aquantity of scarlet, un-
der the impression that it was as mournful
sable as the occasion required.
Next let us mention series of cases in
which one color is simply confounded with
another. Red, for example, may be habit
ually mistaken for green, or crimson identl-
fed with blue. Take the former species OF
defect; for the clashing Of green with red is
one of the most popular forms of heserodoxy
in regard to the hues. A gentleman was
asked if he saw any object stretched upon
hedge. He declared there was none. The
fact was that red cloak happened to be
thrown over it, and though the exact posi-
ton was pointed out to him, he could not
perceive any difference in color between the
garment and the green OF nature. Boys
have more than once become acquainted with
their parachromatism-not certainly under
that title-by finding that their companions
could make easy havoc amongst the cher
ries, while they, from their inability to dis
criminate between the hues of the fruit and
the leaves, were compelled to explore the
tree laboriously, and to commit their deprs.
dations on avery unsatisfactory scale. The
same difficulty has attended their operations
whilst toraging in the strawberry beds
Other most amusing instances are on record.
A gentleman was requested to pick out all
the green's from number OF pieces of stain.
ed glass; be selected the red, brown, claret,
yellow, and pink; and, when asked to say
which was the most emphatic green OF the
group, he unhestatngly fixed upon the clar-
ct. A surgeon called upon his tailor, intend
ing to order pair of brown pantaloons; he
selected the cloth himself; but when the gar
ment came home, the color proved to be as
sanguinary as if he were on she point of
starting for the wars. He went on another
occasion determined to secure his favorlte
brown, but the result wasj just - untortu-
nate as before This time the color adopted
was violent green, and the poor fellow was
compelled to get the articles dyed in order
that he might not be mistaken for soldier
or huntsman. A nobleman, whose vision
was similarly affected, began to banter his
lady one day for wearing scarlet dress
Her ladyship was at loss to understand the
Joke, for her dress was as verdant as the
garb of spring. A gentleman who was fond
of drawing used to perpetrate landscapes IN
which the trees were adorned with red toll-
age; and when he attempted to execute
marine view, his waves-contrary to all pre-
cedent, except they were intended for the
Red sea-were tipped with fine crimson
crests