St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-09-06
Color in 8f'ess.

Some OF the printed delaines now SO
much worn are very brilliant in color
fnp, One of these, covered with de-
sign of rings in the brightest possible
hasturtium tints, was worn lately by
brunette with clear complexion and
scarlet lips. Nothing could have been
better: but beware of these bright
shades, oh blondes! Some sad mistakes
are made by those destitdte of the sense
of color. Apallid. sallow face is encircled
by mahogany-colored bonnet and
strings TO match. The effect is depress-
ing. AT a recent concert one OF the
singers wore emerald green velvet over
a siate-colored silk skirt. Her gloves
matched the skirt. Such dress ought
to be punishable by law. An artist who
was present was heard 10 remark that
if one looked long enough at that gown
It would drive one crazy. When the
science of color comes to be properly
understood, such combinations will be
impossible. We want some one to pre-
pare a grammar and dictionary of tints,
or rather Ton-messung' or "Ton-
letter." 'tGuide to the Gamut of
Colors and Tints' Not till this is done
shall we be able to do justice to the mar
velous number of hues that modern
manufacturers have placed ready to our
hands. We shall have tints and semi
tints ranged in order, as tones and semi
tones in music. We shall delight in
the composition OF cadences, of SYM
phonies, and comprehend the value OF
intervals and the intricacies of modula-
ton.
The theory of color is as yet I'M
known, and we are but on the thresh-
old of delightful science. Though
there are many to whom the study
would offer no attractions, yet these
would scarcely outnumber those who
have "no ear" for music, and who, not
withstanding that fact, attend con-
certs, are taught to .'play the piano,
and are even given instructions in sing
inc until the tortured ears of the teach
er and of the martyrized household lead
to their own release from pain. But to
those gifted with the capacity it will
be an immense boon to have the science
of color recognized as such, and laid
open to the willing student. The char
acterization of colors has yet to be
studied A French writer says: 'tYou
may laugh in sky-blue bonnet, but
you must not weep in q rose-colored
one" In the same way no one would
Willingly put on yellow gown Il she
felt dull or in a peevish mood. There
is cheerful good-nature about the coll
or, as seen in pansies, in laburnum, or
in buttercups, that insults it for darker
moods. Violet is sentimental, but the
paIer mauve laughs with good nature
and light heart. There is something
solemn about the splendor of the more
brilliant tints of red and much OF pre-
tentiousness in the decided shades Of
blue. Musicians recognize similar quail
tiles in the various keys in which they
write. Some are chosen for interpret
ing querulous ditty, and Others for
words of melancholy drift. All these
possibilities are to be found in colors as
On sounds, in tints as in tones. Many
of us now seize these harmonies by a
sort of intuition, but our Interpretation
of them must be as lame and made
quate as was Jubals harp to render the
music of the spheres, perhaps more
audible to mortals in those early days
of the worlds youth. Will no one ac-
complish for sight what musicians have
done for sound? We have not even
words wherewith to write of colors, but
have to borrow from the language of
music. Should any hereafter make the
rough places smooth and the crooked
ways straight, it will be matter Of
gratitude, not only to the possessors Of
artistic perceptions, but to the world 4
Sarge, since the science of dress musb
thereby become greatly simplifed, and
an infinite variety be rendered possible
without further resources than those we
now possess. London Ne10s.