The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-03-10
LANGUAGE OF. COLORS.
ideas and Sentiments Which Are Espresso
by Different Hues.

by Different Hues.
The three primary colors, red, blue
and yellow, are the base of the Ian
guage, and the secondary lines, from
the blending of which the most COM
plicated and delicate tints are derived,
correspond to the grammatical roots
of spoken tongues.
Red is warm color. Its type Is
found in the rainbow or prismatic
spectrum and the common wild poppy
1t is indicative of jubilation, victory
and ardent love. By the law of oppo-
sites, that is to say, on the old principle
that extremes meet, it is the emblem
of bloodshed and revenge.
| In medieval art, blue was eminently
lsymbolical. Azure was typical OF i'm
mortality, and it became the custom to
cover the collins of children with blue
cloth. The ceiling of churches were
painted blue and powdered with stars,
20 represent the canopy of heaven over
The faithful. This color was used in
lraperies by the old masters to typify
nodesty; and the Virgin Mary is found
i'm their works clothed in blue mantle.
In heroic shields blue stood for chastity,
loyalty and good reputc. From this
last Specification. doubtless, the term
lxbluc blood took its rise.
I Love, constancy and wisdom are the
attributes of yellow. This tint is found
lin all its winsome purity in the COM
mon buttercup of the pastures. In
China, yellow is emblamatic of faith.
On the other hand, yellow stands for
treason and jealousy. In Spain, the
|garb of the public executioner is red and
yellow, and symbolizes the vengeance
|of the law and the infamy of the crimi-
nal In the olden time the French were
accustomed to daub the lintels of a
traitors house with yellow paint, and
in commemoraCion of Christ's betrayal,
Jews were obliged in many countries
to wear garments of the same color.
Judas, in the Illuminated missals of the
middle ages, was always pictured in
yellow raiment.
The secondary colors are equally
pregnant with significance. Brown,
ever since the most remote period, has
been the sign of woe. The dun robes
of certain religious orders are eloquent
of remuneration and penitence Green.
among all nations, is considered en-
blematic of the JOY of spring and the
promise of harvest. With the Greeks
it betokened victory. The standards
of Mahomcts armies were green. The
color is still held sacred by the fol-
lowers of Islam, and none but the bona
fide descendants of Allah's prophet
may indulge in the luxury of a green
turban.
The blended hue of red and yellow,
namely, orange, has been the symbol
of indissoluble marriage from time i'm
memorial. The wife of the priest of
Jupiter wore an orange veil and her
divorce was prohibited. The color
thus became felicitous omen. Virgil
arrays Helen of Troy in a saffron
bridal veil, and the wreath of orange
Blossoms on the head of the modern
lbelle is a survival of the tradition.
Black, the negation of color. has q
universal significance of grief and
mourning. In sacred paintings it
often looms up on the canvas as the
shadow of evil. White, on the con-
trary, is the hue of innocence and
virginia. purity. The priests of an
tiquity wore white vestments, and, I'M
consciously, q mother dresses her new
born babe in clothing of the same
spotless hue. White horses were
sacrificed to the sun by the Egyptian
priests.-M Y Press.