The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-03-09
IMPERIAL PURPLE.

! the ancient symbolism of the imperial
hue. The color is not only symbolical
and charged with ancient associations
| but forms welcome variety to the
customary suits of solemn black"
which on such an occasion of national
mourning and sorrow help to deepen
the general gloom.
The use of purple greatly relieved
the general sombreness of the decora-
tons on Saturday last Paddington
was draped in part in purple and white,
and many of the houses on the line of
route used the royal color. Baroness
Burdett-Coutts' house, draped in purple
with a white fringe and neighboring
hotel, with its balconies richly shroud-
ed in purple with golden tassels, were
specially noteworthy examples of quiet
ly good and beautiful effects In one or
! two places where cloth ran short purple
paint was used with striking success.
At Windsor the use Of mingled purple
and black hangings for lampposts and
electric light standards, as well as for
houses, was very general, The same
color symbolism was shown In the very
large use which was made Of the pur-
pie cattleya archids in the innumerable
wreaths which We're sent by all sorts
and conditions of people. The great
tribute sent by the government and
people of South Australia was formed
of these orchids with violets and lau-
rel leaves. A shield of vioets, nine feet
high, came from the imperial Yeoman-
ry. Parma violets formed the base of
the beautiful tribute sent by Lord and
Lady Dudley. British Columbia sent
cushion of violets with the imperial
crown and monogram picked out in
lilies of the valley. But it would be an
endless task to enumerate the instances
in which purple and violet flowers sym
bolized the grief and affection of the
eenders.
The symbolical associations of purple
are of ancient origin. Violet and not
black Is the usual color of mourning in
Turkey at the present day, but our
western use of the color in connection
with royalty Is derived from the GUS
toms of ancient Rome In the days
when the City on the Seven Hills was
the capital of the world the imperial
robes were of purple--or "Tyrian dye,
as it was sometimes called Much OF
the purple coloring matter anciently
used was made at Tyre from kind of
shellfish--a species of Murex-which
was there abundant 1t is said that
heaps Of the broken shells, near the
hollow places in the rocks which served
as the mortars wherein they were
pounded, may yet be seen on the Tyr
ian coast.
Ever since the days of the Roman
emperors the color has retained its re-
gal and imperial Significance. The
phrase ''to be born in the purple" is ia
mlliar TO everybody, but there are prob
ably not a few Of those who use it who
are not aware of the singular impor-
lance that once attached to the condi-
ton so described. Nowadays the
phrase has little but a figurative mean
ing, and Is often used loosely enough,
but in its original application it meant
much To be born in the purple" that
is, to be born after the parents sue
cession to the throne. meant among the
emperors of the eastern Roman empire
the right of succession, for the claim to
the throne of a younger son, If so born,
was preferred to that of an elder born
before his fathers succession This
custom, however, which is in strange
conflict with modern notions, has never
prevailed in the west
Although the use of purple or violet
as the color of royal mourning has not
been confined to any one European
king or emperor, the kings of France of
long ago were inclined to look upon it |
as their own peculiar prerogative. This
I IL 4. IL ,,,,I xx,hN
our own ex-King James III was living
in exile at the court of his royal broth
err of France. James like his predeces-
sors and his successors till 1901, |
claimed the title of "King of France"
and on some occasion of public mourn |
ing both King Louis XIV and the ex |
lied James appeared attired in violet. |
The Marquis de Dangean, who men, |
tons the incident in those memoirs
which have served as such rich quar-
ry for many historical writer's, from |
Voltaire downward, says: sit sur |
prised us to see two kings of France"
1t was an amusingly characteristic ex-
ample of the Stuart obstinacy and want |
of tact. The surprise Of the magnifi- |
cent Louis was probably greater than |
that of his courtiers. James brother,
Charles 1T, wore the same royal color |
few months after his restoration, when
his younger brother, the Duke of
died of smallpox. Mr.. Pc
pys remarked in his DIARY" Septem-
Der 16, 1861 ''Thence to White Hall
Garden, where I saw the king in purple
for his brother"
The use of the imperial purple was
to the reigning monarch, for
Mr.. Pepys tells us few years later how
he went to Whitehall and saw the |
of York in fine dress of sec
ond mourning for her mother, black |
edged with ermine. Mary Queen of
Scots when in mourning for the Earl OF
Darnley wore black and white, with
slight mixture of purple, and the same
colors were worn by Queen |
Anne on the death of her husband.
Prince George of Denmark. Conscious
ly or unconsciously, in wearing these
three colors Queen Anne combined the
suits customarily at three
several courts al different times, Black
was the German color. The expresses
dowager of Ger We're accustomed, 1t is
said, never to leave off their mourning,
and their apartments were hung with
black till their death--a most unneces-
sarily dOleful custom Purple, as we