Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-01

Nou hilulS DISCUSS CO!OTS' |
remember when | vas 1T school the
discussion as 10 whether black was
a color or the absence OF colcr, etc
s, Philadelphia"
You have suggested Il truly fasci-
mating subject. Cndcr the light OF
some stars that we see in the sky
life. at least az II is limited in Its
entoyments by human sens. capac:-
iirs. would entirely lack the varied
spicndor OF environment that We are
accustomed to under our own star.
which W." call the sun.
nn Il planet under a red sun. for
instance. the human y would SEQ
everything red-sky. clouds, earth,
rocks. flowers. countcnlnccs-nothinr
Du, shades of red, except al might,
when the aaron white stars would
rornscatc with an alien beauty un-
known to the daylight OF tina world.
kcd is a pure: indivisible color. a
Hoi"r "ut OF which no ether can be
Is the report OF our eyes. So. too.
green; blue. etc. are indivisiblc col
ons. SUI sunlight is. orchestral, with
cclor tones. The perfect symphony Of
the solar orchestra is white sunlight.
IN IL are combined the music OF
many strings. As some of the notes
or "a ninno may be cut of by All
Sorption in a screen of vibrant
strings stretched between the
nearer and the instrument. while
ether notes pass through without,
being arrested. so various objects
on which fun whit" sunlight falls
absorb certain OF the notes G.. e..
,iueS) of the scale Of light. ana al
Tow others to pass. or reflect them.
The absorbed hucs disappear for
us. the .eicctcd ones come to our
eyes and give the rejecting body it's
characteristic color. II sunlight pos
SsG G4Il lNtf ar.- 80 -
be n montonc: and all bodies tina, re-
hected II It all wouid appear in that
one same color. while those which ab-
sorbcd IL would have no color AT all
and would h" Invisible for the reason
that they would cNtinSuish the Who'll.
OF the light falling upon them.
me basis OF the difference between
coiors is difference in the length. or
In the vibration frequency. of the
waves Of radiant energy sent forth
by the sun. But the distinction BE-
tween .coiors is made in our eyes
themselves. II has a physiological
basis. The short waves make a diff
fcremt color impression from that
made BY the long waves. But when
they are all received at oncc their
effects blend into the impression OF
white light.
There is an infinite ~gradation Of
wave lengths in light as in sound.
and SO thcr" ought 10 be au infinite
grauaiion OF coiOrs passing impcr-
- 80 aAN' ~ LS luS
as the ear distinguishes certain notes
witho 1t noticing all III. ntermcdiat,
tones. so the eye takes notice OF GER
tain predominant colcrs. Thus there
is "a Shinut OF d!stinsuishablc colors.
as w"1l aS h. sAInult Of recognized
mIsi al nos Eut all p~erccptible
colors ar" contained in about one oc-
taNe. while sounds are audible.
through cicv?l octavrs.
II is usual to say ,ha, neither
Willle nor black is "A color This ~
correct with regard to black. since
black in itself is invisible and de-
notes the absence of all light and
consequently of all color. But il
seems TO me that white SHOULD lie
~rcckoned a. "A color. the acme OF all
color; since II contains the potency
Recently physicists have concluded
homogeneous trains OF waves. repre-
"en'ine the spectral %colors. hut hat
tic coiorS arise in ,hc act Of disper-
SION. SO that 1t can no longer he
maintained that white light consists
simply of a combination OF the other
recognized co!ors. This. however,
docs not Otherwise affect our discus
sion.
I'll" cy" recognizes about seven
distinct %colors. as the ear
( distinct notes in AN octave or
muS!v. The hue OF light is analos-
Gus to "a" pinch OF sound. Both arc
governed by frequency uf VIBRATION,
The shade of a color il analogous To-
the !~oGndncSs OF IA sound. Tint is
ana" :" puaiit% OF tiinbre. .Add-
Ing white alters the tint: addin.
black alters the shade. There have
b"en many s~pcculations about Wis
u"T music. or the music Of color
iects from coisr comparable with
nose produced by harmonies fell
throuEh the ear would seem TO be
ed that vision embraces hn, :, sinri.
octaN" OF vibrations as against clevsn
octnves included within the range OF
II IA source Of light supplies on,v