Principles of the Harmony and Contrast of Colours - And Their Applications to the Arts; Including Painting, Interior Decoration, Tapestriks, Carpets, Mosaics, Coloured Glazing, Paper-Staining, Calico-Printing, Letterpress-Printing, Map... #220111

By another9 the translator was supposed to be ignorant of the labours of our countrymen on the subject of The Laws of Harmonious Colouring; he was not ignorant, however, that there are many books with pompous titles, professing to explain the principles of harmony and con trast, but which exhibit nothing more clearly than the ignorance and egotism of their authors. They resemble nothing so much as portable backgammon boards, labelled with the titles of works of standard literature. Such books in fact belong to the dark ages, before Galileo, Newton, Bacon, Cuvier had said let light be; and should be placed on our shelves beside Lilly's Astrology and Moore's almanacks. That they should have found recognition at all can only be attributed to the strong desire felt by the public for instruction on the subject of colour. That they failed to satisfy that desire is buttoo evident upon all occasions where a knowledge of principles was necessary to the successful result of great undertakings: it is only no cessary to refer to the discussions raised upon the proper colouring for the Crystal Palace, in 1851.