DOI Heft:
May 28, 1859
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16623#0230
222
["May 28, 1859.
PUNCH ON PARTY COLOURS.
Everybody knows that M. Chevreul has been writing a most
interesting treatise, which his translator calls " The Laics of Contrast of
Colours and their Application to the Arts." But everybody has not yet
been favoured with the knowledge that Mr. Punch has some idea,
when he has nothing else to do, of sitting down and getting up another
branch of the same subject, with a view to his compiling a companion
treatise to be entitled " On the Contrast of Party Colours, and their
Application to Electioneering Arts" It, is of course a superfluity to
give a proof of Mr. Punch's never-disputable fitness for this or any
other literary work, on which he condescends to suffer his vast intellect
to work. But as the subject is just now of more than ordinary inte-
rest, Mr. Punch will spare an inch or two to show how M. Chevreul's
laws may be adapted to the contrast of colours in a purely party sense.
To begin at the beginning, Mr. Punch must quote the statement
that :—
" M Chevreul's attention was first directed to this subject in consequence of
some complaints made as to the quality of certain colours prepared in the dyeing
laboratory of the Gobelins ; when, after some reflection on the matter, he became
convinced that, although the complaints concerning the instability of the light blues,
greys, and browns, might be possibly well founded, there were others, particularly
as to the want of vigour of the greys employed in the shadow of blue and violet
draperies, which were not so, and that this apparent want of vigour was owing to
the colours contiguous to them, and that the matter was involved in the phenomena
of the contrast of colours."
Parliamentarily phrasing it, Mr. Punch is " free to own " that com-
plaints concerning the political " instability of the Greys" have been
over and over again preferred to Mi. Punch, and he is not quite uncon-
vinced that they may not have been " well founded." As to the
alleged "want of vigour of the Greys" when they are "employed in
the shadow," that is of course to say, have had the shine taken out of
them, Mr. Punch can see no reason to dispute this allegation. As
employes under Government, the Greys, it is well known, have long
been in the shade, and no doubt this has been owing to their proved
" want of vigour."
With this glance at the Greys, Mr. Punch has now to notice the
effect of party colours, as influencing each other when they come in
coalition. " Not to make the matter too abstruse," says M.
Chevreul—
" Let us remind the reader that there are but three primaries, viz., red, blue, and
yellow, out of which, in various combinations, all other imaginable colours are
composed. The secondary colours (not to go further) are three, severally composed
of two of the three primaries, V'S , green, composed of blue and yellow ; orange,
composed of red and yellow; and violet, composed of red and blue. Taking the
whole three primary colours to complete the cycle of colour, the doctrine of comple-
mentary colours commences : which may be briefly explained by stating that every
primary colour has for its complementary colour the secondary colour, which is
composed of the other two primaries, and, vice verm, that every secondary colour
has for its complementary the primary colour, which does not enter into its own
composition. Thus red is complementary to green, blue to orange, and yellow to
violet; and vice versa."
Adapting this politically, Tory, Whig, and Radical correspond to
the " three primaries ; " and out of these the various shades of party
colours are composed. For instance, Liberal-Conservative is that
which corresponds to violet, being made of Tory (red) in combination
with Whig (blue): a union which, in such a case as Mr. Gladstone's,
makes a not unpleasing sort of Oxford mixture. The Derbvite, again,
is that which answers to the orange, blending the Tory (red) with the
Radical, or Chartist, yellow; a combination which produces the
strangest of effects, and in most eyes is regarded with a colourable
suspicion. The doctrine of complementaries accords in politics pre-
cisely with that which has been stated. The primaries—or premiers—
need assistance from the secondaries, and it is by being compli-
mentary to them that they get it. For instance, red, or Tory, premiers
are complimentary to green, that is, to the united Radicals and Whigs :
and the compliment is returned by green becoming complementary, i.e.
filling up the ranks, on a division, of the red.
Coining now to the pith of M. Chevreul's observations, Mr. Punch
learns that his " principle " consists in " simply this : "—
" That the eye after looking for any period, more or less in duration, upon any one
colour, immediately acquires an aptitude to see the complementary of that colour,
which will influence its appreciation of all objects upon which it mav simultaneously
or immediately rest For instani e, during or immediately after looking at red, white
will present a greenish hue, and objects of all other colours will be more or less
qualified by the latter hue. Thus—red, the complementary of green, placed by the
side of green, increases its intensity; and so of blue in juxtaposition with orange,
and greenish-yellow with violet. And when the complementary colour to any
colour acting upon another colour in juxtaposition is partly composed of the last
named colour, or when the colour in juxtaposition is partly composed of the said
complementary, the colour common to both becomes intensified in the colour in
juxtaposition. For instance, orange being placed beside red, the orange will acquire
a yellowish tint from the green complementary to red, and the red a purple tint
trom the blue complementary to orange. Again, as equal portions of the three
—that he who looks on party colours with the eye of an observer*
" acquires an aptitude " for seeing of what shades they are composed,
and may moreover see that any party politician is likely to be "influ-
enced in his appreciation of all objects" by the colour of the party by
which they are pursued. Thus, if he has green in his eye, the politician
sees red objects from a biassed point of view, and their blackness will
of course in his sight be intensified. Without much fear of contradic-
tion, Mr. Punch may also state, that men of any colour often wear
black looks, and get "somewhat rusty," when men of a contrasting
colour have a place beside them. That the " objects " of all party
colours are more or less "qualified by a greenish hue," Mr. Punch can
see no colourable pretext to dispute. Mr. Punch may likewise add,
that the only party colour which finds favour in his eyes is the colour
of the money of the wise "party" who subscribes to his inimitable
print.
" GOING IT LIKE YINCKE-ING."
Monsieur de Vincke tells us that he " places great reliance on the
ghost of Chatham, as a means of rousing the spirit of England."
How one's spirit should be roused by the appearance of a ghost,
Mr. Punch has not the ghost of an idea. The general impression is,
that if one saw a ghost one would feel less elevation than depression
of one's spirit: but though John Bull is not the man to be fright-
ened at a ghost, the sight of one would rather raise his wonder than
his dander. John Bull has settled down to smoke the pipe of peace,
and he has no wish to be "roused" from that enviable attitude.
Anyhow, it must be a substantial cause to rouse him; a ghost would
be by far too shadowy to do so. Besides, however much "reliance"
M. de Vincke may place on it, there is a doubt if Chatham's ghost
would rise up if he conjured it; in fact, to speak more plainly, there's
not the shade of an excuse to think the Shade would do so. De
Vincke's reliance, therefore, on it as a means to rouse John Bull
seems fo Mr. Punch a little premature. "First catch your ghost," is
an obvious necessity; and in calculating that John Bull would >et
the ghost of Chatham rouse him, M. de Vincke is clearly reckoning
without his g - host.
Brag is a Good Roman Dog.
What a noise the Roman Catholics do make, whenever they have
converted anybody. They cackle as though Popery, like another
- Capitol, was to be saved by the noise they made. Now, we wish they
Pao?^ would try to convert. Spooner and Newdegate ; and, when they have
succeeded, we will give them full liberty to brag about the conversion
as loudly as they please, nor will we quarrel with them about the noise
they make over it. In fact, we are not sure whether we should not
join in their cheers, and be the first to congratulate them on their
beBide black makes it look more brilliant.'
M. Chevreul's "simply this" is rather a tough bit for the digestion
ot his readers, but Mr. Punch's adaptation will facilitate their swal
owing it. Mr. Punch's " principle " is (much more) " simply this :" 1 two-fold victory
["May 28, 1859.
PUNCH ON PARTY COLOURS.
Everybody knows that M. Chevreul has been writing a most
interesting treatise, which his translator calls " The Laics of Contrast of
Colours and their Application to the Arts." But everybody has not yet
been favoured with the knowledge that Mr. Punch has some idea,
when he has nothing else to do, of sitting down and getting up another
branch of the same subject, with a view to his compiling a companion
treatise to be entitled " On the Contrast of Party Colours, and their
Application to Electioneering Arts" It, is of course a superfluity to
give a proof of Mr. Punch's never-disputable fitness for this or any
other literary work, on which he condescends to suffer his vast intellect
to work. But as the subject is just now of more than ordinary inte-
rest, Mr. Punch will spare an inch or two to show how M. Chevreul's
laws may be adapted to the contrast of colours in a purely party sense.
To begin at the beginning, Mr. Punch must quote the statement
that :—
" M Chevreul's attention was first directed to this subject in consequence of
some complaints made as to the quality of certain colours prepared in the dyeing
laboratory of the Gobelins ; when, after some reflection on the matter, he became
convinced that, although the complaints concerning the instability of the light blues,
greys, and browns, might be possibly well founded, there were others, particularly
as to the want of vigour of the greys employed in the shadow of blue and violet
draperies, which were not so, and that this apparent want of vigour was owing to
the colours contiguous to them, and that the matter was involved in the phenomena
of the contrast of colours."
Parliamentarily phrasing it, Mr. Punch is " free to own " that com-
plaints concerning the political " instability of the Greys" have been
over and over again preferred to Mi. Punch, and he is not quite uncon-
vinced that they may not have been " well founded." As to the
alleged "want of vigour of the Greys" when they are "employed in
the shadow," that is of course to say, have had the shine taken out of
them, Mr. Punch can see no reason to dispute this allegation. As
employes under Government, the Greys, it is well known, have long
been in the shade, and no doubt this has been owing to their proved
" want of vigour."
With this glance at the Greys, Mr. Punch has now to notice the
effect of party colours, as influencing each other when they come in
coalition. " Not to make the matter too abstruse," says M.
Chevreul—
" Let us remind the reader that there are but three primaries, viz., red, blue, and
yellow, out of which, in various combinations, all other imaginable colours are
composed. The secondary colours (not to go further) are three, severally composed
of two of the three primaries, V'S , green, composed of blue and yellow ; orange,
composed of red and yellow; and violet, composed of red and blue. Taking the
whole three primary colours to complete the cycle of colour, the doctrine of comple-
mentary colours commences : which may be briefly explained by stating that every
primary colour has for its complementary colour the secondary colour, which is
composed of the other two primaries, and, vice verm, that every secondary colour
has for its complementary the primary colour, which does not enter into its own
composition. Thus red is complementary to green, blue to orange, and yellow to
violet; and vice versa."
Adapting this politically, Tory, Whig, and Radical correspond to
the " three primaries ; " and out of these the various shades of party
colours are composed. For instance, Liberal-Conservative is that
which corresponds to violet, being made of Tory (red) in combination
with Whig (blue): a union which, in such a case as Mr. Gladstone's,
makes a not unpleasing sort of Oxford mixture. The Derbvite, again,
is that which answers to the orange, blending the Tory (red) with the
Radical, or Chartist, yellow; a combination which produces the
strangest of effects, and in most eyes is regarded with a colourable
suspicion. The doctrine of complementaries accords in politics pre-
cisely with that which has been stated. The primaries—or premiers—
need assistance from the secondaries, and it is by being compli-
mentary to them that they get it. For instance, red, or Tory, premiers
are complimentary to green, that is, to the united Radicals and Whigs :
and the compliment is returned by green becoming complementary, i.e.
filling up the ranks, on a division, of the red.
Coining now to the pith of M. Chevreul's observations, Mr. Punch
learns that his " principle " consists in " simply this : "—
" That the eye after looking for any period, more or less in duration, upon any one
colour, immediately acquires an aptitude to see the complementary of that colour,
which will influence its appreciation of all objects upon which it mav simultaneously
or immediately rest For instani e, during or immediately after looking at red, white
will present a greenish hue, and objects of all other colours will be more or less
qualified by the latter hue. Thus—red, the complementary of green, placed by the
side of green, increases its intensity; and so of blue in juxtaposition with orange,
and greenish-yellow with violet. And when the complementary colour to any
colour acting upon another colour in juxtaposition is partly composed of the last
named colour, or when the colour in juxtaposition is partly composed of the said
complementary, the colour common to both becomes intensified in the colour in
juxtaposition. For instance, orange being placed beside red, the orange will acquire
a yellowish tint from the green complementary to red, and the red a purple tint
trom the blue complementary to orange. Again, as equal portions of the three
—that he who looks on party colours with the eye of an observer*
" acquires an aptitude " for seeing of what shades they are composed,
and may moreover see that any party politician is likely to be "influ-
enced in his appreciation of all objects" by the colour of the party by
which they are pursued. Thus, if he has green in his eye, the politician
sees red objects from a biassed point of view, and their blackness will
of course in his sight be intensified. Without much fear of contradic-
tion, Mr. Punch may also state, that men of any colour often wear
black looks, and get "somewhat rusty," when men of a contrasting
colour have a place beside them. That the " objects " of all party
colours are more or less "qualified by a greenish hue," Mr. Punch can
see no colourable pretext to dispute. Mr. Punch may likewise add,
that the only party colour which finds favour in his eyes is the colour
of the money of the wise "party" who subscribes to his inimitable
print.
" GOING IT LIKE YINCKE-ING."
Monsieur de Vincke tells us that he " places great reliance on the
ghost of Chatham, as a means of rousing the spirit of England."
How one's spirit should be roused by the appearance of a ghost,
Mr. Punch has not the ghost of an idea. The general impression is,
that if one saw a ghost one would feel less elevation than depression
of one's spirit: but though John Bull is not the man to be fright-
ened at a ghost, the sight of one would rather raise his wonder than
his dander. John Bull has settled down to smoke the pipe of peace,
and he has no wish to be "roused" from that enviable attitude.
Anyhow, it must be a substantial cause to rouse him; a ghost would
be by far too shadowy to do so. Besides, however much "reliance"
M. de Vincke may place on it, there is a doubt if Chatham's ghost
would rise up if he conjured it; in fact, to speak more plainly, there's
not the shade of an excuse to think the Shade would do so. De
Vincke's reliance, therefore, on it as a means to rouse John Bull
seems fo Mr. Punch a little premature. "First catch your ghost," is
an obvious necessity; and in calculating that John Bull would >et
the ghost of Chatham rouse him, M. de Vincke is clearly reckoning
without his g - host.
Brag is a Good Roman Dog.
What a noise the Roman Catholics do make, whenever they have
converted anybody. They cackle as though Popery, like another
- Capitol, was to be saved by the noise they made. Now, we wish they
Pao?^ would try to convert. Spooner and Newdegate ; and, when they have
succeeded, we will give them full liberty to brag about the conversion
as loudly as they please, nor will we quarrel with them about the noise
they make over it. In fact, we are not sure whether we should not
join in their cheers, and be the first to congratulate them on their
beBide black makes it look more brilliant.'
M. Chevreul's "simply this" is rather a tough bit for the digestion
ot his readers, but Mr. Punch's adaptation will facilitate their swal
owing it. Mr. Punch's " principle " is (much more) " simply this :" 1 two-fold victory