Every body, on which light falls, reflects a part of it back again. Any thing red, held before a looking-glass, gives back a portion of its own colour with great vividness; as a glass would throw the sun's ray on a wall.
The real colour of polished surfaces are lost in the colour of the light that falls on them. This likewise applies to all metals.
All smooth or shining surfaces repel the light they receive, throwing their reflexes on any thing opposed to them.
Polished surfaces, as in plate or armour, do not show their real colours. The reflected colours of the sun or air that shines on them confuse their own. Rough surfaces, on the contrary, retain their natural colours most.
Suppose the sun to equally illumine two sides of a street, as it passes its centre, and on one side is a red house, and opposite to it a white one, the white one would be impinged with the reflection from the action of the light on the red one: thus, all proximity of colours affect each other, in the light, in the manner of reflexes, declining as they recede. The reflected lights in folds of silk draperies illustrate this phenomenon best.
Compare the shadows thrown on different colours with each other, by placing a number of coloured materials in a dark place, the colours of shadows being regulated by the objects giving and receiving them.
Examine well the colours in the shadows of flowers; they present the most excellent combinations.
All colours, as at night, may be lost in that of the general shadow, presuming it dark enough to destroy all reflexes.
Colours reflected on by their opposites will become neutralized; as green against red, purple against yellow, &c.
The shadows on all objects partake of the colour of the light, or are qualified by other lights throwing their reflects into them.