I have ventured to prefix these sacred words to this part of my subject, in order to point out how manifestly the emblematic significance of colour has its foundation and authority in the Holy Scriptures. The fact is first brought to our notice in the inspired account of the making of the Tabernacle, under the Divine commands, and subsequently in the building of the Temple. The colours, numbers, and many other particulars of the Mosaic dispensation, were symbolical types—"a shadow of good things to come," long since fulfilled; but the symbolical application of colours and other types of "heavenly things" is not therefore ended, inasmuch as they are largely so employed throughout the New Testament. These combined facts furnish an argument to my own mind most convincing, that we may, with all reverence, continue to regard colours symbolically, as types of heavenly attributes and virtues.

Mrs. Jameson[12] says, "In very early art we find colours used in a symbolical or mystic sense, and until the ancient principles and traditions were wholly worn out of memory, or set aside by the later painters, certain colours were appropriate to certain subjects and personages, and could not arbitrarily be applied or misapplied. In the old specimens of stained glass, we find these significations scrupulously attended to."

The precise tints of the colours mentioned in the Holy Scriptures must ever be a subject of doubt, but enough can be gathered from ancient writings to bring them within certain degrees of probability. In an interesting article in Dr. Kitto's Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, we read:—"Josephus evidently takes the Hebrew word," translated "blue," "to mean 'sky-colour,' for, in explaining the colours of the vail of the Temple, and referring to the blue (Exod. xxvi. 31), he says that it represented the air or sky." We must not, however, be led away by our own modern term "sky-blue," which represents a pale colour, but recollect that (to quote again from Dr. Kitto) "in proportion as the sky is clear and serene, it assumes a dark appearance, which is still more observable in an eastern climate."

The blue of ecclesiastical colouring is always dark and intense.

Purple is the term of most doubtful signification, being frequently applied to crimson, scarlet, and blue. The famous "Tyrian purple" was manufactured from the juice of shell-fish,—principally the Murex trunculus of Linnæus and Lamarck,—and was compared by Pliny to "the rich, fresh, and bright colour of deep-red purple roses." The same writer observes, that "violet, purple, and scarlet, were nowhere dyed so well as at Tyre, whose shores abounded with the best kinds of purples." It seems, to my judgment, reasonable to suppose that the "purple" employed in the curtains of the Tabernacle, &c. was "violet," as that colour would best unite with "scarlet" and "blue," which are separately enumerated. It is interesting also to read that Pliny describes "red" as distinguished from "purple," and calls it "a gay, lively bright, approaching the colour of fire."

But this is a long digression; to resume:—In the Divine commands relative to the making of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, this verse occurs (Exod. xxviii. 5), "And they shall take gold, and blue, and scarlet, and purple, and fine linen"—that is, white. The symbolical meaning which may be gathered from these words is very striking and beautiful. There are three colours mentioned (white is not a colour); of these, two are primary—that is, original, not formed by any combination—red and blue. Purple (or violet) is made by a combination, proceeding from these two; and so in these foundation-colours of the Tabernacle, I would reverently see a symbolical representation of the Three Most Holy Persons of the Godhead. To complete the symbol, we have also white, signifying perfect righteousness, the emblem and colour of light; and gold, typifying glory. Thus, in the first and highest sense, are colours symbolical.

Emphasis by Colour.

To apply the subject to the art of illumination. It has been already remarked that the emphasis of a text is expressed in two ways—by prefixing capital letters to the principal words, and also by distinction of colour. On the due attention to a few simple rules respecting the value of certain colours, and their just application, much of the beauty of an illuminated work depends.

Gold.

Gold is of the highest value. It should be employed only for the letters forming the names of The Holy Trinity, or Their attributes. For the sake of distinctness, however, the gold must be either edged with blue or red, or the whole word may be placed on a tablet of colour. Sprays of fleurs-de-lys, &c. in red, twining between, but not over the letters, will also assist in making them distinct and marked.