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less distinct are observed when we consider the state in which the colouring matter presents itself. Finally, the two assortments admit of no further comparison when we come to establish a parallel between the substances employed as principal colouring matters in the two cases.

“We have seen that oxides employed in the palette of the Chinese were confined to oxide of copper, gold, antimony, arsenic, tin, and oxide of impure cobalt, which gives sometimes blue, sometimes black ; finally, to oxide of iron, which produces a species of red. We have seen that in the colours of Europe, where use is made of various oxides cited above, much advantage is derived from substances unknown to the Chinese. Thus the tone of pure oxide of cobalt is modified by combination with oxide of zinc or aluminum; sometimes with aluminum and oxide of chromium; pure oxide of iron furnishes a dozen different shades from orange red to deep violet; pale or deep ochres, yellows, or browns are obtained by combining various proportions of oxide of iron, oxide of zinc, and oxide of cobalt or nickel; the browns are obtained by increasing the proportions of oxide of cobalt contained in the composition that gives the ochres ; the blacks, by suppressing the oxide of zinc in the same preparations. The shades of yellow are varied by adding either oxide of zinc or tin to lighten them, or oxide of iron to render them deeper. Oxide of chromium, pure or combined with oxide of cobalt or oxides of cobalt and zinc, gives yellowish greens and bluish greens which vary from pure green to almost pure blue. Metallic gold gives the purple of Cassius, which can be changed at

will into violet, purple, or carmine. To this list may