Red is the second and intermediate of the primary colours, standing between _yellow_ and _blue_; and is also in like intermediate relation to _white_ and _black_, or light and shade. Hence red is pre-eminent among colours, as well as the most positive of all, forming with yellow the secondary _orange_ and its near relatives, scarlet, &c.; and with blue, the secondary _purple_ and its allies, crimson, &c. It gives some degree of warmth to all colours, especially to those which partake of yellow. Red is the archeus, or principal colour in the tertiary _russet_; enters subordinately into the two other tertiaries, _citrine_ and _olive_; goes largely into the composition of the various hues and shades of the semi-neutral _marrone_ or chocolate, and its relations, puce, murrey, morelle, mordore, pompadour, &c.; and is more or less present in _browns_, _grays_, and all broken colours. It is likewise the second power in harmonizing and contrasting other colours, as well as in compounding _black_ and all other neutrals, into which it enters in the proportion of five,--to blue, eight,--and yellow, three. Red is a colour of double power in this respect too; that, in union or connexion with yellow, it becomes hot and _advancing_; but mixed or combined with blue, cool and _retiring_. It is, however, more congenial with yellow than with blue, and thence partakes more of the character of the former in its effects of warmth, the influence of light and distance, and action on the eye, by which the power of vision is diminished on viewing this colour in a strong light. On the other hand, red appears to deepen in colour rapidly in a declining light as night comes on, or in shade. These qualities of red give it great importance, render it difficult of management, and require it to be generally kept subordinate in painting. It is therefore rarely used unbroken, as the ruling or predominating colour, or for toning a picture; on which account it will always seem detached or insulated, unless repeated and subordinated. Hence Nature is sparing with her red, employing it with as much reserve in the decoration of her works as she is profuse in lavishing green upon them. This latter is of all colours the most soothing to the eye, and the true contrasting or harmonizing equivalent of red, in the proportional quantity of eleven to five, according to surface or intensity: being, when the red inclines to scarlet or orange, a _blue_-green; and when it tends to crimson or purple, a _yellow_-green.