458. When there are bronzes, the colour of the walls of the gallery must be determined by that which we wish to predominate in the statues; because, as is very well known, the metallic alloy of which they are formed yields two very different tints; one _green_, acquired by exposure to atmosphere; the other the peculiar _golden_ tint which it possesses where it is not oxidized. If we wish to exalt this green tint, the colour of the walls of the gallery must be _red_; while they must be _blue_ to bring out the brilliancy of the metallic bronze, which has not experienced the action of the atmosphere. 459. The walls of the gallery are considered as giving rise to effects of contrast, and not of reflection. _Museums of Natural History._ 460. In these edifices it would be wrong to give the walls any positive colour, for the objects exhibited should appear to the eyes of the naturalist of the colour peculiar to each; consequently the interior of cabinets, glass-cases, and drawers must necessarily be white, or normal grey, very light in tone. _Wainscoting._ 461. From the fact that wainscotings are generally concealed by the furniture placed before them, we may conclude that they must be of a dark, rather than of a light colour, and that, if they have ornaments, these must be simple, and not prominent. The wainscoting may be considered as serving as a ground to the furniture, whenever it is not entirely concealed by the latter. We shall see hereafter what colour is necessary to be given them that they may suit their purpose. DECORATIONS OF THE INTERIOR OF HOUSES. _Hangings._ 462. In consequence of an apartment never being too light—for we can always diminish superfluous light—hangings should be of a light colour, that they may reflect, not absorb, light. 463. We proscribe all dark hangings, whatever be their colour, because they absorb too much light; we proscribe also red and violet hangings, because they are exceedingly unfavourable to the colour of the skin. For this latter reason we reject the light tones of the red and violet scales. Orange is a colour that can never be much employed, because it fatigues the eye too much by its great intensity. 1. Among the simple colours, there are scarcely any which are advantageous, except yellow and the light tones of green and of blue. Yellow is lively; it combines well with mahogany, furniture, but not _generally_ with gilding (see 469). 2. Light green is favourable to pale complexions as well as to rosy ones; to mahogany furniture, and to gilding. 3. Light blue is much less favourable than green to rosy complexions, especially in daylight; it is particularly favourable to gilding, it does not injure mahogany, and associates better than green with yellow or orange woods.