Blue in its lowest meaning signifies depression and despair. We have such expressions as “a fit of the blues.” Or again it may mean hardness, coldness, or cruelty, even, as in such an expression as “steel-blue eyes” or “Bluebeard.” A blue-stocking means someone who has cultivated intellect and left out affection. CHAPTER VI THE OLD LANGUAGE OF PURPLE “And they put upon him a robe of purple.”--ST JOHN. The next and highest colour of the spectrum is violet. Like green and blue, it is calming and soothing in its influence. Like green and blue, it is said by the mystics to be a feminine colour. It seems as though the ancient people used the term purple to include violet, and in fact any tint made up of blue and red in whatever proportions. Pliny tells us that the colour of the amaranth is a far more beautiful purple that any the dyers can obtain. This, however, does not help us much, for the amaranth can be almost any shade from red to blue. Even to-day we see how carelessly the word purple is used when we have in a great writer’s book the phrase, “the purple rainbow.” The symbolism of purple partakes of the Red of Love and Self-sacrifice and the blue of Truth; hence it was considered symbolic of Wisdom, and is mentioned as being the colour of the canopy[18] of Solomon’s chariot. Purple was considered the most glorious of colours, for the purple dye was so costly that it became part of the insignia of royalty. In England it is used as the sign of royal mourning. [18] Song of Solomon iii. 10. Before we really comprehend the symbolism of purple, however, we must reflect that purple was said by the Egyptians to be the colour of the earth. At evening, in some parts of the world, looking across the ploughed fields that seem so red in the daylight, we see that they appear tinged with purple. Our painters of landscape show this purple colour, while our poets speak of purple shadows. Thus the colour became symbolic of the basic qualities in our nature that form a sure foundation on which to build the very highest qualities--patience, endurance, perseverance, ability to be long suffering and slow to anger. All these qualities are a _sine qua non_ to the evolved soul. This is why the suffering Christ was given a purple robe before His crucifixion. It is to show that the King of kings is also the lowliest and most gentle of all beings--that He had such humility as was expressed in the washing of the disciples’ feet. As He Himself said: “He who would be the chief among you, let him be your servant.” How we think here of the humble, fragrant violet. We remember the story of Sir Gareth in the _Idylls of the King_. “And Gareth bowed himself With all obedience to the king, and wrought All kind of service with a noble ease That graced the lowest act in doing it.”