Considering first the colour red as being the lowest in the spectrum, how is this correspondence manifest? Red is the colour of the blood; hence, is it surprising that red is the colour denoting life and action, cheerfulness and enthusiasm? Red is used by healers as a powerful stimulant and tonic, thus it has the meaning of health and vigour. This is why nearly all red stones are said to have health-giving and disease-preventing properties. The ruby in China and Japan is said to give long life, health, and happiness. All the imperial decrees of China have to be written or printed in red as a sign that there is the power behind to force them to be carried out. Children’s clothing must contain some part of red. Usually this consists of a piece of red material twisted together with a pig’s-tail, thus making a talisman of great power against sickness. In India and Persia the garnet is said to bring deep, abiding health to its possessor. The Romans used the red coral as a talisman to protect their children from all manner of diseases; while in India, China, and Japan it is used to-day as a safeguard against cholera. The red carnelian was used by the Hebrews to prevent attacks of plague, and in China it is worn to prevent stomach troubles. Again, we find the healthy man is inclined to be more cheerful than the sickly man; so we instinctively think of Mr Greatheart as a man with rosy cheeks. The garnet has nearly always been said to bestow the gift of cheerfulness upon its wearer. Then we find that the healthy man is usually more courageous and daring than the weakling; hence red often means courage. In fact, the lack of red in the face is taken as a sign of the lack of courage--as in _Macbeth_, where the page-boy is told: “Go prick thy face and over-red thy fear, Thou lily-livered boy.” Courage was said to be the gift of Mars, the god of war; hence red is the colour of war, whether in its most barbaric, cruel form or in its chivalrous form. Astrologers assign this colour to the planet Mars from its symbolic value, and not merely because Mars looks red in the heavens. Mr Alan Leo writes thus: “The planet Mars, which is known by its red colour, is said to be hot and exhaustive in its influence. It presides over all adventure, enterprise, and heroic acts. It makes the mind daring, combative, courageous, fearless, and venturesome. In everything where pluck, force, and energy are required, the Mars man will be foremost. He will be first in any acts of bravery, and often regardless of his life and of the consequences of any noble act where courage is required.” So it is that the brave man is known as the man of self-sacrifice. Thus the colour of red takes on this added meaning of self-sacrifice, sorrow, or suffering, which at first seem contradictory meanings to those of enthusiasm, life, and cheerfulness.