light will appear of the colour of that light, and
distinctly marked in their outlines, though surrounded by obscurity.
The magnificence of the setting sun, gilding with its rays the slopes of
mountains and tops of forests, towns, villages, and waters, while all
below is lost in deep brown, grey, and purple masses, has ever been a
favourite subject with painters of all schools.
The inferior or lower parts of all objects, when the air is thickest on
the earth, will appear farther from the eye than the tops.
In looking down from an eminence on a street or town when the air is
thick, the tops of the buildings will be darker, more distinct and
articulate than the objects placed at the bottom, which, being filled
with air, the tops come off it (as a ground) with more decision.
When the sun is veiled by clouds, in a landscape, the trees receiving a
general light, the darkest parts will be the lowest.
Although the trees and fields may be of the same colour, the trees will
always seem darker than the fields, from their quantity of shadow,
notwithstanding every blade of grass has _its_ shadow.
The tops of all mountains will be more clearly defined than their bases,
becoming more and more so as they rise into the thinner and purer
regions of the air; and, as they still rise to their highest summits,
the more they develope their form and colours.
All buildings will appear darker at the top than the bottom, from the
lower parts being surrounded with thicker air of a lighter colour.
Buildings, or other objects, seen through a fog, only develope those
sides which are reflected on by the sun; the other parts remain the
colour of the fog. Beautiful combinations of silvery grey and golden
reflections, on foliage, windows, boats, water, &c. may be made under
these circumstances. As the outline becomes confused or lost, so the
objects seen through it acquire magnitude. The fog and the object being
both near the eye, its density will occasion the object to appear at a
great distance.
Objects of all sorts, seen through rain, have an indistinct and
undetermined outline, sometimes becoming greatly confused.
If the observer is placed _between_ the sun and a cloud of dust or
smoke, they will appear dark. If they are seen between the sun and the
eye, they will be light and transparent. This equally applies to the
effects produced by fog.
Some artists represent water very dark or very light. It can neither be
darker nor li
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