as paid with
these little bodies.

Greens are obtained from various sources. The Chinese green is a dye
obtained from _Rhamnus chlorophorus_ and _Rhamnus utilis_, a genus of
shrubs. The fruit of several buckthorns, or the Persian berries, as they
are generally called by dyers, also give greens and brilliant yellows.
Most of the greens, however, are produced by the combination of indigo
with yellow.

Indigo, mentioned by Pliny as Indicum, yields the deep blue dye so much
prized by the Romans. Arrian speaks of indigo, and says that it was
exported from Barbarike, on the Indus, into Egypt. This plant is grown
in India, China, North and South America, Mexico, Central America,
Africa, Japan, Madagascar, and Jamaica. When the Indian indigo plant,
_Indigofera tinctoria_, is in flower, it contains the largest quantity
of coloring matter. The beautiful vegetable and animal dyes which were
compounded with consummate skill are now largely supplanted by the
chemical dyes which are easily obtained. But in years to come the
commercialism of the present will probably give way to the restoration
of the splendid dyeing of the past.

ORIENTAL COLORS

Among Orientals a good deal of significance has attached, from the
earliest days, to color. In Babylon scarlet was the symbol of fire, blue
of air, and purple of water. Tyrian purple was an exquisite and rare
shade of crimson. Many allusions are made to it by classical writers.
The principal colors of the ancient Egyptians were red, yellow, and
blue. Black was the symbol of error. White signified a holy life,
purity, innocence of soul. The priests of Zeus and of Osiris were robed
in white. Red was the symbol of zeal for the faith. Yellow was supposed
to bring evil and sorrow. Blue was the symbol of truth. Black and white
were often used to outline other colors.

The Persians, unlike most other Orientals, are not fond of bright
colors. They are apt to avoid the light shades of red and green as being
too showy, and further, as being liable to fade. Greens and yellows in
dark shades they treat with more favor. They consider black and indigo
as the symbols of sorrow; rose is the symbol of Divine Wisdom; green
represents initiation into the knowledge of the Most High.

Among the Chinese, yellow is the symbol of royalty. The Emperor of
China and his sons may wear yellow robes; their descendants wear yellow
sashes and have yellow bridles for their horses. Red is the symbol of
truth, virtu