black. The Elements also have their colours, by which Naturall Philosophers judge of the complexion and property of their nature; For an earthy colour, caused of coldness, and dryness is brown, and black, and manifests black choller, and a Saturnine nature; the blew tending towards whiteness, doth denote flegme: for cold makes white, moisture and dryness makes black: reddish colour shews blood, but fiery, flaming, burning hot, shew choller, which by reason of its subtilty, and aptness to mix with others, doth cause divers colours more: for if it be mixed with blood, and blood be most predominant, it makes a florid red; if choller predominate, it makes a redish colour; if there be an equall mixtion, it makes a sad red. But if adust choller be mixed with blood, it makes a Hempen colour, and red, if blood predominate, and somewhat red if choller prevaile; but if it be mixed with a melancholy humour, it makes a black colour, but with malancholy, and flegme together, in an equall proportion, it makes a Hempen colour: If flegme abound, a mud colour, if melancholy, a blewish; but if it be mixed with flegme alone, in an equall proportion, it makes a citrine colour; if unequally, a pale, or palish. Now all colours are more prevalent, when they be in silk, or in metals, or in perspicuous substances, or pretious stones; and in those things which resemble Celestiall bodies in colour, especially in living things.
CHAP.