Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/325

 1868.] Heraldry. 265 of expressing the different tinctures in engraving, because they are better adap- ted to that purpose than to the proper display of armorial figures to the un- initiated. They must, therefore, appear now, or not for an indefinite period. ARGENT -.—Silver, French and Por- tuguese, Argent, Spanish, Argento, Ital- ian, Argento, is from the Latin, Argenteus, representing the metal and not albus or candidus, which only refer to the color ivhile. However, in heraldry, white al- most invariably represents this tincture in painting — as it always does in engrav- ing — because silver being apt to tar- nish, the proper effect and beauty of scientifically and artistically colored arms would be lost in a very short time, if silver leaf, or silver shell, were used. "White," says Guillim, "is a color 'that consists of very much light, as ' described by Scribonius, Albedo est ' color simplex in corpore tenuiore multa ' luminositate constans, to which black 'is contrary. As colors may be resem- ' bled to things of greatest nobility, or ' reputation, so is their worthiness ac- ' counted of accordingly. The color ' white is resembled to the light, and the ' dignity thereof reckoned more worthy ' than the black, by how much the light ' and the day is of more esteem than ' darkness and the night, whereunto ' black is likened. Furthermore white is accounted more worthy than black, ' in respect of the more worthy use 'thereof; for men in ancient times ' were accustomed to note things well ' and laudably performed, and esteemed ' worthy to be kept in memory, with ' white ; and contrariwise, whatsoever ' was holden reproachful, or dishonorable, ' with black. In composition of arms 'it is accounted worthy of blame to 8vo., octavo, pp. XIV. 3.52 — 7 folding Copperplates, 194 well-engraved illustrations. Printed for Jer. Batley, at the Dove, in Pater-Noster Row, London, 1725. An ex. ceedingly valuable repository of heraldic information. Freely used in this article because it is rarely to be met. C. J. L. " blazon this otherwise than Argent ; but "in doubling of mantles it is not so " taken ; for therein it is not under- stood to be a metal, but the skin or fur of " a little beast. This fur was heretofore " much used of the ancient matrons " in London. The Spaniards call this "field campo de plata, a silver field." According to Colombiere, " White signifies of virtues and spiritual quali- ties, humility, purity, innocence, felicity, temperance and truth ; of worthy good qualities, beauty and gentleness ; of the planets, the moon ; of the four elements, the water ; of human constitutions, the phlegmatic ; of precious stones, the pearl and the crystal ; of trees, the palm ; of flowers, the lily, or flower-de- luce ; of beasts, the ermine, which is all white, without any spot ; of the parts of man, the brain ; and of his ages, the old." Argent also signifies, chastity in a woman ; virginity in a maid ; justice in judges; and humility in the rich. Coates says, he has read, " in a Spanish author, that those who have Argent in their arms are obliged to relieve maidens and orphans. The only person we ever read of that bore a field Argent, without any charge, is one of the redoubtable wor- thies of King Arthur's Round Table, surnamed the Good Undaunted Knight. But as we know little of those knights, we shall not urge this instance, nor any other thing that may seem romantic, as most of those stories of the Round Table are supposed to be." Sylvanus Morgan says : " Argent, or White, with Bed, signifies bold in all honesty ; with Blue, courteous and discreet ; with Black, wholly studious to the contempla- tion of Divine things, yielding up all pleasure ; with Green, virtuous in youth to the continuance thereof ; with Burple, judicature with magistracy by the favor of the people." Kent tells us, that, after Leigh, " White signifies chastity, virginity, a clear conscience, and charity."