That spiritual qualities are portrayed by colors, people know, because of the rainbow and other things, and from experience. To understand, take only the case of the colors black and white. The color black absorbs all rays, scattering them around randomly, without any order; hence comes blackness. Similarly, wickedness, which is portrayed by the color black, absorbs all rays of mental light, and spreads them around inordinately, until nothing of light or white appears. The color white, however, does not take in the rays of light, but reflects them. Similarly, those who are self-righteous, placing righteousness in [good] deeds, reflect the rays of mental or inward light, and do not take them in. A similar principle applies to other colors. 1748, 15 March.