The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-03-28
The Poetry of Gems.

lieved to protect it possessor from en-.
chantments of all kinds, from poison
and plaques. The ancients engraved
the figure of Mars upon it, believing
that victory will come to the wearer OF
such diamond, no matter how great
the number of his adYersaries. To lose
diamond was a piece of Ill luck from
which was augured the approach OF
some dire misfortune. The largest dia-
mond which is known belongs to the ra-
jah of Mattan, in the East Indies. This
diamond has been in the same royal
family for a century and half, and al
though large sums have been offered
for 1T, and bloody wars have been
fought to gain possession of it, the
jewel still graces the Indian crown-as
the rajah believes that parting with so
costly a gem would insure destruction
to himself and dynasty. This diamond
Is celebrated for the marvellous cures il
performs, when sufferers battle in the
water in which it has been stepped.
One of the rarest and most valuable
of gems is the oriental ruby A perfect
ruby exceeding one carat is said to be
higher priced than the diamond. a
ruby which once belonged to Rudolph
III. was valued at a sum not less than
EDO, 900, and in size resembled small
hens egg. Peter the Great, of Russia,
when he was visiting England, present.
ed as farewell gift to King William, a
splendid ruby, worth e10, 900, which, in
accordance with mis- well-known eccen-
tricity of character, he took from his
pocket, wrapped in a bit of common
brown paper A famous ruby which
~ Al
prince, is now prominent in the royal
crown of England. This ruby is pierced
through the centre-after the eastern
manner. It was worn in the battle of
Agincourt, 1415, by Henry the Fifth.
The king OF the island of Ceylon-fam-
ous for its wealth in jewel mines-was
said to have possessed the largest ruby
ever seen-being a span in length, and
as thick as a mans arm. It has, says
Marco Polo, the appearance of glow
ing fire, and is so valuable that no es-
innate can be made of its worth in
money. The Grand Khan Kublai sent
ambassadors to this monarch with a re-
quest that he would yield him posses
sion of this gem, in return for which
he should receive the value of q city.
The answer given was to this effect {:
That he could not sell it for all the
treasure of the universe, nor could he,
on any terms, suffer it to go out of his
dominiOns, as it had been handed down
to him by his predecessors on the
throne. The early Chinese travellers
relate that in the seventh century
ruby was elevated on a spire in Cey1on,
the light of which illuminated the skies.
A Chinese emperor wore in his cap
carbuncle of such unusual brilliancy
that at the great levees at night, it's red
luster so filed the palace that it was
called the Red Palace illumination.
An old Chinese work says that the
origin of trade in the Island of CeElon
was coeval with the visit of the Indian
god, Buddha, who sprinkled the land
with sweet dew, which caused it to pro-
duce red gems-and thus gave the peo-
pie an article of merchandise. Among
the superstitions connected with the
ruby is that it confers the power of see
ing in the dark, if it be worn upon the
neck. It also warned its wearer, by
change of color, of coming misfortune,
and cured diseases of the eye if tied
over the forehead in linen cloth.
Next to the diamond and ruby, the
Empress Josephine possessed the finest
opal of modern times, which was called
''The Burning of Troy" on account of
its brilliancy, which resembled the fit
full light of flames. An ancient writer
mentions an opal of the size of a hazel
nut, which was wrought with marvellous
skill and grasped in the claws of
golden eagle. It contained all the var
ious tints of the sky, and shone with
such splendor that it struck terror into
the hearts of beholders. The opal was
highly esteemed by the ancients, but
modern romance has flung around it
baleful influence, and it is said to bring
i'll luck to its wearer
The beautiful sapphire, with its soft,
velvety blue color, was esteemed as be-
ing n great enemy to "black choler,
and to free the mind and mend the
manners. It was sometimes powdered
and mixed with milk as a cure for boils,
which was surely rather expensive
medicine.
It was believed that if the name of
the sun or the moon was engraved upon
the amethyst and the Jewel hung
around the neck upon the hair of a
babOon, or the feather of a swallow, it
was an infallible protection against
witchcraft, and also protected its wearer
from the fight of locusts and of hail
stones. The amethyst is called the
" bishops stone" because rings set with
these gems are worn by the Roman
Catholic bishops.
The turquoise not only strengthens
the eyes and enlivens the heart of its
possessor, but is said also to take upon
itself the consequences of serious
fall, and breaking itself to save its
wearer from fracturing bone. It was
also supposed to lose its color if the
person grew i'll and to be entirely
blanched if he died
"As compassionate turquois that doth tell,
By looking pale, the weaI er is not we'll"
One of the most beautiful and popu-
lar of gems is the emerald. This Jewel
is said to have been found in olden
times so large that the Romans used
emeralds for their mirrors, and Nero is
said to have worn an emerald eye-glass
when viewing the combat of the gladia-
tors. The early inhabitants of Peru
worshipped as their goddess an emerald
as large as an ostrich's egg. The priests,
who had the charge of this divinity,
gave out that no gifts were so precious
to the goddess as "her daughters" the
emeralds, and therefore great quantities
of the jewels were brought to her
shrine. Those who engraved upon gems
were accustomed to gaze for a time
upon an emerald to refresh their wear
led eyes. This stone was also consider
ed a preventive of epilepsy and other
diseases. In was held in such esteem
by the Romans that Pliny tells us that
when the famous Lucullus landed at
Alexandria, Piolemy, who wished to
attach him forever to his interests,
could think of no more precious gift
with which to win his regard than a
beautiful emerald set in gold and with
his portrait engraved upon it.
Salt and Ashes for Cows.
A wise and experienced stock-raiser
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