, 1873-05-18
: POETRY Of. GEMS.
Sparkle OF Diamonds and Clint
OF Ruby.
Tales, Legends, and Stories Of Precious
Stones. >:- =

| 10 lose diamond was pieco Of 1l-luck frou
Which vas argued ths approach of some dir
misfortune.
The largest diamond which is known belong
to tho Rajah Of NATHAN in tho East Indies. Thi
diamond las been in tho same royal family for
century and hall, and, although
large sums have been offered for it
| and 8 bloody wars hayo been fought t
ga1n possession of it, the jewel still graces the
| Indian cFown,-as the Rajah bolioyes that part,
/ ing with SO costly gem would insure destruc.
ton to himself and dynasty. THIS diamond il
celebrated for tho marvellous cures it pcrforms
when sufferers batho in tho water in which it has
been Bteeped..
Precious stones seem to have been worn in
ancient times as amulets or charms to protect
the Wearor from evil, and they we're often Gu
GraYed with sono curious dcvico or magical in
sctlpt.on Thus earrings came to be placed
n the ears, and strings Of jewels hung around
tho neck.
Besides tho healing Of diseasea, many other
properties arc ascribed to gems.
Every one has read OF the famous ring nf that
Lytlian monarch, Gyges. which was fablod to
render its owner invincib1c.
The jews we're accustomed to prophecy future
twelve precious stones, on which were engraved
set Of anagrams Of the name OF God.
An old Jewish tradition says that all the light
Noah had in the ark was derived from the daz-
zllng eplendor OF jewels.
Tho first person who over wore ring with a
stone in it IS said to have been Prometheus, who
Tas condemned by Jupiter to wear upon his fin
ger pieco of Mount Caucasus, to which he had
been ohnined. This stone was set in ring Of
iron.
The seven planets we're once believed to have
an influence over seven precious stones. There
was some mystical tie between Saturn and the
turquoise Jupiter and the corneliau Mars and
the emerald the sun and tho diamond Venus
and ! he amethyst; Mercury and the lodestono !;
the moon and the crystal.
In Poland, at this day, each month is sup
posed to bo under the influence OF some Jewel,
which also affects the person born in that par
hcular month, and upon birthdays presents are
given containing the natal stone. The garnet.
Gated to- January the amethyst, sincerity. to
February the bloodstone, courage and pres
ence OF mind, to March the diamond, inno-
cence, to April the emerald, succeeds in love, to
May; the agate, health md long life, to June
the cornelian, contented mind, to July the sar-
dony1, conjngal-. fidelity, to August the
chrysolte, antidore against madness, to Septem-
ber the opal, hope, to October; the topaz, Gdel-
itv, to November; the turquoise, sincerity, to
December.
Perhaps no people have ever been so lavish Of
gems upon their attire as the ancient Romans.
Think Of that famous wardrobe OF Theodo5ia,
Belts boescd with pearls, robes st.n @lt1. e~--,
And headpEtes shining green With eraeralds bright,
And helmets rich With precious sspphires light.
lima, once the vito Of the Emperor Ca1igula,
though it was on no great occasion, nor she in
her full dress OF ceremony, but at an ordinary
Wedding dinner, and havo seea her entirely COW
cred with emeralds and pearls, strung alter
nAtely, glittering an over her head, hair, ban
dcau; neck, and fingers, the value Of all which
put together amounted to the sum Of 10000, 600
Fiay also ssys Il the .t4s' diamond d. at
split both hammer and anvil than break itself.
unless, inoecd, ii fire. dinred in the blood Of
go.t, recently killed, in which case it will prove
soft enough,
mond have proved to be but mere superstition.
Precious stones of the rarest valre were Of
fered in great quantities to the hcathcn gods,
and statues OF these were covered with
sparkling gems. Many roynl dame might
hare envied the fair goddess Astarte, who
and emerads v0ai III brought to Sef shrine BY pl
g1ims from I'll lands-Egyptians, Ethiopians,
Indiana, Medes: Armenians, and Babylonians.
Precious gems were also used to tighten the
horror OF tolnbs, and We arc told that the tomb
of Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey
contained eightTy-fonr = jewels OF great value, and
tho tomb: Of Thomas Beckett, IN Canterbury
Cathedral, was celebrated 1or 1ts great wealth OF
gems: -.
1.-The timber work OF the shrine or On
the outside" says STOW, was covered with
plates Of gold, dnmaaked with gold wire, which
gr9and Of gold was agan eoverea wat9 Levels 9 q
wire into the said ground Of gold, many Of these
rings having stones In them, nroaches, images,
angels, precious stones, and great pearls"
Within this shrine the wealth corresponded to
it's outer walls. and Erasmus, who was permitted,
before tho Reformation, to look upon the treas
ures, says that *spndsr coffin Of wood, enclosing
another Of gold, which was drawn up BY ropes and
puHeya, no pcheio an amonnI OF ncnes, the val
ue OF which ho was unable to estimate. Gold
was the meanest thing visible the whole place
glittered with the rarest and most precious
gems, which were generally of extraordinary
size, and'some larger than the egg OF goose"
The enormous yaigs Of y. a. this 1Ee2 Wealth Tas
accordingly appropriated it to himself.
The Abbey Of St: Denis q during the middle ages
Was regarded as one OF the marEels Of Europe,
and WaB visited bv strangers from all parta OF the