New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-21
Mr.. Ruskin ON Precious Stones.

words from Genesis, "And the gold of that
land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx
stone"-altering the text, as will be seen in
the sequel. He said he thought it would be
interesting to his audience to see the way in
which he was trying to bring ecience before
working men at Sheffield-that was, by as
pretty and enlightening means as he could,
and yet giving distinct knowledge. He
only ventured in science on beaten ground,
and ventured on nothing doubtful. He
picked up knowledge, if he could, 3 thous-
and years old and more, but only that
which had stood the test of investigation
and was trustworthy. Although it was not
tinued. he was one of the most practical of
men, and liked to talk about things that
could be touched and were useful. He had in
his hand pebble, perhaps from q mOraine,
perhaps from old sea-beach, and he had Q
sovereign. None of US know what these
things are; but he thought he knew q little
more about them than other people. What
things are made of" anybody can tell; the
smallest apothecary can tell you that this
water. Just so, they will tell you that you
yourself are "made OF" carbon, phosphor-
oue, lime and seventy per cent, or rather
more, of water; but that does not tell
you what you "are." Quoting his text, Mr..
Ruskin now read ''crystal" for bdellium,
and says that in the only other place
where bdellinm occurs in our version Mum
bers XII, y it refers to the color of mama,
and was translated into the Septuagint
BY the crystdll0s, or that which is con-
gealed by cold. He discussed the refer
ence to mama as dew fund in the morn.
ing, and said that it was pure as Alpine snow.
Then crystal in the English version is,
in the Book of Job. Joined with gold; and,
in Ezekiel, the armament is ''as the color OF
terrible crystal" In the Apocalypse the
river of life is ''clear as crystal" The three
substances named together in the text stand
generally as types, the gold of all precious
stones priced for lustre, the onyx of all
opaque stones priced for color and for dis
tinction OF color. The last included the
whole range of marble and abala laster works
and the system of the Byzantine archltec-
tare. The highest use of gold and stones
had always been for devotional purposes,
and the three masters in ChristendOm we're
Angelica of Fiesole, HOlbein and Sandro
Botticelli. After describing the specimens
of stones upon his table, Mr.: Ruskin di'
verged into an explanation of the state
ment IN the Pentateuch that the cover
ing of the tabernacle was of badgers skins
and of rams skins. There were not many
badgers in the desert, and nothing of the
sort was meant. Seals skins, not badgers,
were meant, the most beautiful fur, the
PhocBan seals Of the flock of Proteus, the
iridescent wool OF the focks of the sea,
used together with rams skins, the wool Of
tho f0cks of the earth. The rams skins
were dyed red and the three colors of the
tabernacle were blue, gules and purple.
Much might probably still be learned from
the now neglected science of heraldry,
where every color had its stone. Or, gold,
comes first; it is called sol. the sun, rejoicing
as strong man to run his race, standing
between the light and darkness, represent
ing work. Its stone is topaz. Second is ecar-
late, scarlet, which was once confused with
gules, but is the sacred hue of human flesh,
incarnate strength and incarnate mOdesty.
Its stone is the jasper, red with the same
iron which cOlors human blood. Third was
vert, viridis, which represents virtue and
virginity, the color Of the spring, the true
color of the eyes Of Athene, the emerald,
smaragdos, rent as tho earth was rent in
the battle with the Titans. The fourth was
gules, from the Persian word gul for the
rose, the color Of love, the ruby. The fifth
was azure, the clear blue of the sky, joy and
love in heaven. Its stone was the sapphire,
the same stone as the ruby, though their
colors were different; and the union of the
two colors made the sixth color, pur-
pie, whose stone is the jacinth, and
bloom the hyacinth, the sable flower in
scribed with woe. The seventh was argent,
silver OF snow. It's stone is the carbuncle,
the same stone as the ruby, white
sapphire. 1t was associated with the morn.
ing star as the eighth, sable, was with the
star of evening. Sable is from sabulum
sand, and the diamond is its stone, which
is never found save in sand. The ninth
was gray, columbi,,e, plumby, the color Of
the dove. Its stone is the pearl. He
thought that all ladies could, in the sbund-
ance of modern life, spare time to acquire,
from museunns and elsewhere, some knowl-
edge Of the precious stones they wore.
They should be worn uncut, and the uncut
ruby in the British crown was the most
lovely precious stone visible.