American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-05-08
APRlLS TALISMAN- THE SAP


Of astrology. We accept the notion il
our day merely as n sentiment; but the
consideration of their special timelincs.
and Legendary influence is not the les.
interesting in our study of jewels wher
we come to choose them as -keepsakes
or birthday gifts
Until the middle of the thirteenth
century the distribution of three hun
dred and Twenty-Five stones for the days
OF the year. made by the Chaldean as
tronomers, was held sacred; but after
that time q single stone was particu-
larry selected and consecrated to each
sign Of the zodiac, and in this way as
sociated with every month of the year.
These twelve typical jewels formed
an umulet, and it was a custom es-
teemed worthy of observance to give or
TO wear in each month its proper gem,
often engraved with symbols, and al
ways endowed with characteristic sig
ni6cauce.
The precious stone of April, accord
ing to this emblematic amulet, is a
sapphire This beautiful blue stone,
va1uable rs . diamond, is a hyaline
corundum: thc exquisite clay of which
It IL formed is alumina in a state nearly
pure; the form OF its specialization is
six-s'ded, smooth and pointed; and its
color, As described by Pliny, is ..aerius-
color" the tint OF the blue air of
Rome.
There are four kinds of sapphires-
Oriental sapphire, Brazilian sapphire.
sapphire of Puy. and water sapphire.
OF these four kinds the first three are
corupdums, or true sapphires; the last
y only = quartz colored blue, and its
value Is triiing.
The Oriental sapphire. called in the
SJriac tongue saphilzh, was considered
BY the ancients the gem of gems. 1t
wns one Of the precious stones in the
breastplnte of Aaron The Greeks ded-
5c1ted Il to- Apollo
The sapphire Of Puy is found in rivu-
lots flowing among the mountains in
fcrrugmOus sand produced by the de-
composition Of basaltic rocks. Its color
Is . clear blue, deep or pale, reddish
blue. or q acknowledgment.
The Brazilian sapphire is the same as
that found in Arabia and Persia, and
consequently. although coming from a
different quarter of the world from the
original Eastern stones, is technically
classified beyond its geographical dis
t;nctlon with Oriental sapphires.
HE water sapphire was first accept
ed - = gem in France, and named
saphir desu-" 1t is brought from
Ceylon. and Is of complex compost
tlOn, y which silica is the greater part.
Its color clear white mixed with sky !,
blue. but completely different from the
velvefy blue of the Oriental sapphire.
One variety Of the water sapphire ex-
ceedingly complex Is called d;ehroite.
and e has the peculiarly Of displaying
two distinct colors when viewed from
different sides; in the direction of the
axis il Is blue, and in the direction per-
pendicuIar to this line it is yellow
gray
Sometimes the Oriental sapphire ap-
pears OF , pale blue with thread-like
shafts, which show under the micro
scope direction from the center to the
Iaces of the six-sided prism; these
threads are produced by vacuities, or
Eorcign substances left among the /
molecules u the moment Of their crys-
lallization- The light reflected from
Them forms = remarkable star of six
rnys. Sapphires Of this formation are !.
called astoria, or star sapphires. In !,
he East they are objects Of, the Deep y
est veneration. I
n VAbbadie has in his possession a. .
Inc star sapphire, and when he made
bis dangerous journeys in Africa he :,
ron the superstitious respect of the ma !
ives by occasionally exhibiting his Gu e
tious treasure, waving it like magics :, =
beacon before their ignorant eyes. :.
The choice of the sapphire for tb :
precious stone of April has no doabt is I
,rigin in the aerial blue color whidh :
associates il with the lovely blue skyof
lpriDg. Never do we feel so kenlyat
my time Of tho year the genial infu- !,
snce OF the atmosphere as when after :,
he imprisonment of winter, The ky +
.eems to bend over MS like srield, =
ull Of the kindly promises of spring. :
The poets, regarding ApriPs ,iQnet-
tone as = little mirror of its tender and >
inspiring sky, give it the Language of :,
Z innocencc, and say that E z the .
yeM which feels the air and 5ympa- =
hizes with the heavens Ma-bodus, u
= his renowned Lapidarium, gives it 7
his exalted praise: 8
RIt only for the hands OF king, to year,
With purest azure shines the sapphire rare,
For worth and beauty chief OF Ecms pro
claimed. 50
As een Of gems above all others placed,
And s9 se rcsrsr from DC sarm
Zen Heav.n is moved by. its force divine
TO list 70 vows presented At its shrine.
p.It he who dares to wear this zefn divine,
Like SNOW in perfect chastity rnist shine"
The virtues ascribed to the sapphire I
" writers more ancient tb1h Marbod- n
>, and descending to us by the inter- u
sting tradition that clings 70 gems, are il
umerous- According to these mystic Z
sges. it refreshed vision, cured fevers a
nd effects OF p6isons, stopped hemor- a
hayes, killed venomous insects, and v
1spired chaste and lovely thoughts. o
Who would not be glad to wear such q Q
charmP
But we have even still more sacred q
uthorities for its potential influence C
Z. jerome. in explaining the nine d