The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-01-15
Superstitions Connected With Precious
Stones.

The amethyst was in some nations
given as q voucher for continued love
and confidence, and while worn it was
supposed that no power was able to
shake the trust thus sealed; but if lost
or defaced all the sorrows and evils
that are incident to broken faith and
estranged affections might be hourly
looked for. Eae
| The Persians made drinking-cups of
AMETHYST, under the impression that no
beverage drank from those cups could
intoxicate. After time amethyst in
any shape, whether as cup, necklace,
bracelet, or ring, was sure protection
from intemperance. Many of the jew
ish rabbis and medieval writer's assert
ed that when worn the amethyst sub
jected its wearer to wild and bewilder-
ing dreams, and yet this was one of the
twelve stones which adorned the high
priests breast-plate. The amethyst,
was from the dawn of Christianity
famed as the emblem of the blood Of
Christ, and from that superstition it
became the fixed law of the Roman
Catholic Church, that no Bishop should
perform official duties unless wearing
an amethyst ring.
The amethyst was also supposed to
drive away bad dreams, sharpen the
intellect, and act as an antidote against
poison. 1t is, according TO the Ian
guage of gems, the 4" natal gem" of all
born in the month of November, and in
ancient times was worn as an amulet
TO propitiate good and repel bad spirits.
The turquoise was believed by the
people of the East to preserve all who
wore it from contagion, and even now.
not in the East alone, but in Christian
lied countries, it is still worn with full
belief in the superstition. 1t was con-
sidered of priceless value, and many
strange and contradictory stories were
told of it. An ancient writer says:
"One of my relatives possessed a
ring in which q very fine turquoise was
set, and wore it as superior ornament.
While he remained in perfect health
this stone was noted for its remarkable |
beauty and clearness. At last the owner |
was seized with q malady, Of which he
died. Scarcely was he dead when the
turquoise lost its luster, and appeared
faded and withered in appearance, as
if mourning for its MASTER
Z" l had originally designed to pur-
chase it, and could have done so for a |
very trifing sum. But this loss of beauty |
and luster in the precious stone took
from me all desire to possess it, and so
the turquoise passed into other hands.
But as soon as it obtained q new mas
ter it regained all of its original bril-
liancy, and all defects vanished"
The turquoise was thought both by the
Romans and Greeks to bring good
health and kind fortune to the wearer.
The Shah of Persia never allowed any
of the best and most brilliant of these
stones to be taken from his kingdom.
The cornelian. worn in ring on the
finger, was thought by the Arabs and
Hebrews to shield its owner from the
plague, and is still used by many of the
Hebrews to stop profase hemorrhage.
The topaz was believed to discover
poison, by becoming instantly dimmed
or blurred when brought near to any
poisonous substances; that it would
subdue the heat of boiling water. calm
the passions, prevent bad dreams; but
that its powers were governed by the
moon, increasing or decreasing with
that Iuminary. -sss gs ,5l
The old legends, particularly those of
the East, assure us that an immense
carbuncle was suspended in the ark. to
give light to Noah and his family. 1t
was called :. the flashing stOne," and by
some .sthe thunder stone," and that it
and the diamond drop from the clouds
in the flashes of lightning during a
thunderstorm.
. In ancient times the ruby and car
buncle were the names indiscriminately
used for all red stones. The Brshmins
still belisve that the dwelling place Of