Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-14

admire the hyacinth or the ar
COON. The jsrgoon and hyacinth pos
sess the characteristic Of double re-
fraction in a high degree--a point OF
no little importance !" precious stones.
This gem is ransiy found Of
greater weight than ten or twelve carsts
1t is very little used in jewelry, though
II Is impossible to say why this is so.
Its beauty ard It's brillisncy are so
great, its colors are so rich and varied,
and its qualities so good, that it ought
to be an especial fayorite, and would be,
probably, If it were better known than
1t is TO The public. II has superstition
in It's favor, too. for the tradition during
the middle ages vas that it not only
cured sleeplessness, and brought its
owner wealth, honor, and wisdom, but
also drove away the plague and exor-
cised evil spirits. It commanded very
hgh prices formerly, and would do so
now doubtless If it were more fire.
quenuy seen in the cases Of the jew
ellors.
The garnet. under different names,
according to color, ETC., furnishes a
great variety Of attractive specimens
for use, separately or in color combina-
lions with other stones, and none Of
the gsrnets arc very costly. In
almost al varieties the color is
brilliant, and the stone has the good
characteristic Of extreme hardness.
The best-known yariaty--which is
scarcely to be classel among the ne
elected stones. though i. is far less
generally used than formerly-is the
common iron garnet, blood-red in color,
With tirge Of brown in certain Lights.
The almandine. far less widely
known, is identical with the ordinary
garnet, except that it has a very dis
tinct tinge Of blue with thered. II was
once very fashionable, and may well be
so again. The term csrbuncle is APP
Piled to g1rnets when they are cut with
a fat or hollow base and a smooth,
convex top. 1t does not indicate a
different stone OF even different yarie-
ty. In the Syrian garnet We have a
range Of colors fIom the deepest GRIM
son to a violet purple or amethyst tint.
Garnets are also found in brown, yell
low, white, green, and black. The
cssonile and cinnamon stone are yarie-
ties cf garnet under other names.
The little essay IS not meant 70 he
complete catalogue Of neglected PFC
cious stones. It's purpose is simply to
direct the attention Of amateurs whose
taste j. good to the rich RESOURCES that
lie neglected in the cabinets Of lspida-
rits ara collectors, neglected by the
cwclicIs only because neglected By the
public. The list Of such stones might
te extended almost indefinitely. but
enough have been named TO suggest the
extent OF the neglect AMI the rare
beauty and variety Of the little-uscd
stones. For this neslec. and the
consequent lack ofyaricty and beauty
in the precious stones owned BY the
public there are no better reasons.
perhaps. than the caprice Of fashion
and ii attcrtion, or lack oi informl-
ticn. The case Of The opal is peculiar
but Il is Illuminating . believe that a
silly superstition really restraints pe0-
pie born and living under a network Of
telegraph wires and within sound OF
steam Whistles from including this ey-
Quisite gem among their possessions Of
precious stones, especially when
we reject that similar surer,ti-
tons attaching TO other stones are
wholly unheeded. Il IS FAR easier t.
believe that the opal is neglected
through mere habit or without reason
than to accept such reason. For the
neglect Of tie other stones named and
unnamed in this essay no reason at all
can be found except that mos, Of them
are comparatively unknown to the ma
jority Of persons who buy and wear
precious stones. The result is TO re-
strict variety within narrow limits, to
subject taste to arbitrary fashion. and
TO cause a serious loss Of beauty where
beauty ought to be the first cou5idera-
lion