Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-08-15
Saint Hafg's Beacon.


The origin Of the practice can gener-
ally be traced in the etymology Of the
word. or in the myth or legend at.
tached 10 each gem in the country
where il was first found. Many Of
them are doubtless Of Persian or Sc
msiic origin. but the Greek mythoIo-
nv contains them nearly ell. Thus
Adamas or diamond was . Cretan
youth TRANSFORMED BY Zsus into Q
brilliant and placed among the stars.
Amethyst was another godly favorite,
whom Diana turned into . purple.
tinted stone. to which Bacchus added
the color Of wine. TO some such ORR
gin, and chiefly from The color Of the
gems. their various qualities owe their
prestige in ancient and modern lore.
The kingly diamond. which has be-
come the appsnage Of aristocracy, 10
the symbol of justice. innocence. con.
ssancy and the impaseivity Of fate.
Camille Leonardus assures M that il
bsffles the deadliest poison and the
most subtitle witchcraft. IL. moreover.
protects ladies from those horrible
nocturnal visitors-incubes. The Koh.
i-noor was for centuries the talisman
Of India. and when, years ego. the
governor of Borneo offered $500, 900,
two equipped war brigs and numbers
of cannon for the famous stone of
Mstsn. the Rajsh refused. on the plea
that the fortunes Of his family were
connected with 1t and that the water
in which it was dipped cured all dis
eases.
Not less powerful was the sapphire.
90 useful once Tor the necromsncer, or
the holy stone % it was called. being
the emblem Of chastity. and securing
the granting Of oil prayers. The pa.
gans dedicated il to Apollo. Il be-
came the episcopal stone by decree Of
Innocent III in the twelfth century.
but in modern days it has met with .
sad reversion Of fate and il no longer
q lucky stone. The ruby the live coal Of
the Greek, 10 not less emblematic and
potent, and the Brahmin traditions
speak wonders of the ahodes of the
gods. lighted by enormous rubies and
emeralds. It was believed to dispel
evil thoughts and TO warn lie wearer
of danger by becoming black or OBJ.
scure. The East Indian merchants
still prize it sc highly that they will
not willingly show a fine specimen
without bride; and the Chinese pre-
sent it to this day AZ . most sacred
token of friendship. The now hum.
bic garnet and the oblong carbunele
share the favors of their parent, the
ruby. the latter of the two being ia.
nous for its light-givipg properties in
the dark.
Topaz. the gold stone of the anci.
ents was much valued BY them for
medicinal purposes. for dispslliDg en-.
chantment. and for calming frenzy.
If superstition had still 90 firm hold
as once it had upon the minds Of ed.
ucsted people what q favorits the
amethyst would be. since such stone
especially when set in cup. render.
ed the possessor incapable of intoxica.
ton. According to modern etiquette
the amethyst is the only stone which
may De worn during mourning. The
peerless starry opal. that child of love,
as it has been called. far from being
an unlucky stone. as is now supposed
to be. was once believed by Albertus
Magnus. Marbdeus. and others, to
rejoice the heart Of the owner by rem.
dering him lovable and bestowine
upon him the gift of invisibility,
which made it the pstron stone of rob.
bers. To be on the right side of this
gems influence some say that one
ought never to accept it as q present.
IL has. however. been asserted that
the opal was not considered unlucky
in England until Sir Walter Scott
published his "Anne of Geisrs.ein."
The veneration of the Peruvians
for the green emerald, dedicated TO
Mercury BY the ancients. 10 well |
known. and the worshippers of Man. |
10 still believe that the mines whence
are extracted all the daughters of the |
mother gem are guarded by terrible |
genii. dragons. and other ons-eyed |
people. The beryl was once supposed |
10 increase conjugal love and to cure
distemper and leprosy; an agate TO
quench thirst and turn away storm
and lightning. even az coral, Of which |
The Neapolitans still wear amulets to
avert the evil eye. Turquoise. accord
ING to Boethius. especially protects
against falls and heals differences be.
tween man and wife. Amber wards
Dit erysipelas and oil soreness of .he
throat. Sard, cornelian and the stone