Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-26
PRECIOUS STONES.
PROPERTIES AscRleeD TO VARIOUS
GEMS IN ANCIENT DAYS.
The diamond Protects from Poisons. the
Amethyst from Drunkenness the
Opal from Thunder.
f1hnmhnrr, JournAl.l


II is not merely on account OF their
beauty and great rarity that precious
stones have from remote ages been heio
in the highest favor, although, no doubt
these alone are the reasons that nave
weight with us at the present day. lnita-
ton gems are almost as pleasing TO many
people rs the genuine ones; and when
they are worn simply FOR personal adorn-
ment. their comparative cheapness IS GER
tainly an advantage to those OF slender
means. Moreover, precious stones are Of
ten so cleyerly initiated that 1t IL very dii-
ficult for any one but an expert TO DIS
tinguish spurious gem from real one.
There was n time. however, when these
stones were often priced and worn TOT
other reasons than their beauty and there
fore. even the most perfect limitations
would in such cases have been regarded
az yalueless. OF course IL must not be IN
ferred that our ancestors always wore val
uable gems for even in those days the
poorer classes had to content themselves
with cheap ornaments when they INDUCED
in fnery. But precious stones, were Iornl-
erly supposed 10 possess peculiar virtues
which, apart from any other cohslueIh-
tions. rendered them more or less Yalua.
BILE. The reputed virtues OF some were OF
most miraculous nature, and happy IN
deed the fortunate possessors OF these
gems ought TO have been.
THE DIAMOND.
Although popularly supposed to be itself
a deadly poison, the diamond has from re-
mote ages been credited with the power OF
protecting the wearer from the evll enects
of other posons, reputation which IL re-
tanned until comparatively recent times
According 10 Pliny il also keeps on IN
sanity. Amber, too, was supposed TO pos
sess the latter virtue. Besides the ula,
mond. several other stones were supposed
TO possess medicinal virtues. The ruby
was considered good for arrangements OF
the liver as well az for bad eyes. Inc
sapphire and emerald were also credited
with properties which rendered them
capable Of influencing ophthalmic DIS.
orders, and there is superstltlous bellet
that serpents are blinded by looking at
the latter stone. ~.
with either remedial or protective proper
ties so far as disease was concerned, was
nevertheless regarded as a kind of sympa-
thetio indicator, the intensity of its color
being supposed TO fluctuate with the
health of the Wearer. The latter, more
over. by virtue of the stone which he car
ried. could, il was said, fall from any
height with lmpumty. Inc Marquis Oh
Villenas fool, however, was somewhat
nearer the truth when he reversed the
popular superstition III his assertion that
the wearer of a turquois might fall from
the top of n high tower and be dashed to
pieces without breaking the stone.
The opal was locke d upon as thunder
stone, and although many women now APP
pear To have strong supersttlous pre-
iudice against wearing one, 1t was In
bygone DAYS held in the highest estima-
tion, for 1t was supposed TO combine the
virtues of several other gems. On the
other hand, the onyX-sO named on &C.
count of It's resemblance to the color of
the finger nails-could scarcely have been
a nice stone TO wear. for, according TO the
medieval superstition, it rendered one
particularly susceptible TO annoyance from
nightmares and demons.
Temperance advocates, if they have any
regard for the beliefs OF the Greeks and
Romans, might seriously consider the ad-
visibility of distributing amethysts among
drunkards, Tor it was supposed that these
stones prevented intoxlcatlon. Coral was
made use Of by the Romans as aprotection
against the evil eye, and popular superstl-
ton has credited the topaz with the power
of deprIving boiling water of its heat.
IN HIS BBAIN-Box.
Perhaps the most wonderful properties,