New-York tribune., 1908-07-05

were used az Touching pieces-. ,,..
were placed in contact with food or -
into liquids In order TO neutraIize o-
presence Of poison A BIT Of the ho-s
of a fish was put forth as the horn osaS
and was willingly bought by the man az
ward orspoison- The jeweIler douhs,s-NN'' 90
higher price for his fraud becauss =. =
he was supposed to brave in search a, a." s
liable substance. Here are some old r..
subject:
An angry unicorne IN his fun carec-
Charge with two swift foot a eyer
Ihat ina watsh q tlII MN for the treasure Of IL
Nail him with bis rich antler to the g.,
Another stone to which mystic v,-...-
attributed was the toad stone. sr1Dno..s
found in the head OF a toad. but In re,~.
fossil tooth OF species OF fish. sbs.
was acquainted with the popular resuec+ !.
stone. In "As You Like IT. he saws:
Sweet are the uses OF adversity.
Which, like the toad. ugly and venor,.
Wears yet precious Jewel in his hsss
Why are many OF the old rinvs w,,.,
worn by medieval bishops r1dely ,,.r,
Because Pope Innocent III gave orderz g.
episcopal ring was to be OF solid gold >.
a precious stone ON which nothing waz ,Os-
Special stones were chosen for these r,,.-
ruby indicating glory. the sapphire pur;..
emerald tranquility and happiness and
simplicity" Some OF the splendid decors,E'
our forefathers had a modest enough or,y, &
example. when the medieval traveller x-.
pay tribute at the shrine OF soma s,s.
martyr, he bought, for trffing sum
pilgrims sign" made OF lead and ufnnaa +
his hat From this sprang the rich ~sp.s,
or hat ornament Of gold or silver, Ehl,s
deed. was finally made a most EespIends,.
beIlishment, being elabOrately enameled n.
with precious stones. The tendency Of
has ever been to make personal orna--
richer and richer. Thus the rough leather :
with which men were once content BY s,s
got itself studded with the precious metal,
even the poor insisted that their studs shorp
least be made Of an alloy Of brass and tn =
Iatten or Iaton, and not Of any 5aser stus :
charter granted by the King OF England
In the fourteenth century to the GirdIers 3
pany forbids the members to "garnish !
girdIe Of silk. wool. leather Cr linen thread
any inferior metal than latten. copper, inn
steel, and il any girdies were garnlshed >
lead. pewter or tin the same should be b,
and the workInen punished for their false E1-
There is no end to the odd information ).
Mr.. Smith has put into his voluma He tss
how the dandy of the Renaissance slit the aas
of his gloves 50 that his rings might be ths :
ter displayed He tells Us how the na,
fashion in eighteenth century England had 4
fob pockets, in one OF which he carried "a
and in the other false watch. He shows 5
the centuries passed without the jewellers la-
ing the best way in which to handle the dim.
Not until Cardinal Mazarin encouraged tie =
essary experiments did the Dutch lapidaries I
rive at the secret OF true rose cutting n
over. this author not only assemblies many =
odds and ends relating to his subject but j
scribes the typical jewellery Of the diias
countries in the historic periods The coHs1
should find him most helpful guide But 2
does not need to be a collector in order to y
this book. No one who cares for beautiful tn
could fail to be interested in its well hIed pas