The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1922-05-04
Gem LONG PRICED
Emerald Figures Largely in His
tory and Legend.
Princess Marys Love Stone Has In
spired Both Saints and Poets-Re-
ferrcd To in Scriptures.

Emeralds will be set in the most
fashionable engagement rings 81 the
future. for Princess Mary had an emer-
aid engagement ring.
The emerald of average quality IS
much more valuable than the diamond
of equal quality, observes the London
Tit-Bits.
The finest emeralds are worth S2,hp
carat, while good-sized gem might
weigh anything from four to SIX
rarats $3.50 10 500 carat Is mini
mum price. The output of emeralds Is
very small.
The emerald Is given a place OF
honor in history and literature. The
beautiful gem was most praised among
the ancients, not only for It's beauty
but also on account Of its rarity. II
was Il fayorite stone with the Roman
nInperors and, later, with bigh dignl-
fnries Of the church. Ii Is named
twice in The book of Exodus as one of
the II jewels in the high priests
hreastplate of judgment. ranking in
the second row with the sapphire and
the diamond.
The best-known scrtptnral references
are in Revelation, where the rainbow
around the throne is compared in It's VI
yid greenness to an emerald; while
the same jewel forms one of the II
foundations of the new Jerusalem.
George Eliot, in "Middlemarch,'' re-
fers 10 the singular beauty Of these
passages. 1T Is strange she says
show deeply colors seem to penetrate
nne. like scent, suppose that is the
reason why gems are used as spiritual
enblenis in the Revelation Of ST. John.
They look like fragments of heaven.
In Tennyson's poem. Columbus
the discoverer used the passage in
Revelation to describe the san Saliva
dor as he first deserted it.
In contrast we Inay mention the
"emera.,I liioflocle' through which
Nero. whom the latest commentators
regard as the "Beastn of the Revela-
ton. gazed at the agonies of his vie
tins in the arena.
more pleasant legend may be
quoted from Montalembert. the famous
French author. He describes how in
the early ages of monasticism a GER
tain monastery was transformed by
its founder into a hospital for lepers
and cripples. Behold" said he. In
showing the ladies' Of Alexandria the
upper floor, which was reserved for
women. ''behold, my jacinths": then,
t,, 1,... t.t nI..xx
where the men were placed "See my
emeralds."
The most celebrated medieval gem
was the so-called "pmerald' of Genoa.
known as the Sacro Catino. 1t was
presented early In the Twelfth CEN
fury to the cathedral by the crusader
Embrace. having been brought by him
from the siege Of Caesarea.
The relic, a huge single stone. was
said to be the dish from which our
Lord ate the Last Supper. II was
believed by some to have been given
BY Solomon to the queen of Sheba.
The Sacr0 Catino was removed to
Paris during Napoleon's wars. and was
discovered to be only an ancient piece
OF Venetian glass. 1t is still shown.
much mended, in the cathedral of
Genoa, TO which place IT was restored
BY the French.
In the Fifteenth and Sixteenth cen
turtles the emerald is mentioned fire.
qnently among inventories of crown
Jewels. Mary Queen of Scots pos
sessed at one time many specimens Of
this regal gem.