The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-02-17
CE:u LONG PRICED
Emerald Figures Largely in His"
tory and Legend.
Princess Mary's Love Stone Has In
spired Both Saints and Poets-Re-
ferred To in Scriptures.

EmpraldS will be set in the most
fashionable engagement rings of tha
future. for Princess Mary had in elner-
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 emcrald> are worth S2,ND
carat. while g"nd-Sized gem might
weigh anythin. from foHr 10 six
caratS: 500 70 500 a carat is = mini
mum price. The output OF emcraids is
very small.
/ The emerald is given place OF
honor in history and literature. The
beautiful gem was most praised among
the ancientS. not only for its beauty,
but also on account Of its rarity. 1t
was favorite stone with the Roman
rmperorS and later, with high diSni-
raries of the church. 1t is named
twice in the book of Exodus as one Of
the II jewels in the high priest
IreaStplate of Judgment, ranking in
the second row with the sapphire and
the diamond.
The hest-known scriptural references
are in Revelation. where the rainbow
around the throne is compared in its Vi
vid greenneSs to an emerald; While
the same jewel forms one of the Il
foundations of the new Jerusalem.
George Eliot in "Middlemarch,' re-
fers to the singular beauty OF these
passages. st is strange she says,
how deeply colors seem to penetrate
nne. like scent. l suppose that is the
reason Why gems are used as spiritual
emblems 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 may mention the
emerald monocle' through which
Nero. whom the latest commentators
regard as the Beast" Of the ReYeia-
ton. gazed at the agonies of his vic
TINS in the arena.
! A more pleasant legend may he
quoted from Montalembert, the famous
French author. He describes how in
the early ages of monasticiSm Il GER
tain monastery was transformed by
its founder into a hospital for lepers
and crippIes. Behold" said he, IN
showing the ladies of Alexandria the
upper floor. which was reserved for
women. behold. my jacinths': then.
in conducting them to the floor below,
where the men were placed, See my
emeraldS."
The most celebrated medieval gem
was the so-called emerald" of Genoa,
known as the Sacro Catino. 1t was
presented early in the Twelfth cen
turv 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. 1t was
believed by some to have been given
by Solomon 10 the queen OF Sheba.
The Sacro Catino was removed to
Paris during Napoleon's wars, and was
discovered to be only an ancient piece
of Venetian glass It 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
turies the emerald is mentioned fire.
uuently among inventories of crown
! Jewels. Mary Queen of Scots pos
sessed at one time many specimens OF
: this regal gem.