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THE TOPAZ.
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the
artist has skilfully used the dark tint for the woman and the light
tint for the drapery. This gem formed part of the collection of the
Duke of Orleans.
The cabinet of France possesses in sapphire a very remarkable intaglio representing the Emperor Pertinax.
The
marvel of this kind is an engraving by Cnei'us representing the profile
of a young Hercules. It is in the Strozzi Cabinet at Rome.
THE TOPAZ.
The topaz, like its kindred precious stones, is divided into the occidental and the oriental.
The
oriental topaz should be in every respect carefully distinguished,
because it is the only variety which is composed of alumina nearly
pure. The others contain no more than 57 or 58 parts to 100 of this
substance.
The
topaz of the moderns is the chrysolite of the ancients. It is a
corundum coloured by a slight quantity of the oxide of iron to a
beautiful golden yellow. The topaz was originally found, as Pliny
informs us, upon an island in the Red Sea, which, being often
surrounded by fog, was so difficult to find that the mariners named it
Topaza (Gr. topazein, to guess).
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