ancient historians show the estimation in which pearls were held by the Babylonians, the Persians, and the Egyptians.
Everyone
knows the famous story of Cleopatra, who, striving to rival the
prodigality of Antony, dissolved in vinegar the pearl of one of her
earrings, which had cost $706,800, and swallowed it. The possibility
of this fact has been contested, but the thing is quite possible, only
nothing more nauseous than the mixture can be imagined.
This
experiment may possibly have been tried upon real pearls without
success, but then probably the action of the acid did not last long
enough. The pearl, as we have seen, is formed of carbonate of lime, and
an organic substance. The vinegar easily effects a soluble combination
with the carbonate of lime; but as soon as the lime of the first layer
is consumed, the organic matter of a gelatinous consistence continues
to envelop the pearl; and as this matter is not soluble in vinegar, nor
can be attacked by it, a protection is formed around the interior
layers, so that they are not reached by the corrosive liquid. But by
persistence, in the end even this is penetrated, and the pearl is
completely dissolved.
The passion of the Romans for pearls, like all the passions of this people, was carried to an extravagant height.
The pearl which Caesar presented to Servilia,
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