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THE BOOK OF DIAMONDS
meadows";
"sapphire seas" and "sapphire eyes"; "ruby wine" and "ruby lips" and
"coral ears"; "pearly teeth" and "pearly skin"; amethystine locks" and,
in Roman times, "amber hair".
The
"enormous pearls" which encircle the throat of Mary of Orange in one of
her portraits have long since faded from mortal sight with others of
her jewels, save for the page or canvas which still preserves to our
view. The unfortunate James the Second and his queen carried with them
in their flight from England a number of valuable belongings to the
royal collection. One of these, a historic ring of great interest, was
pathetically restored to King George of England by James's grandson,
Cardinal York, sometimes known as Henry Ninth, from Rome, where the
exiled Stuarts found their last resting place. One even feels a painful
thrill by reading that the magnificent crown prepared for the
coronation of Queen Victoria was enrided from older crowns, so great is
one's fear lest some priceless footstep of the past may have been lost
in the transfer. The care with which the really ancient regalia of
England have been preserved, however, and their almost sacred value,
rebuke the doubt.
"Here
stand these great historic gems, however, preserved through all the
ages, for, if we count their geological birth, they are indeed
immemorial, and linking the grandmother past to the infant future with
clasp of undying brilliancy. It seems to me that their intrinsic value
forms the least part of their real worth, as in the case of coins,
medals, etc. And if we speak of their age, shall we not call
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