mentions
that a friend of his, " Captain of an Indiaman, was permitted to see
it, but was requested not to touch it. This gem was brought in on a
gold salver, and was about the size of a common walnut; it had a bluish
metallic lustre." It is remarkable that the author of a paper on " Precious Stones " in the Edinburgh Review for July, 1866, describes the Hope as also " of a decided, but rather steel-like blue."
So highly prized is " the Matan Diamond " that its owner has always
refused to part with it, declining the most tempting offers of the
Dutch Government, which has shown a great desire to get possession of a
talisman associated in the eastern mind with empire, and with the
fortunes of the dynasty guarding it. Early in the century, the governor
of Batavia sent Mr. Stewart to the Rajah to negotiate its purchase. He
offered 150,000 dollars, two large war brigs, with their full
completement of guns and ammunition, besides a considerable quantity of
other warlike material, but the tempting bait was rejected.
