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XXXIX.
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THE ROUGH.
Roughs of the East and West—A Text for the Educationist— A Lost Diamond—A Reminiscence of Golconda,
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STRANGE
title for a diamond, is " The Rough"; a name which is associated in
England with the worst form of humanity. A philosopher might find a
text for a moral essay in a comparison of the innocent gem and the
"rough" of the east-end of London. If it takes three generations to
make a gentleman, however, the human rough as we know him in London, is
far less susceptible of conversion into the polished jewel than
nature's inarticulate gem coarse and unattractive, as found in the
mine. We commend this theme of contrast and comparison to the
educationist. Our "Rough" in this chapter is a diamond of doubtful
history.
Mawe
concludes his account of "Peculiar Diamonds" with the remark that "
there are in the hands of individuals brilliants of considerable
magnitude, from 26 to 30 carats, and a rough diamond has lately
been imported that weighs over 80 carats." It does not appear that this
Rough specimen has been further traced. As it is impossible to say how
much of its weight may have been sacrificed by the process of cutting,
its weight in the rough gives no clue to its identity with any existing
brilliants weighing less than 80 carats.
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