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THE BERYL.
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colored gems of New Grenada. As an ornamental stone, the
North Carolina emeralds have little value, says Mr. Hidden, but for cabinet specimens their prices range from twenty-five dollars to one thousand each. The quality and tone of color vary in these gems, according
to the different localities from which they are obtained. Those from New Grenada are considered the finest ; the Siberian rank next, if they do not equal the South American specimens ; the Indian and African stones are pale in color and full of flaws, while those found in Europe hold the lowest rank. The phrase " Emerald Isle," applied to Ireland, is said to
have come into vogue, not on account of its remarkable verdure, as is generally supposed, but from a circumstance connected with the gem itself. Pope Adrian sent to Henry IL, of England, a ring set with an emerald, as the instrument of his investiture with the dominion of that island, which may aptly be compared to this gem set in the sea. This ring, which has disappeared from the royal archives, if it could be found, would be an object of curiosity and interest as the record of an historical event of important political results. Comparatively few emeralds are engraved, partly on account
of their brittleness and partly from their intrinsic value ; therefore, antique intagli in this gem are exceedingly rare, and very few of these are earlier than the time of the Emperor Hadrian. The best examples known to antiquaries are an emerald engraved with the head of this emperor, another with the portrait of Sabina, his consort, and a third with the heads of both on the same stone. His patronage of the Egyptian system of mythology is shown by a remarkable intaglio with the head of the Solar Lion, a work of this period ; in fact, a large portion of antique engraved emeralds were executed during the reign |
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