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DIAMONDS. 79
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be,
and so good night. But the modesty, and gravity of this business was so
decent that it was to me indeed ten times more delightful than if it
had been twenty times more merry, and joviall."
Sir
Thomas Fuller, whose long career has been bound up with Cape Colony,
had the distinction, shared only by one or two others, of getting the
first glimpse of the first Diamond found in South Africa. The finder
(whether on the North, or the South side of the Orange River, has been
a disputed point) was a herd-boy. At first this was thought to be a
Crystal; then someone sent it up to the Government; at whose instance
the French Consul, who was an expert in precious stones, was invited to
inspect the small box which contained this supposed " Crystal." As soon
as the French Consul saw the stone he at once declared it to be a
Diamond. " Take note," he exclaimed, " that at three paces I pronounce
it to be a Diamond.'' Which Diamond weighed seven carats, and resembled
a piece of Camphor in appearance. The stone was sold for five hundred
pounds.
Captain Gronow (Anecdotes and Reminiscences, 1842)
relates that " on the day after the Coronation of George IV. (1820),
Mr. Hamlet, the jeweller, came to see the house in which Mr. Coutts,
the wealthy Banker, then lived (in Stratton Street). Mr. Coutts was at
dinner, but admitted the jeweller, who exhibited to him a most
magnificent Diamond Cross, which had been worn on the previous day by
the Duke of York. This Jewel at once attracted the attention of Mrs.
Coutts (Harriet Mellon : afterwards Duchess of St. Albans), who loudly
exclaimed " How happy I should be with such a splendid Ornament! " "
What is it worth ? " asked Mr. Coutts. " I could not allow it to pass
out
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