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THE SAPPHIRE. 113
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"
Look in a man's eyes for honesty; around his mouth for weakness ; at
his chin for strength ; at his hands for temperament; at his nails for
cleanliness."
As
a useful hint we would say that mutton-tallow is invaluable as a cure
for split nails. The fingers should be soaked in warm water ; after
doing which, the nails are to be rubbed with a small lump of the
tallow, and polished by a chamois leather.
A
curious fact, not generally known, which relates to the leg of mutton
is, that strictly observant Jews do not eat that portion of the limb
which is supposed to be signified by the " sinew which shrank "
(Genesis xxxii. 32), " which the children of Israel eat not to this
day." The " sinew " thus particularised is thought to be the "
popliteus " muscle, or some such a tendinous part, immediately adjacent
thereto ; from which part the leg of mutton is first " purged " by a
Jewish butcher before being sold.
Robert
Boyle tells, ." I know also a very happy Physitian who assures me that
he hath very often cured, both in himself, and in others, the
Chilblains, when they come to be broken, by barely strowing on the sore
parts the fine powder of Quinces, thinly sliced, and dry'd." Devout
Mohammedans in Jerusalem regard tallow which drips from the candles
lighted by fire descending from heaven once a year on Easter Eve, at
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as marvellously curative for sores,
or wounds.
Marbodus (1555) has elegantly embodied the virtues exercised by the Sapphire, thus :—
"
Nam corpus vegetat, conservat, et integra membra; Et qui portat eum
nequit ulla fraude noceri. Corporeis etiam morbis lapis iste medetur.
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