Contritis
lateri, super illitus ulcera sanat; Tollit et ex oculis sordes, ex
fronte dolores ; Et vitiis HnguEB simili ratione medetur. Sed qui
gestat eum castissimus esse jubetur."
Regarding
the significant, and characteristic hue of the Sapphire, (and of other
Precious Stones), colour superstitions still hold good in some of our
remote rural districts. Thus, in the East of England, folks say :—
" Blue is true ; Red's brazen ;
Yellow's jealous ; White is love ; Green's forsaken ; And Black is death."
That
" true Blue will never stain " is proverbial; as signifying that a
really noble heart will never disgrace itself. A cognate reference is
made here also to the blouses, and aprons of blue worn by butchers,
because the colour thereof does not show blood-stains. Surely, by
reason of this distinction the butcher should himself be immaculate ;
above the least suspicion of a spurious " sweetbread," for instance ;
or of South Down mutton from a Colonial source.
When
young Copperfield, as a small boy, first went to school (Dr. Strong's)
at Canterbury, a certain youthful butcher was the terror of Canterbury
boys. " He seemed to have derived preternatural strength from the
beef-suet with which he anointed his hair ; a broad-faced, bull-necked,
young butcher, with rough red cheeks, an ill-conditioned mind, and an
injurious tongue." His main use of that tongue was to disparage Dr.
Strong's young gentlemen, saying publicly, that " if they wanted
anything he'd give it them." The consequence was that Copperfield
resolved to fight this young butcher.
" After several sanguinary rounds, which went all
