materials about him. When in London he occupied, with his attendants, a big house in York Buildings.
The
large historic Ruby, which is set in the Maltese Cross fronting the
Imperial State Crown of England, is really only a Spinel. By means of
the Oxide of Chromium an excellent imitation of the true Ruby colour
can be obtained ; and a paste (of which to compose the counterfeit
stone) may be produced, almost as hard as rock crystal, by using for
its manufacture silicate of alumina.
la the Ambulance Hand-book, by Dr. Beatson, Glasgow, 1895, a famous poem appeared anonymously, being quoted, it was said, " from the Morning Post of
seventy years ago." Every effort was made, even to the extent of vainly
offering fifty guineas, to discover the author. All that ever
transpired was that this poem, writ out in a fair clerkly hand, was
found in the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln's Inn,
being placed there near a skeleton, of which the form, and bleached
colour were signally fine. One stanza of these " Lines to a Skeleton"
runs thus (bearing reference to its distinguished-looking bony hands) :—
"
Say, did these fingers delve the mine ; Or, with its envied Rubies
shine ? To hew the rock, and wear the Gem Can little now avail to them
; But if the path of truth they sought, Or comfort to the mourner
brought, These hands a richer meed shall claim Then all that wait on
wealth, or fame."
Rubies
are found to become affected in their colour if exposed for any length
of time to a strong light. Experiments have been made on two stones,
each of equal strength of colouring to start with. One was
