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PRECIOUS STONES.
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coppery
fingers. Hence, arose the miners' pasty, which is commonly slipped by
them into a small cotton bag with a string run in at the top, so that
the contents may be eaten from out of the bag whilst held in the
miner's hand, and turned back as the pasty diminishes.
THE OPAL.
Loveliest of all the crystals of quartz, or silica, is the beautiful starry Opal, the
most bewitching, most mysterious of all gems ! This is " Pederos," the
child of love,—so named from the Greek word, boyish, pure, and innocent.
" Opalus,—the opal," as was said in the Mirror of Stones, translated
1750, " is a stone wonderful to behold ; being composed of many, and
divers colours of shining gems, as of the carbuncle, amethyst, emerald,
and many others ; with a variety equally glittering, and admirable to
discern. It is found only in India, and is not bigger than a large
filbert." How highly it was valued by the ancients we are informed by
Pliny, in his 37th Book, who says it was estimated at twenty thousand
sesterces, which sum signifies something more than two hundred pounds
sterling. Its virtue prevails against all diseases of the eyes ; it
sharpens, and strengthens the sight. To credit this Precious Gem with
such numerous virtues cannot be improper, since it partakes of the
nature, and colour of so many stones.
The
name " Opalus " was supposed to be another form of "
Ophthalmitis,—eye-stone " ; whence sprang these notions of its
ophthalmic virtues. Marbodus (1740) tells that the Opal was believed to
confer the gift of invisibility on its wearer. Wonderful powers were
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