flaws,
if any, shall have been taken out. So great a stress is laid, by modern
fashion, on the superficial extent of a brilliant, that the old rules
of proportioning its dimensions are now nearly obsolete: the best
Cutters have entirely discarded the use of measures, and, in forming
the facets, trust wholly to an accurate and well-practised eye. The
direction being determined on, the artist must he well aware which are
the hard points and which the soft ones • the former
being those solid angles of the original octahe-dron, which it is
necessary to cut directly across, and the latter those solid angles
which are to be obliquely divided. A degree of force which may be
safely applied, and is even requisite in making a section through the
former, will be very apt to flaw and tear up the laminae when applied
to latter. On these accounts it probably is, that the fatiguing and
even painful process of performing this part of the business by hand,
is not yet superseded by the use of machinery.
"
These preliminary matters' being settled, the diamond is imbedded ina
strong cement, fixed at the end of a stout spindle-shaped stick, about
a foot long, with that portion only projecting, the removal of which is
to form the first facet. The instrument employed for this purpose is
another diamond, fixed in a stick similar to the former, with one of
the solid angles projecting. In order to collect the powder and shivers
that are detached during the process, the cutting is performed over a
strong box, four or five inches square, furnished with a false bottom
perforated with ex cessively minute holes, in order to sift, as it
were, the dust from the shivers; and also with two upright iron pegs,
fixed on the sides, for the workman to support and steady his fingers
against, while with a short repeated stroke, somewhat between
scratching and cutting, he is splitting off, or more laboriously
wearing away the diamond in that
