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CHAPTER VI.
THE DIAMOND.
Although this
mineral is not referred to, so far as can be ascertained, by the most
ancient writers, there seems reason to believe that it was known to
some of the great princes of olden times, but to few of the people.
Thus Pliny says it " was long known to none but kings, and to but very
few of them." The first authenticated reference to it occurs towards
the end of the Augustan period, when Manilius speaks of it as the
Adamas. The term Adamas had been used previously by the Greek writers
for any extremely hard substance. Once known, it seems to have
immediately become the most coveted of stones. Although doubt has been
cast on the identity of Pliny's Adamas with Diamond, his description
would, as King points Out, apply to the Diamond, for he speaks of it as
" pointed at the two extremities as though two turbines " (whipping
tops of the form of a many-sided pyramid) " were joined together by
their broadest ends." The name Adamas is said to be derived from a
Greek word meaning " unconquerable," because it was supposed that the
hardness of the Diamond was so great that it would not only break into
fragments the hammer with which it was struck, but would also splinter
the anvil on which it was laid. Further, the greatest heat was reputed
unable to make the stone red hot. As already mentioned, its external
application to the
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