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Carbunculus, Ruby

Carbunculus, Ruby Page of 453 Carbunculus, Ruby Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
     
     
 
CARBUNCULUS. 145
elusion may be deduced from the brief notice in Theophrastus, who particularises, amongst the "polygonal" ones found in the neighbourhood of Miletus, some having " six " angles. Now the numerous angles of the common garnet, a rhombic dodecahedron, form its most distinguishing feature ; whilst the Spinel Ruby is a perfect octahedron, and therefore presents but six angles : and the perfection of its singular form would naturally fix the atten­tion of the early mineralogist. Pliny gives the first place to the Carbunculi Amethystizontes, " in which the extreme blaze goes out in the purple of the Amethyst." These were our Alman-dines, as well as our Spinels, for the difference between the two is hardly to be appreciated by the eye alone.^
But the true Ruby and its inferior varieties can with greater certainty be referred to that class of the Carbunculi described separately by Pliny as the Lychnis. It belonged to the same family of fiery stones as the Carbunculus, was of pre-eminent beauty, and derived its name from its property either of lighting up lamps, or of lighting up itself by lamplight (a lucernarum accensu). The former explanation of his meaning is supported by Orpheus, saying of his Lychnis (Αιθικα, 270), " from off the altars, thou, like the Crystal, dost send forth a flame without the aid of fire." It was produced in Orthosia, in the whole of Caria and the neighbouring regions ; but that most esteemed came from India :' " which last some have termed a Carbuncle of milder tint." The second in rank is the Ionia, so called from its re­semblance to the flower of the same name (the Greek "Ion, or Red Cyclamen). " And between these last I find a difference noticed, one kind having a purple lustre, the other a red (cocco, kermès). Warmed in the sunshine, or by friction with the fingers, they attract straws and scraps of paper."2 The description of the same
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
     
Carbunculus, Ruby Page of 453 Carbunculus, Ruby
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