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King: Precious Stones and Metals

King: Precious Stones and Metals Page of 377 King: Precious Stones and Metals Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
PREFACE.
vii
specially arrogate to themselves the same title of honour, and, with the monuments of antiquity which combine them all, to let them occupy an entire volume. The other mineral productions whose highest value lies in their sub­servience to the inspirations of art, but whose estimation as jewels is entirely dependent upon the caprice of fashion, are now separated and passed in review under the generic appellation of " Gems." This distinction, it is true, is not perfectly expressive - of their character, but comes the nearest to it of any the poverty of our language can supply. The French, of all others the neatest and the most exact for the definite expression of every idea, possesses in this case also the required distinction of " Pierres Precieuses " and "Pierres Fines." But in English "Fine Stones," though some mineralogists have attempted to naturalize it in this most desiderated sense, would convey a totally dif­ferent idea to the majority of readers. And this division suggests to me the prefatory remark, true to the letter, novel as it will sound to many, that the student of antique Glyptics brings to the discussion of the latter portion of our subject an immense superiority over the actual trading jeweller of the present age in the extent and multifarious­ness of his experience. The latter, tied down by the actual close restrictions of the mode, has only to deal with the four or five species monopolising at present the title of " Precious," and to make himself acquainted with their characteristics alone: the dactyliologist, on the other hand, has perpetually to examine, and to discriminate between, the varied productions of ancient India—produc­tions held of old in almost equal estimation with the first class, as in truth they well deserved from the recommenda-
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