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Ch. 7: Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum

Ch. 7: Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum Page of 377 Ch. 8: Margarita, Pearl Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
HYACINTHUS.                                  257
sent a beautiful star, with delicate silky rays regularly divergent from one centre. This was in all probability Pliny's Asteria. (Asteria.)
The remarkable coldness of the Sapphire to the touch, due to its great density, gave rise to the notion recorded by Epiphanius of its power to extinguish fire, or natural antagonism to heat. This was improved upon by mediaeval credulity into the doctrine that " the Sapphire worn in a ring or in any other manner is able to quench concu­piscence, and for that reason is proper to be worn by the priesthood, and by all persons vowed to perpetual chastity." (Vossius, ' De Phys. Christ' vi. 7.) And furthermore, "the Sapphire is said to grow dull if worn by an adulterer or lascivious person."* In this belief originated its adoption to adorn the episcopal ring of office from the commence­ment of the Middle Ages down to the present time : the ring of the Abbot of Folleville (Braybrooke Coll.), the oldest ecclesiastical jewel extant, is set with a large native Sapphire.
Ch. 7: Hyacinthus, Sapphire, Corundum Page of 377 Ch. 8: Margarita, Pearl
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