which
has every mark of being an antique work of the same period : in fact,
it is hardly possible to conceive a modern hand venturing to convert
into a medium for art an ornamental stone so costly as this unusually
large and pure example. The baser specimens from the Zubara
mines—cloudy, full of flaws, almost opaque, aptly compared by Ben
Mansur to green soap—were in high favour for amulets. Pliny quotes the
impudent pretence of the Magi, " made in contempt and ridicule of
mankind," that Emeralds engraved with figures of eagles or beetles
possessed mighty virtues in conciliating the favour of princes, and in
averting tempests. One of the most singular of these amulets (formerly
amongst the Praun Gems) displayed a head of Jupiter -within a coiled
serpent resting upon a crocodile, surrounded by emblems of the planets
; and bearing much analogy to those Alexandrian medals of Antoninus
Pius, the devices on which are supposed to indicate the commencement
of a Sothiac Period.* The same Cabinet also possessed a Gnostic legend
of several lines upon a similar material.
Wonderful
specimens of the skill and ingenuity of the Mexican lapidary were the
famous Five Emeralds, the wedding present of Cortez to his bride in
1529. "The first was in the form of a rose, the second in that of a
horn, the third like a fish with eyes of gold, the fourth was like a
little bell with a fine Pearl for the tongue, and on the rim was the
inscription in Spanish, ' Blessed is he who created thee.' The fifth,
which was the most valuable, was a small cup with a foot of gold, and
with four little chains of the same metal attached to a large Pearl as
a button. The edge of the cup was of gold, on which was engraved the
Latin sentence—' inter natos mulierum non surrexit major.' "
* That is, the opening of the " Great Year," and the epoch of the regeneration of all things.
