Russia
and are magnificent. There is a portrait of Queen Mary by David Jagger
in which these jewels appear as the principal ornaments worn by the
royal sitter.
Then
there is the freak ruby said to be the most famous in the world because
so much spiritual and religious significance has been attached to it
by its owner and others. This is, or was, owned by a member of the
Indian Legislative Council, and has deep within it, veiled by a
scarlet cloud, what appears to be the tiny image of a dark-skinned man
robed in white and with his head swathed in a white turban.
But
enough of individual rubies in the grand style. I have said enough to
show you what the world ancient and modern thinks of rubies. Indeed,
there is a magnificence arid colour about a fine ruby that makes it
peculiarly suited to the treasure chests of kings as well as
extravagantly rich enough for the haversacks of romance.
There
are other rubies, as I have said. I have mentioned the spinel ruby
already. The balas ruby or rubicelle are just other names for the
spinel; but rubellite is the name frequently bestowed upon a wine-red
tourmaline, which is a much softer stone and of rather complex chemical
composition into which no corundum enters. The finest rubellites come
from the Ural Mountains.
The
New World has its "rubies", too. A stone which occurs in Australia and
which, because it is red, translucent and lustrous, is called by some
native sons an Adelaide ruby, is really no more than an almandine
garnet. The garnet is the Jack of all stones and in its time plays many
parts in the credulous eye, for to the layman everything
