308 THE CURIOUS LORE OP PRECIOUS STONES
mined
the succssion of natal stones for the months. The first stone was
assigned to St. Peter and to the month of March, to the leader of the
apostles and to the month of the spring equinox ; the second to the
month of April ; the third to May, etc. When, however, many centuries
later,—probably in Poland, as we have stated,—with the aid of the
rabbis or the Hebrew gem traders, the wearing of natal stones became
usual, certain changes had been made in this order and some stones not
mentioned among those of the breastplate, or of the New Jerusalem, were
substituted for certain of these,—notably the turquoise for the month
of December, the ruby for July, and the diamond for April. In modern
times the turquoise has become the stone for July while the ruby has
been assigned to December.
There
is some evidence in favor of the theory that at the outset all twelve
stones were acquired by the same person and worn in turn, each one
during the respective month to which it was assigned, or during the
ascendancy of its zodiacal sign. The stone of the month was believed
to exercise its therapeutic or talismanic virtue to the fullest extent
at that period. Perhaps the fact that this entailed a monthly change of
ornaments may rather have been a recommendation of the usage than the
reverse.1
It
seems highly probable that the development of the belief in natal
stones that took place in Poland was due to the influence of the Jews
who settled in that country shortly before we have historic notice of
the use/of the twelve stones for those born in the
respective months. The lively interest always felt by the Jews
regarding the gems of the breastplate, the many and various commen-
1 Bruckmann, "Abhandlung von Edelsteinen," 2d ed., Braunschweig, 1773, p. 358.
