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CANADIAN GEMS AND PRECIOUS STON] 



By C. W. WiLLIMOTT. 



{Read J'a7uiary 2gth, i8gi.) 



The subject of this paper is Canadian Gems and Precious Stones ; 

 and although I shall touch briefly on such materials, available for the 

 purposes of the Lapidary, as have come under my observation during 

 the past nineteen years, T cannot hope to accomplish anything more 

 than a general outline of their distribution, together with some of their 

 most important characters. Before I begin the enumeration of the 

 various minerals, I had better first of all define what a gem really is. 



For the sake of convenience I shall divide the various minerals 

 into two classes — ist. Gem material; 2nd, Semi-Gem material. Now it 

 sometimes happens that the conventional value put upon a gem of the 

 second class, through richness of colour, transparency, etc., is much 

 higher than belongs to a gem of the first class ; hence to draw a line 

 between these two classes may often be attended by some difficulty. 

 The real gems are represented by the Diamond, Sapphire varieties, 

 Chrysobery], Spinel, Beryl, Topaz, Zircon, Garnet, Tourmaline, lolite 

 Quartz and Chrysolite. All others are considered as semi-precious 

 stones. 



The origin of the taste for gems is lost in the most remote ages ; 

 it is very evident that the gems mentioned in the scriptures, and other 

 early accounts, do not correspond with ours of to-day. Pliny describes 

 a Sapphire as a stone spotted with gold ; this is thought by some 

 authors to be the mineral we call Lapis-Lazuli. 



The ancients must have included a number of minerals under the 

 same name. Carbuncle, for instance, included all gems of a red 

 colour, such as the Hyacinth, Ruby, Garnet, etc. Much superstition 

 has existed in all ?ges regarding the various gems. The following 

 extracts from Emanuel's " Book of Gems " may be interesting :— 

 '' Serapius," he says, "ascribes to the Diamond the power of making men 

 courageous ; also, if this gem is placed in contact with a loadstone, it 

 nullifies its power. According to Boetius the Ruby is a sovereign 

 remedy against the plague and poison ; it also drives away evil spirits 

 and bad dreams. The Jacinth procures sleep and brings riches, 

 honour and wisdom. The Amethyst dispels drunkenness and sharpens 



