AVICULHXE. SEA-WING. 91 



vinegar (or at least attempted to do so), a pearl worth 

 about £8000, which he took from the earring of Csecilia 

 Metella " *. Pliny further adds, that by way of glorifi- 

 cation to his palate, Clodius iEsopus was desirous of 

 trying what was the taste of pearls, and as he found it 

 wonderfully pleasing, that he might not be the only 

 one to know it, he had a pearl set before each of his 

 guests for him to swallow. t 



In the ' History of Banking/ by Mr. W. J. Lawson, 

 as quoted by Madame de Barrera, is an account of a 

 similar piece of ostentatious folly perpetrated in modern 

 times by the wealthy English merchant, Sir Thomas 

 Gresham. We read that "the Spanish Ambassador 

 to the English Court, having extolled the great riches 

 of the King his master, and of the grandees of his 

 master, before Queen Elizabeth, Sir Thomas Gresham 

 who was present, told him that the Queen had subjects 

 who at one meal expended not only as much as the daily 

 revenues of his kingdom, but also of all his grandees; 

 and added, "This I will prove any day, and lay you a con- 

 siderable sum on the result." The Spanish Ambassador 

 soon afterwards came unexpectedly to the house of 

 Sir Thomas, and dined with him ; and finding only an 

 ordinary meal, said " Well, sir, you have lost your 

 wager." " Not at all," replied Sir Thomas, "and this 

 you shall presently see." He then pulled out a box from 

 his pocket and taking one of the largest and finest 

 eastern pearls from it exhibited it to the Ambassador, 

 and then ground it, and drank the powder in a glass 

 of wine to the health of the Queen. " My lord Am- 

 bassador," said Sir Thomas, " you know I have often 



* Hor. ii. Sat. iii. 239. 



f Pliuy, ' Nat. Hist.' vol. ii., bk. ix., chap. 59. 



