500 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



similate with the roundness of her 

 lips, and with the vermilion of her 

 cheeks. 



The working of coral consists in 

 removing the outer bark, and ex- 

 posing the interior solid and highly 

 coloured part, which takes a fine 

 polisli. The coarse )iart of the 

 bark being removed by the file, it 

 is rubbed with tripoli powder, and 

 lastl}', with a metallic earth, which 

 gives the polish. Some bring it to 

 the finest polish imaginable by 

 the use of the oxide of tin. 



The ancients ornamented their 

 swords, bucklers, and helmets with 

 coral ; this custom is still in vogue 

 in some part of Asia, where coral 

 is as much esteemed as in the lime 

 of Pliny. The soothsayers and 

 priests of that age attributed many 

 mystic properties to it ; hence they 

 were in the habit of wearing coral, 

 as well from religious motives, as 

 from regard to its beauty. Para- 

 celsus recommends it to be worn 

 round the necks of infants, as an 

 admirable preservative against fits, 

 sorcery, charms, and even against 

 poison. Many other follies of that 

 man are still prevalent, and of 

 great credit with the common 

 people; and it is verj- usual in the 

 inland parts of Sicily, to see 

 children wearing amulets of coral 

 round the neck for the above pur- 

 pose. In the cities it is worn in 

 the shape of a horn, as a protection 

 against the influence of evil eyes. 

 It was even believed, that coral 

 would drive away devils and evil 



spirits ; hence perhaps arose the 

 custom of making crowns of it. 

 Nor have the medicinal properties 

 of coral been less exaggerated, as 

 may be sufficiently seen in the 

 writings of Pliny and Dioscorides. 

 It certainly may be considered asan 

 absorbent ; it is used in dentifrice 

 powder, in the Alkermes for in- 

 digestion, and in the Troches of 

 Carabe. 



The Trapanese appear to have 

 been the first who worked the 

 coral, being induced thereto by 

 the great quantity of it found in 

 their seas. It is asserted, that 

 Antonio Ciminello, a Trapanese, 

 was the first who discovered the 

 art of engraving coral. In the 

 time of King Alphonso the coral 

 fishery was so assiduously, and so 

 advantageously pursued by the 

 Trapanese, tiiat the ministers of 

 that king proposed to subject the 

 fishery to a tax. In the last 

 century, when it was again pro- 

 posed , instead of a tax, which i>ro- 

 bably would have rui ned this branch 

 of industry, King Ferdinand insti- 

 tuted some very useful regulations 

 in favour of it. 



Beside forming necklaces and 

 bracelets, the Trapanese have the 

 art of engraving it in the same 

 manner as they do amber and 

 shells, and most certainly many of 

 these works display great spirit, 

 boldness, and grace in the execu- 

 tion, talents natural to the genius 

 of the Sicilian natioo. 



USEFUL 



