On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 57 
duces a beautiful and expensive luxury, but the shell is used in the 
manufacture of various useful and ornamental articles, while the ani- 
mal serves as food for the inhabitants of those countries where it is 
most generally found; and although pearls are produced by many 
other bivalves, yet from their inferiority in color and size, this is the 
only species which can now be said to be of any real importance for 
this purpose. Anciently European pearls were extensively used, 
though never considered equal to the oriental ; but as the trade be-— 
tween foreign countries has increased, so has the value of the former 
gradually diminished, and they are now seldom sought for, and of 
little comparative worth. 
neient history.—During the earliest periods of which we have 
authentic history, the oriental pearl appears to have been known and 
appreciated ; Job, who is supposed to have lived about B. C. 1520, 
speaks of it as being in his time of high value, and much esteemed.* 
Solomon frequently refers to them ;+ and Jeremiah,t speaking of 
the Nazarites of Jerusalem, makes use of a beautiful simile in de- 
seribing them as more ruddy than pearls. In the New Testament, 
we frequently meet with them, as inferring great riches and splen- 
or 
In Rome pearls were extensively used, and of great value. Pliny 
tells us that in bis time the+ladies were not content with using 
them as ear drops and rings, but had them embroidered on their 
dresses and their sandals ; they were not satisfied with solely wear- 
ing them, but must walk on them, and among them. They were 
obtained from the Red Sea, or brought to Rome by the Arabian 
merchants, from the Indian Ocean. 'They were the most numerous 
on the coast of Taprobane, (now Ceylon,) and Toidis, and round 
the promontory and city of Perimula ; but those from the western 
* Job, xxviii. 18. Dr. Hales supposes that Job lived at a much earlier period, 
and dates his trial, of which we have the account, B.C. 2130. He also appears 
to have lived in the land of Idumea, ‘ci if so, may very naturally have been ac- 
quainted with the pearls of the Persian Gulf. 
+ Proverbs, iii. 15, viii. 11, xx. 15, xxxi. 10. 
+ Lamentations, iv. °7. The Hebrew word is Penemin, and oceurs only in the 
above cited passages. The Septuagint and the Vulgate translate it as “ things 
hid, precious stones, or ivory.” Our English version, with the one exception in 
Job, always rendersit “ruby.” David, in his Psalms, makes no mention of it, and 
as we do not hear of it till the time of Solomon, when riches from all parts of the 
world were collected at Jerusalem, we may infer that previously, the Israelites 
were not acquainted with it—See Calmet’s Dic. of Holy Bible, Art. Peary, 
|| Matthew, xiii. 45. Revelations, xxi. 21, &c. &e. 
Vou. XXXII.—No. 1. 
