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62 Practical Remarks on Gems. < 
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which locality and its vicinity may be said literally to abound 
with those [am about to enumerate; many of them, which I 
have had cut and polished, would not suffer in comparison, with © 
some of the highly prized European and Asiatic gems—produc- 
tions of the same family. - 
Among these may be named the Chrysoprase, Amethyst, 
Gaanecurm; White Crystal, Brown Crystal, Precious Garnet, 
Chalcedony, Jasper, Corundum, Hypersthene, Red Oxide of 
Titanium, Sphene, (to which this is nearly allied,) and Spinelle, 
together with the Beryl, saneiaey: me Jade ,—the last three now 
fallen into disuse: hens 1% 
* 1. Chrysoprase is a very prety pie class gem of a delicate 
pea or apple green color, a good deal thought of by the jewellers, 
_ and used by them in every form, from the humble stomacher pin 
~ to the peerless: Sara sid Koti It looks however to best ad- 
ee, the dead yellow of which forms a 
ras with h its bright and ag sreeable green. Having a 
vitreous lustre, and | hardness like quartz, it is in frequent requi- 
_ Sition for signets and the the? the demand varying with the 
~ fashion ; but it is at all times considered a valuable stone. It is 
Gientioned in Revelations as the tenth foundation stone of the 
heavenly Jerusalem. In some of the European countries it is 
worn as an amulet, and is like all other beautiful ci suc- 
cessfully imitated. 
The Amethyst, ( Violet Quartz.) This was worn by the an- 
cients as an amulet against intoxication. It varies in shade from 
a delicate pink or lilac, to a deep purple, sometimes approaching 
to a dark blue ; the latter is called “ oriental,’”’* notwithstanding 
its being frequently found in northern Europe, and in many parts 
of Germany. Some call this stone “sapphire,” but sapphire is 
much harder and certainly a far greater rarity. 
Amethyst I believe to be the softest of the quartz family, hav- 
ing found when setting this stone with a hard or ordinary file, 
and subsequently polishing the setting with rotten stone on 
threads, the facets considerably grubbed or rounded. This is 
also used by the jewellers in every form that taste or fancy dic 
was at first a geographical epithet, but is now used as a term of ex 
Oriental 
-cellence.—Eps, 
