BOOK IX.] History of Nature. 151 



Apparel? What the Waves and Billows with the Fleece? 

 For this Element naturally doth not receive us unless we are 

 naked. And be it that there is so great a Fellowship with 

 it and our Bellies ; what Fellowship with the Back ? But 

 we are not contented to be fed with so many Perils, we must 

 be clad with them also. So throughout the whole Body, 

 that which is obtained with the utmost Hazard is most 

 regarded by the Mind of Man. The principal and summit 

 of all these Things, as regards the Price, 1 are Pearls. The 

 Indian Ocean sends the chief Supply : and they are searched 

 for amongst those many and terrible Beasts which we have 

 spoken of before ; 2 we must pass over so many Seas, through 

 so great an Extent of Countries, where the Heat of the Sun 

 is excessive : even the Indians themselves go to seek them 

 among the Islands, and even then meet with very few. The 

 greatest Plenty is found in Taprobane and Toidis, as hath 

 been said in our Review of the World : and likewise about 

 Perimula, a Promontory of India. But they are praised as 

 the most perfect, which are obtained about Arabia, within 

 the Persian Gulf of the Red Sea. The Origin and Mode of 

 breeding of this Shell differ not much from that of the 

 Shells of Oysters : for when the Season of the Year urgeth 

 them, they spread themselves with a Kind of Gaping, and 

 then are said to be filled with a prolific Dew, with which 

 they grow pregnant : and the Fruit of which these Shell- 

 fishes are delivered are these Pearls, according to the Qua- 

 lity of the Dew which they received. For if the Dew were 

 pure which went into them, the Pearls are white and bril- 

 liant ; if muddy, the Product likewise is foul : it is pale, 

 also, if the Weather were threatening at the Time of Con- 

 ception. Whereby, no doubt, it is plain that they have more 

 Affinity with the Sky than with the Sea : for, according as 

 the Morning is fair, they are clear ; or foul, if that was 

 cloudy. If they have Time to feed sufficiently, the Pearls, 

 also, will grow large ; but if there be Lightning, they close 



1 At the opening of the 4th chapter of the 37th Book, our author tells 

 us that diamonds bear the highest price. Wern. Club. 

 3 Vide Chap. iii. Wern. Club. 



