28o Pearls, 



while these hereditary diamonds recall whole gene- 

 rations of stately beauties." With equal, or perhaps 

 with even more truth, may this be said of Pearls. 

 The Pearls which we are about to describe have 

 been possessed by some of the most eminent 

 historical personages, and have been prized for 

 personal decoration by the most admired beauties 

 of all ages. The subject is one of peculiar faBci- 

 nation, but it is to be regretted that in many 

 cases, the information that has eome down to us 

 from antiquity, respecting those exceptional Pearls, 

 is only of a meagre character. In the following 

 descriptions an attempt is made to arrange them 

 roughly in chronological sequence, but it will be 

 understood that many of the dates are mere ap- 

 proximations. The most ancient Pearl of which 

 we have found any record may be termed -the 

 "Servilia Pearl." 



The Servilia Pearl — circa B.C. 44. 



After the Roman conquests in the East, parti- 

 cularly when Mithridates, the great king of Pontus, 

 distinguished for his knowledge of languages and 

 far-reaching schemes of policy, had been overthrown 

 by Lucullus and Pompey — the Pearl became highly 

 valued, not only in Rome, but throughout the Roman 

 empire. The ladies wore them in profusion, as 



