40 



A CHAPTER OF DIAMONDS. 



diamond comes from, and all we do know is, that it lias not been 

 found in a rock, like all other minerals, and that it is a compound, 

 as before observed, of the basis of all vegetable matter, and of 

 solar light. 



In Asia, the diamond has been found most abundantly in the 

 territory of Golconda and Visapoor ; in Bengal, in the central and 

 southern parts of India proper, in the Peninsula of Malacca and 

 Island of Borneo ; In America, mainly in the Brazils. In India, 

 the diamond is found in a species of indurated ochery gravel ; in 

 the Brazils, it is found in loose gravel, consisting principally of 

 rounded quartz pebbles, mixed with sand and oxide of iron, and 

 accompanied with blue, yellow, and white topazes (Nova Mina 

 diamonds.) Diamonds have also been found in conglomerates of 

 recent volcanic origin, called amygdaloids by geologists. Dia- 

 monds have been recently discovered on the western declivity of 

 the Ural mountains, in gold and platinum sands, and a diamond 

 is reported to have been found in Ireland, in the bed of a brook 

 flowing through the district of Fermanagh — probably a white 

 topaz. 



When diamonds are coloured, it is by the presence of some 

 adventitious substance. The various tints of yellow are supposed 

 to be produced by the oxides of iron or manganese, and green by 

 oxides of nickel or chromium, as in the case of the oriental sap- 

 phire, the spinelle, ruby and emerald. Diamonds have been met 

 with of brown, blue, yellow, gray, red, green, and even black 

 colours. 



The secret of polishing diamonds by other diamonds was disco- 

 vered in 1476, by one Louis de Berguem, and the first polished 

 diamond is said to have belono-ed to Charles the Bold. It is rela- 

 ted by some that he lost this precious jewel at the battle of Morat, 

 in Switzerland, and that the Bernese who found it sold it to some 

 rich merchant of Augsbourg, who again sold it to Henry VIIL, 

 of England, one of whose daughters carried it as a dowry to 

 Phillip 11. of Spain. 



Diamonds, it may be observed, are cut into various forms ; 

 these are called the brilliant, the rose and the table. The first of 

 these displays the gem to the best advantage, ranks first in esti- 



* According to Heeren, diamonds were an article of commerce carried 

 on between the Carthagenians .*nid the Etruscans ; and there is every reason 

 to believe that there are mines of diamonds in inter-tropical Africa. 



