ON THE TOPAZ OF SCOTLAND. 



447 



wine -yellow varieties are sometimes sold as true 

 topaz. The Garnet is the precious garnet of Wer- 

 ner ; the Syrian or oriental garnet of many jewel- 

 lers. 



It thus appears, that precious beryl, topaz, ame- 

 thyst, and precious garnet, are the only true gems 

 hitherto discovered in Scotland. But the topaz of 

 Scotland has been considered as a variety of sap- 

 phire, and its true nature was not understood un- 

 til lately, when its characters were fully exhibited 

 in a fine series of topaz -crystals of remarkable size, 

 brought from the upper part of Aberdeenshire to 

 Edinburgh, and now jn the possession of Mr 

 WJiite, lapidary. 



Topaz of Aberdeenshire. 



Colour greenish white, and intermediate be- 

 tween mountain- green and celandine-green. 

 Is slightly opalescent. 



The form of f:he largest crystal is an oblique 

 eight-sided prism, deeply bevelled at the extremi- 

 ty ; the bevelling planes set qn the acute lateral 

 edges ; the proper edge of the bevelment trunca- 

 ted, and the angle formed by the meeting of the 

 bevelling plane and the lateral planes bevelled. 



The surface of the crystal is rough, owing to at- 

 trition. 



Internal lustre splendent and vitreous. Cross 

 fracture distinctly foliated ; longitudinal fracture 

 perfect conchoidal. Is semitransparent, inclining 

 to translucent. Harder than precious beryl ; but 



