M It. J. T. HOTBLACK ON PRECIOUS STONES. 
15 
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PRECIOUS STONES. 
By J. T. IIotblack. 
Recu l 28th November, 1899. 
My inquiry as to what are precious stones commenced when I was 
very young, with an inquiry of my father on the beach at Yarmouth 
as to what was a carnelian. 
In following that inquiry up (and I hope some day when my 
leisure and industry are sufficient for the preparation of the paper 
to say something to this Society upon the question, what is 
a carnelian ? but that paper would take some little preparation, 
as I should have to state at length my objections to the way 
in which chalcedony is confounded with flint by most of tbe 
authorities who have written on this subject) I have for many 
years from time to time collected facts about precious stones in 
general. The time at my disposal this evening will allow of but 
a very elementary treatment of the subject, and leaving carnelian 
and the whole great family of chalcedony and quartz crystal, which 
are all so closely allied, and which may be rightly considered as 
being the most plentiful and least valuable of all the precious 
stones, I shall proceed to the other end of the list, and begin at the 
top of the tree with the most valuable and incomparable diamond. 
Diamond. 
The diamond is at once the hardest and most beautiful substance 
known, and is peculiar among all the precious stones, as being the 
only one that is always called by its right name. 
. All other stones are called by different names, according to their 
colour, as will be explained more fully presently, but the diamond, 
be it white, yellow, red, blue, green, black, or any other colour, is 
