TURQUOISE. 189 
In its appearance, malachite somewhat resembles 
green jasper; but it is by no means so hard. It is, 
however, capable of being cut and polished as a gem, 
and is manufactured into various kinds of trinkets, 
which of late years have been much in request for neck- 
laces, brooches, and bracelets. It is also cut into slabs, 
and mounted into snuff-boxes. Such is the size of 
which it is sometimes found, that M. Patrin saw, at Pe- 
tersburgh, a plate of malachite thirty-two inches long 
and seventeen inches broad, which was valued at 20,000 
livres ; but the finest specimens in Europe are some 
slabs that are adapted as the tops of tables, sideboards, 
&c. at Trianon, in the Park of Versailles: the largest of 
these are nearly four feet in length and two feet wide. 
They may indeed have been formed by various pieces 
joined together; but, if so, the joints are so completely 
concealed as not to be discoverable even by the closest 
examination. Malachite is sometimes employed for the 
engraving of cameos, but is seldom cut in intaglio. 
Smaller pieces of this substance, that are used for trin- 
kets, are about the same value as carnelian. Indepen- 
dently of its use, in the above respects, and also as an 
ore of copper, malachite, when pure, is ground into 
powder, and employed as a green pigment. 
The Vosges Mountains in Lorraine, and certain cop- 
per mines of Saxony, are celebrated for producing very 
fine specimens of malachite. This beautiful mineral is 
also found in our own country, in the copper mines of 
Cornwall and Wales. 
232. TURQUOISE. The beautiful light blue substances 
that are called turquoises have usually leen considered as the 
bones or teeth of animals, impregnated with blue oxide (21) of 
copper; but they are sometimes found in nodules zohich are 
certainly not of an osseous nature. 
Turquoises are frequently set in rings, necklaces, 
brooches, and other female ornaments. In Persia they 
are very common ; and, amongst the Turks, are held in 
such estimation that persons of rank almost constantly 
wear them in some part of their dress, as ringstones, 
