CONSTANTINOPLE. 149 
carat, because they were called sapphires; 
having a rounded pebble form, and a great ' 
intensity of colour. Cats eyes, of all kinds, 
are very common ; whether of feldspar, or 
of quartz, penetrated by amianthus, or of chal- 
cedony, with small translucent specks in the 
centre, behind which they apply a green foil. 
The last are always sold coarsely mounted. 
There is no place where they understand 
better the art of burning topazes, so as to 
give them a bright red colour, when they 
are sold under the name of halass ' rubies. A 
remarkable fine stone of this description was 
bought by Madame Tamara, wife of the Russian 
Minister, for one hundred and twenty sequins. 
The same lady had formed a collection of 
precious minerals, exceedingly valuable on 
account of their beauty and rarity; among 
others, a ring stone of rock-crystal, containing 
capillary Epidote and capillary red Titanium in 
the same specimen; the only example known 
of such an association. But the most curious 
(3) q. d. Palatium, the domicile or matrix of the rubi/ (See Nichols 
on Gems, Part I. Ch. 3. p. 59. Camb. 1652.): it being an old notion 
of lapidaries that the matrix of every precious stone was a similar 
Substance, of inferior hardness and value. Hence " mother of emerald ; 
mother of pearl," i^c. 
CHAP. 
IV. 
