Precious Stones: Their History and Mystery

Nine chapters on what people have believed about jewels — the charms and the poisons, the chaplet of pearls, the ecclesiastical treasuries, and the great robberies they invited.

Romance and Poetry

25 pages in this part of History and Mystery of Precious Stones.

Romance and Poetry

IN the days of romance and chivalry, jewels were among the valuable objects presented to the knights, as favours, by ladies. It is stated…

Romance and Poetry: Woodville

In 1465, Anthony Woodville, brother of Queen Elizabeth Woodville, forwarded articles of combat, and an enamelled jewel of Forget-me-not, to…

Romance and Poetry: Ceylon

In Googe's translation of Palingenius (1565) a city of the moon is thus described:- "The loftie walles of diamonde strong, Were raysed high…

Romance and Poetry: Richesse

Chaucer, in the "Romaunt of the Rose," describes Richesse as crowned with the costliest gems:- "But all before full subtilty A fine…

Romance and Poetry: Arabian

The supernatural lustre of the carbuncle has an Arabian source. In the "History of the Seven Champions of Christendom"--containing some of…

Romance and Poetry: Indian

Among the marvelous stories related of Presbyter Joannes, or Prester John, the mythical Indian king, is that relating to a letter which he…

Romance and Poetry: Arthur

In a description of an enchanted city in the romance of Bevis of Hampton, we find:-- "At the brygge ende stondeth a towre, Peynted wyth…

Romance and Poetry: Paris

In the "Arraignement of Paris," a pastoral (1584), the three rival deities disclose their pretensions and promises to the shepherd, Paris…

Romance and Poetry: Amadis

In "Amadis of Gaul" is a pretty story in connection with precious stones. "King Lisurate was so content with the tidings of Amadis and…

Romance and Poetry: Marco

Many of the strange stories related by Marco Polo have been considered extravagant or fictitious, and when the work first appeared it was…

Romance and Poetry: Polos

Ramusio, in his account of Marco Polo, gives, on traditional authority, a romantic story of the arrival of the Polos at Venice, laden with…

Romance and Poetry: John

Sir John Mandeville's account of "the Great Chan of Cathay, of the Royalty of his Palace, and how he sits at meat; and of the great number…

Romance and Poetry: Magor

In the Harleian Collection is also" A true relation without all exception of Strange and Admirable Accidents which lately happened in the…

Romance and Poetry: Christians

In the Eastern mind, youth, beauty, and precious stones were the meed of Paradise. In a conflict under the walls of Emesa, between the…

Romance and Poetry: Spaniards

The Spaniards had propagated wild stories of the wealth that abounded in the southern hemisphere. There was much truth, however, in these…

Romance and Poetry: Nunez

When Vasco Nunez made his first discovery of the Pacific from the heights of Quaraqua, he had passed through Indian districts, the…

Romance and Poetry: Pyramids

Even the Pyramids have been clothed by Asiatic fabulists with precious attributes. The wealth of Rucma Vatsa, a ruler of Egypt, according…

Romance and Poetry: Marbodeus

The Rev. J. M. Neale, in his "Mediaeval Hymns and Sequences," gives the translation of a "Prose" by Marbodeus, and also selections from his…

Romance and Poetry: Josephine

Among the Bonaparte miniatures in the Mather Collection, at Liverpool, is one of the Empress Josephine, an enamel, after the original by…

Romance and Poetry: Napoleon

This was to Isabey a mystery; and he was so much affected by the earnestness and simplicity of her manner, that he dared not ask for an…

Romance and Poetry: Ruskin

A more rational heraldic or symbolical meaning of precious stones was given by our great art critic, Ruskin, in the course of a lecture…

Romance and Poetry: Scotland

Gavin Douglas, in his "Palace of Honour," describes Queen Margaret (Tudor) of Scotland:-- "Amidst them borne within a golden chair…

Romance and Poetry: Alvaro

Clara has accepted the presents, the lovers' hands are joined, and they are receiving the congratulations of their friends, when the sound…

Romance and Poetry: Garces

They show him the stake; it is a Cupid made of diamonds. Alvaro knows it directly for his own marriage gift to his dead wife. He begs to…

Romance and Poetry: Lennox

It will be seen that the jewel contains three distinct divisions, the front, the reverse, and the interior, in which are twenty-eight…

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