the stones themselves should be as brightly polished as possible, in order not only to develop the full beauty and variety of their colour, but also the very considerable surface lustre which the ruby possesses. There is another kind of Indian jeweller's work to which most of the remarks I have just made apply. A perforated plate or disc of delicate arabesque or radiated work is found decorated with ruby beads, round or oval, attached to the circumference of the ornament, or else introduced into its midst in concentric circles. Here dull dead or "matt" gold is particularly appropriate, as affording a pleasant contrast to the rich, smooth, and soft transparency of the rubies, which, from the manner of their mounting, may be looked through. The refinement of the slender gold-work, which, in this class of jewellery, approaches the delicacy of filigree, sets off by its minuteness of detail the simpler and bolder forms of the plain, smooth, rounded stones, which give it colour and warmth. We must dwell for a moment or two upon another Eastern method of dealing with the ruby—the use of this stone as an inlay or onlay—that is, an incrustation—upon jade, both white and green. It is not so much here a beautiful contrast of colour that is attained, although the greenish grey, or olive green of the jade, enhances the redness of the ruby; but it is a contrast of textures, a contrast of surfaces, a contrast of translucencies. You see but a little way into the jade, though it is illuminated by a soft diffused light; but you see through the clear deep-toned rubies, with their flashing beams of crimson.
Now compare with these examples of the artistic employment of the ruby the ordinary mode in which this stone is set by English jewellers. Look at the half-hoop ruby ring, with five rubies well matched in colour, and graduated exactly in size, set close together in a regular row. You see, perhaps, a little speck of gold appearing here and there at each end of each stone, but nothing is made of these pieces of gold. You accept them because you know they