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juſt about it. It is alſo good for the Eyes; for which Reaſon People carry about them Seals engraved on it, that they may have them to look on. It is, however, a ſcarce Stone; and but ſmall:
Figure, but generally approaching to a round or oval, the largeſt of them ſeldom coming up to the Size of a Hazel Nut. Theſe are now become very ſcarce, and what we have among the Jewellers may much better be diſtinguiſhed into the American and European. Of theſe the American are greatly ſuperior to the others both in Hardneſs and Luſtre, and are indeed to the European, what in moſt other Gems the Oriental are to the Occidental. They are found in many Parts of South America, principally in Peru. They are often very elegant and beautiful Stones, and ſometimes not inferior to the Oriental in Colour. They exceed all other Emeralds in Size, ſome of them having been found of two Inches Diameter. Nay, there are Accounts of much larger.
The European are found in Germany, Italy, Englend, Ireland[B 1], and ſome other Places. They are the leaſt valuable Kind, and are not only inferior to the others in Hardneſs, Colour, and Tranſparency, but alſo in Size.
The true Oriental Emerald is of the ſame Hardneſs with the Sapphire: the American Emeralds are very different in this reſpect, and really are of different Kinds; ſome of them coming very near the Hardneſs of the Oriental, and others little exceeding that of common Cryſtal; the European in general are of this laſt Texture alſo, and, determinately ſpeaking, are rather coloured Cryſtals than real Emeralds.
The Property of the Emerald, of aſſimilating Water to its Colour, here commemorated by this Author, has much puzzled thoſe who have written on theſe Subjects ſince; they have none of them been able to find it in the Emerald, and that for this plain Reaſon, that they have all looked for what the Author never meant: They expected to find, that the Emerald would impart a Tincture or laſting Colour to Water, by being infuſed in it, as vegetable Subftances, &c. do; whereas Theophraſtus means no more, than that its Radiations will tinge Water, if it be made the Medium through which they paſs, with their own Colour. This had
- ↑ See Dr. Rutty's Natural Hiſtory of the County of Dublin.
