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the [1]Pearl. It is not of a pellucid Nature, but Bracelets, and other Ornaments of great Value are made of it. It is produced in a kind of Oyſter, and, in like manner, in the Pinna marina; and is found in the Indies, and on the Shores of certain Iſlands in the Red Sea.
- ↑ The Pearl was in great eſteem among the Antients. It was by the Romans allowed the ſecond Place among Jewels: and ſeems ever to have been a particular Favourite with the Ladies.
Pearls are produced in many kinds of Shell-fiſh; but the fineſt, and what are properly the genuine Pearl, are bred in the concha margaritifera pleriſque, Berberis antiquis Indis dicts. Liſt, Hiſt. Conch. Our Author ſeems to have been very well acquainted with the Hiſtory of the Pearl; and, doubtleſs, means this very-Shell by his ὀστρείω τινί. Androſthenes alſo confirms its being this very Shell that the fine Oriental Pearls are found in, ἓν δὲ ἴδιον καλοῦσιν ἐκεῖνοι Βέρβερι, ἐξ ὧ ἡ μαργαρῖτις λίθος. I have ventured to add an ς to the Word παραπλησίῳ in the Greek Text, becauſe the Senſe and original Meaning of the Author ſeem to have been ſo. The Shell which produces the Pearl is not at all like the Pinna, and ſome have cenſured this Author for ſaying it was; which he ſeems never really to have done, but to have known the Hiſtory of the Subſtance he is treating of much better; and to have ſaid, as I have made it by the Addition of that ſingle Letter, probably loſt in ſome of the Copies, that the Pearl is produced in the Berberi, and in like manner in the Pinna marina; which it alſo was, and which the Antients: knew it was.
The Pearl is no more than a morbid Excreſ-
is evidently, that theſe Bactrian Emeralds, though very fine, were but ſmall; and therefore principally uſed to ſtud and ornament Veſſels of Gold. And this Pliny has ſo far miſunderſtood, that he has tranſlated it, that they were found in the Commiſſuræ Saxorum. And as Errors never fail to be faithfully copied, and handed down to Poſterity, this has been carefully delivered to us by every Author ſince; while Theophraſtus, who never meant any ſuch thing, or imagined there were any ſuch things as Stones to be found in thoſe Deſarts, was either forgot, or accuſed of the Error.
