Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Je,velгy and P1·ecious Stones

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put it from him; no race or army could bring it into а house where there is one that has made way with his father. At the hour of matins it gives out sweet music that there is not the like of under heaven." Bartholomew, the medireval scientist, tells narratives of the magical actioп of the sapphire. "The sapphire is а precious stone," he says, "and is Ыuе in colour, most like to heaven in faiг weather and clear, and is best anюng precious stones, and most apt and аЫе to fingers of kings. And if thou put an addercop in а Ьох, and hold а very sapphire of India at the mouth of the Ьох any while, Ьу virtue thereof the addercop is overcome and dieth, as it ,vere suddenly. And this same I have seen proved oft in many and divers places." PossiЫy the fact that the addercop is so infrequent an invader of our modern life accounts for the fact that ,ve are left inert upon readi11g so surprising а statement; or possiЬly our incredнlity dominates our a,ve. The art of the lapidary, or science of glyptics, is а most iпteresting study, and it would Ье а mistake not to consider it for а few moшents on its teclшical side. It is very ancient as an art. In Ecclesiasticus tЬе wise Son of Sirach alludes to craftsшen "that cut and grave seals, and are diligent to make great variety, and give theшselves to counterfeit imagery, and watch to finish а \Vork." Theophilus on glyptics is too delightfully na1ve for us to resist quoting his remarks. "Crystal," he an­ nounces, " which is water hardened into ice, and the

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