It is dedicated to Mercury, and in metallurgy means quicksilver.
Moonstone has the virtue of making trees fruitful, and of curing epilepsy.--Dioscorĭdês.
It contains in it an image of the moon, representing its increase and decrease every month.--Andreas Baccius.
Onyx contains in it an imprisoned devil, which wakes at sunset, and causes terror to the wearer, disturbing sleep with ugly dreams.--R. B.
Cupid, with the sharp point of his arrows, cut the nails of Venus during sleep, and the parings, falling into the Indus, sank to the bottom, and turned into onyxes.--S., 212.
In the Zodiac it stands for Aquarius; some say it is the emblem of August and conjugal love; in Christian art it symbolizes sincerity.
Opal is fatal to love, and sows discord between the giver and receiver.--R. B.
Given as an engagement token, it is sure to bring ill luck.
The opal is an emblem of hope, and is dedicated to October.
Ruby. The Burmese believe that rubies ripen like fruit. They say a ruby in its crude state is colorless, and, as it matures, changes first to yellow, then to green, then to blue, and lastly to a brilliant red, its highest state of perfection and ripeness.--S., 142.