AXINITE. The name Axinite is derived from the Greek AXINE, an axe, on account of the sharp and axe-like form of the crystals. The axinite is about the same degree of hardness as the Spodumene or the demantoid garnet (6.5 to 7). It is pyro-electric and highly vitreous. The colours vary between pearly-grey, clove, brown, honey-yellow, violet, plum-blue. The axinite is under the zodiacal Sagittarius.
AZURITE. Azurite is a blue copper carbonate obtaining its name from its colour. It is kindred with malachite, from which it differs but slightly. Some mineralogists call it blue malachite. It is under the zodiacal Libra.
CHAPTER XIII
THE BERYL FAMILY
THE BERYL FAMILY: SOME LARGE SPECIMENS: VAUQUELIN’S DISCOVERY: THE CELESTIAL SIGN OF THE BERYL FAMILY: OLD MINES OF KLEOPATRA: WOMEN SEARCHERS OF EGYPT: THE CANOPY OF HOLOFERNES: STARS OF THE PLEIADES: EMERALD AND THE EYES: POPE JOHN XXI AND HIS ASSERTION: THE SERPENT’S GAZE: TAURUS, SCORPIO AND THE STORY OF EDEN: THE TRUE VENUS: REPTILES OF OVER-INDULGENCE: CIRCE AND THE SWINE: DIANA, GODDESS OF THE MOON: VIRTUES ASCRIBED TO THE EMERALD: ESMERALDA: THE DRAGON OF THE EMERALD MINE: PRESCOTT’S STORY: PIZARRO’S LARGEf EMERALD: THE TRICK OF PEDRAZA: INDIAN BELIEF: APOLLONIUS OF TYANA AND THE EMERALD OF IARCHUS: THE EMERALD IN ROSICRUCIAN PHILOSOPHY: SWEATING EMERALDS: EMERALDS IN OLD EXCAVATIONS: ESTEEM OF THE ROMANS: PERSIAN BELIEFS: ALBERTUS MAGNUS, CARDANUS AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MASTERS: MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS’ STONE IN BRAZIL: HINDOO BELIEFS: THE HEAVEN OF THE MUSLIMS: THE INHABITANTS OF PARADISE: PARACELSUS AND THE EMERALD: EARLY CHRISTIAN EMBLEM: BERYL IN MAGICAL RITES: “THE TEMPEST”: RECOMMENDATION OF LEONARDUS: WATER DIVINATION: STORY OF THE RING OF POLYCRATES: FISH AND RING STORIES: HERODOTUS AND OLD WRITERS ON THE RING OF POLYCRATES: PHILIP II AND THE FATAL RING OF SPAIN: SPAIN’S DEFEAT BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE BURIAL OF THE ILL-OMENED RING: GIFT OF POPE ADRIAN VIII TO HENRY II: EMERALD OF KING ARTHUR: POPE INNOCENT’S PRESENT TO KING JOHN: SWEDENBORG’S EMERALD CORRESPONDENCE: THE FALSE AQUAMARINE AMONGST THE BRITISH CROWN JEWELS: THE FATAL EMERALD OF RUSSIA.
“What rings of Eastern price his fingers hold.
Gold decks the fingers, beryl decks the gold.”
Parnell.
The name beryl is derived from the Greek and Latin BERYLLUS; some say also from the Persian BELUR. Some of the old fashions of writing the name are included in the following: beril, beryll, berall, birrall, byral, byrrall, byralle, berial, beryall, bureall, beryl stone.
Dr. Holland’s rendering of Pliny’s remarks on the beryl (Chapter 36) is interesting: “Many are of the opinion that beryls are of the same nature that the emeraud, or leastwise verie like: from India they came as from their native place, for seldom are they to be found elsewhere.”