An immense number of these "jewels of silver and jewels of gold" have been found in the tombs, and on the persons of mummies, and are deposited in profusion in every museum. The accompanying engravings will give an idea of the style and form of some of them.
The ear-rings generally worn by the ladies were large, round, single hoops (as a) from 1½ inches to 2-1/3 inches in diameter; and frequently of a still greater size; or made of six rings soldered together (as b); sometimes an asp, whose body was of gold, set with precious stones, was worn by persons of rank as a fashionable caprice. Figures c, d, of gold bear the heads of fanciful animals; e, also of gold, is remarkable for its singularity of form, and for the delicacy of its workmanship; and f for its carrying two pearls and being double in its construction.
Bracelets, armlets, and anklets were worn by men as well as by women; they were usually of gold, frequently set with precious stones, or inlaid with enamel. The one marked a in the annexed cut is now in the Leyden Museum: it is of gold, 3 inches in diameter, and 1½ inches in height, and is interesting, because it belonged to the Pharaoh whom we conclude to have been the patron and friend of Joseph, Thothmes III., whose name it bears. The armlet b is of gold, and represents a snake; the other, c, is of bronze. Rings were worn in profusion, gold being the material chiefly selected. Some resemble watch seals of the present day—sometimes the stone having four flat sides, all engraved, turned on a pivot, like some seals seen at present. One of this character, which Sir J. G. Wilkinson estimates to contain 20l. worth of gold, is represented at d in the above engraving. It consists of a massive ring of gold, bearing an oblong plinth of the same metal, an inch in length, and more than half an inch in its greatest width. On one side is engraved the hieroglyphic name of Storus, the successor of Amunoph III.; the three others contain respectively a scorpion, a crocodile, and a lion.
GREAT PEAR TREE.
The most remarkable pear tree in England stands on the glebe of the parish of Holme Lacy, in Herefordshire. When the branches of this tree, in its original state, became long and heavy, their extremities drooped till they reached the ground. They then took root; each branch became a new tree, and in its turn produced others in the same way. Eventually it extended itself until it covered more than an acre of ground, and would probably have reached much further if it had been suffered to do so. It is stated in the church register, that "the great natural curiosity, the great pear tree upon the glebe, adjoining to the vicarage-house, produced this year (1776) fourteen hogsheads of perry, each hogshead containing one hundred gallons." Though now much reduced in size, it is still healthy and vigorous, and generally produces from two to five hogsheads. The liquor is not of a good quality, being very strong and heating. An idea of the superior size of this tree, when in its prime, over others of the same kind, may be formed from the fact, that in the same county, an acre of ground is usually planted with thirty trees, which, in a good soil, produce annually, when full grown, twenty gallons of perry each. So large a quantity as a hogshead from one tree is very unusual. The sorts principally used for perry are such as have an austere juice.