the course of which the hero becomes in turn a baronet, a farmer,
a traveler, a divine, a poet, a political reformer and an old
basket-maker. In this last _avatar_ he is involuntarily forced
to return to his own body, for the basket-maker dies before the week
is up. The various characters through whose lives he passes belong
to his immediate neighborhood, and the slight plot of the story
can thus be carried forward without interruption. When at last the
barrister comes to himself, he has just recovered from a long period of
unconsciousness, and there is a little intentional uncertainty whether
the vision and its consequences really took place, or were only the
products of a fevered mind. Among the old basket-maker’s effects is
found an onyx ring enclosed in an old box and engraved with a man’s
head.
The greater part of the splendid precious stones in the collection of
the English banker Henry Philip Hope were set in rings. One of the
finest and most interesting of these gems was the beautiful sapphire
often called “Le Saphire Merveilleux,” the title of a story written
by Mme. de Genlis, who had seen the stone when it formed part of the
collection of the Duke of Orleans. Its peculiar charm is that its color
changes when seen by artificial light. In daylight it is a beautiful
sapphire blue, but by candle light, or other yellow light it acquires
an amethystine hue.[538] This fine sapphire, interesting both for its
rare dichroism and its historic associations, was sold about 1898 for
£700 ($3500). It weighs 19⅛ metric carats. Another attractive gem in
the Hope Collection is a cabochon-cut amethyst, engraved in intaglio
with the figure of a Bacchante carrying a thyrsus. At the back of the
stone are two strata of different colors, one a whitish gray, the other
showing brown spots on a velvet ground. This peculiarity has been
skilfully utilized by the engraver, who has cut on the stone the form
of a panther in relief.[539]
The so-called “Pennsylvania Dutch,” largely Germans from the southern
parts of Germany, made, in the early days, rings out of horseshoe
nails.[540] The good-luck supposed to be inherent in the horseshoe was
probably believed to extend to the detachable nails also, so that these
rings might have been looked upon as endowed with magic or talismanic
virtue.
Lord Bacon (1561–1626) in his “Sylva Sylvarum,” published in 1626,
suggests a curious test of telepathy. This is that two parties to an
agreement or contract, should exchange rings, each wearing the other’s
ring, and they are then to note whether, in case the contract or
promise should be broken by one of the parties, the other would become
sensible of this by means of an influence transmitted through the ring.
He adds that it has been regarded as a help to the continuance of love
to wear a ring or a bracelet of the loved one, but he believes that
“this may proceed from exciting the magnetism, which, perhaps, a glove,
or other like favour, might do as well.”
The peculiar inherent virtue of a ring given by, or exchanged with,
a loved person, renders it far more prized than a merely beautiful
or costly ring. While we may regard as superstition any fancy that
the material ring possesses any magic quality, that lent to it by
association or by memory is none the less real though it is only in the
brain or heart of the wearer. The effect of this association of a ring
or other jewel with a person is also to be seen in the case of rings
bestowed by royal personages as tokens of gratitude or favor. In olden
times they were often regarded as amulets and believed to transfer
something of the power or genius of the bestower to the recipient.
Indeed the qualities were conceived to have embodied themselves in
the ornament, which was therefore handed down from generation to
generation as a precious heritage, one sure to bring good fortune to
the wearer. In the case of lovers the token served as a connecting
link, transmitting and transfusing the love sentiment.[541]
Besides the zodiacal, or natal rings, there were also made in mediæval
times a number of planetary rings, the metal supposed to be especially
under the guardianship of the Sun, Moon or five planets known to the
ancient world, being in each case chosen as the material for the
ring of the special planet. These rings were frequently set with the
precious stone assigned to the planet, and thus a series was obtained
of seven rings, each of a different metal and set with a different
stone. The sun-ring was of gold with diamond or sapphire; the silver
moon-ring bore a rock crystal or a moonstone; the ring of Mars was of
iron set with an emerald; for Mercury, the ring was of quicksilver and
bore a piece of magnetic iron; Jupiter’s was of tin, the setting being
a carnelian; copper was, of course, the material of the Venus-ring
(_cyprium_, copper, being sacred to the Cyprian goddess), and the
stone was an amethyst; lastly, the Saturnian ring was of lead and had
for setting a turquoise.
Some of the appropriate rings and stones to be worn by those who hope
to attract to themselves the favorable influences of Sun, Moon, and
planets, are given in the Syro-Arabic work of the eighth or ninth
century on the mystic potencies of stones, put forth under the name of
Aristotle. For the Sun the stone is rock crystal, which must be set
in a gold ring; Mercury’s influence is secured by wearing a piece of
magnetite in an electrum setting, and for those wishing the help of the
Moon, one of the varieties of onyx is recommended, silver being the
metal in which it is to be set.[542]
[Illustration: GOLD ZODIAC RING, PROBABLY MADE ON THE WEST COAST
OF AFRICA IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
British Museum]
[Illustration:
ZODIACAL RING OF SILVER; FOUR VIEWS. SET WITH AN ENGRAVED ONYX.
ON THE SIDES ARE CHASED THE SIGNS LEO AND CANCER, AND THE
SHOULDERS OF THE HOOP ARE INLAID WITH BRASS AND IRON, RESPECTIVELY
Gorlæus, Dactyliotheca, Delphis Bat., 1601]
[Illustration: Amulet ring of Twelfth Century, engraved with
cabalistic characters
Edwards’ “History and Poetry of Finger Rings”]
[Illustration: Talismanic ring, with cabalistic inscription.
Found on coast of Glamorganshire, Wales
Rings inscribed with names of Three Kings, or Magi: Melchior,
Jasper and Balthazar. Worn as talismanic rings
Fairholt’s “Rambles of an Artist”]
[Illustration: 1, toad swallowing a serpent; 2, toadstone with
embossed figure of toad; 3, massive thumb-ring set with teeth of
an animal
Londesborough Collection
Fairbolt’s “Rambles of an Artist”]
[Illustration: 1, talismanic ring that opens when the stone
setting (ruby and amethyst) is pressed down, releasing a spring.
Hoop inscribed with names of spirits and magic signs; 2, ring
set with a ruby; 3, gold enameled ring said to have belonged to
Frederick the Great
Fairholt’s “Rambles of an Artist”]
For some reason or other zodiac rings, that is rings bearing zodiacal
symbols, seem to be especially favored by the modern goldsmiths of
the Portuguese island Madeira. Occasionally a ring of this type from
earlier times may be seen there; one of these, of crude workmanship
and much the worse for wear, has been attributed to the time of a
twelfth-century duke of Burgundy, whose crusading expedition did not
extend much beyond the frontiers of Portugal.[543] More than likely
Moorish influence, or that of the Orient at least, was a determining
factor, for the study of zodiacal influences was eagerly pursued in
Spain in the thirteenth century and earlier, as is witnessed by the
curious Lapidario of Alfonso X, the Wise, composed in the latter half
of that century. The survivance of this style in Madeira depends quite
probably upon one of those rather inexplicable chances that cause the
production of a certain class of jewels or ornaments, when a curious
or unusual example strikes some tourist’s fancy, and he shows it to
friends at home; these in their turn will ask for it when they go to
the same place, thus creating a demand and a local fashion. Rings of
this kind are brought from Madeira by sailors and travelling jewellers,
and are found at a number of places, including the west coast of Africa.
Many gold zodiac rings of a simple type are made on the Gold Coast
and brought thence to Europe. The hoop is a flat band, on which the
conventional symbols of the zodiacal signs are soldered, scroll borders
also being applied in the same way.[544] While these rings are totally
lacking in artistic quality, their production on the Gold Coast may
indicate that long ago some better work of the class was done here,
probably under Portuguese influence.
Rings holding truly “celestial stones,” gems from the heavens as they
are called, are those in which have been set small, but perfectly cut
chrysolites (peridots) from crystals found in meteorites. One of these
was of the pallasite type, from Brenham, Kiowa County, Kansas[545] and
gems were also cut out of chrysolite from the meteorite of Glorietta
Mountain, Santa Fé County, New Mexico.[546]
A most attractive kind of natal ring is that having the birth stone in
the centre between the stones of the guardian angel and of the apostle
of the month. While this particular arrangement of the settings is
followed in the greater number of cases, it sometimes happens that
a better artistic effect is obtained, a better harmony of color, by
making either the stone of the angel or that of the apostle the central
gem. The essential thing is that the three particular stones assigned
to the given month shall be grouped together. The following table
renders it easy to find the proper combination for each month, or each
zodiacal sign:
Zodiacal Natal Guardian Angel’s Apostle
Month Sign Stone Angel Gem of Month
January Aquarius Garnet Gabriel Onyx Peter
February Pisces Amethyst Barchiel Jasper Andrew
March Aries Bloodstone Malchediel Ruby James and
John
April Taurus Diamond or Ashmodel Topaz Philip
Sapphire
May Gemini Emerald Amriel Carbuncle Bartholomew
June Cancer Agate Muriel Emerald Thomas
July Leo Turquoise Verchiel Sapphire Matthew
August Virgo Carnelian Hamatiel Diamond James the
Less
September Libra Chrysolite Tsuriel Jacinth Thaddeus
October Scorpio Beryl Bariel Agate Simon
November Sagittarius Topaz Adnachiel Amethyst Matthias
December Capricornus Ruby Humiel Beryl Paul
Apostle’s Flower
Month Gem of Month
January Jasper Snowdrop
February Carbuncle Primrose
March Emerald Violet
April Carnelian Daisy
May Chrysolite Hawthorne
June Beryl Honeysuckle
July Topaz Water Lily
August Sardonyx Poppy
September Chrysoprase Morning Glory
October Jacinth Hops
November Amethyst Chrysanthemum
December Sapphire Holly
If, like Apollonius of Tyana,[547] anyone should wish to wear on each
week day a ring set with the stones especially appropriate to the day,
the following list gives for the successive days the pair of stones
whose combination was believed to unite the most favorable planetary
and celestial influences:
Gem of Talismanic Astral
the Day Gem Control
Sunday Diamond Pearl Sun
Monday Pearl Emerald Moon
Tuesday Ruby Topaz Mars
Wednesday Amethyst Turquoise Mercury
Thursday Carnelian Sapphire Jupiter
Friday Emerald Ruby Venus
Saturday Turquoise Tourmaline Saturn
The use of fraternity rings is often connected with a certain amount of
sentiment or even superstition concerning their emblematic value. The
most important of this type of rings are those worn by the Free Masons.
The greater number of Masonic rings are intended for those Masons
who have attained the two highest degrees, the thirty-second and
the thirty-third; some, however, are appropriate to those of the
lower degrees. The bezels of the Blue Lodge, or Master Mason rings,
frequently have the square compasses and the latter G in gold on a
background of blue enamel; occasionally emblems and paraphernalia used
in the Lodge are enamelled in blue on the gold hoops of the ring.
Sometimes, instead of enamel, the background is formed of sapphire,
bloodstone, or some other stone on which the emblems are encrusted in
gold. An example of the ring of a Past Master bears a raised gold
sun-face. In a ring for the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, the keystone
is usually enameled white with a black circle and white centre. Shrine
Rings are distinctly Oriental in type, the prevailing design showing
a simitar passed between the horns of a crescent moon. In rings of
the Knights Templar the design is usually a cross passed through a
crown, with the motto of Constantine the Great: In hoc Signo vinces.
The cross will be of black enamel (occasionally of red enamel) and
the crown is gold. A special ring for this order has a Blue Lodge
emblem on one shoulder and the Chapter emblem on the other, and is
arranged for a diamond to be set in the centre of the bezel. On a
fourteenth degree ring (Lodge of Perfection) appears the initial Hebrew
letter (_yod_) of the Tetragrammaton, or Ineffable Name, now
approximately sounded Yahweh. Sometimes the symbols of more than one
degree appear on the ring, one example bearing those of the fourteenth,
sixteenth, eighteenth, thirtieth and thirty-second; this is one of
the Consistory rings, as those for thirty-second degree Masons are
denominated. These usually have the double eagle on the bezel.
[Illustration: MASONIC RINGS
1, 3, Master Mason or Blue Lodge; 2, 4, Knights Templar; 5, “The
Signet of Zerubbabel,” adopted as one of the Royal Arch symbols.
Explained as the “Signet of Truth.” See Haggai, ii, 2–3; 6, 14th
Degree, or Lodge of Perfection; 7, Emblem of 14th Degree on one
side, of 32d Degree on the other; 8, 9, 32d Degree; 10, 12,
Mystic Shrine rings; 11, 33d Degree]
[Illustration: RINGS OF ORDERS AND SOCIETIES
1, Senior Order United American Mechanics; 2, Knights of
Columbus. Raised centre emblem on black enamel; 3, Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers; 4, Knights of the Maccabees; 5, Order
of Railroad Telegraphers; 6, Improved Order of Red Men; 7,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows (encrusted sardonyx); 8,
Fraternal Order of Eagles; 9, Knights of Pythias (encrusted
sardonyx); 10, Sons of Veterans; 11, Knights of Pythias (raised
centre emblem on black enamel); 12, Patriotic Order Sons of
America; 13, Woodmen of the World; 14, Improved Order of Red Men
(raised centre); 15, Junior Order United American Mechanics]
The variety of types of fraternity rings is manifold, most of the
orders having a half-dozen or more different ring-designs, although
certain distinctive elements run through all, as with the wide-spread
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, for instance, on whose rings the
elk-head is always conspicuously present. For rings of the Knights
of Columbus, the anvil, sword and battleaxe are never-failing marks.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, a labor organization of the
highest type, has for its device a locomotive running on a railway
track, with a telegraph pole at one side. The Loyal Order of Moose
has the head of the patron animal, less graceful than the elk, but
better suggesting the aggressive quality of this order. A considerable
variety of designs are represented among the rings worn by the Knights
of Pythias; in most cases a helmet and battleaxes are combined with a
shield. Last, but not least, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows has
many rings rich in symbols, the all-seeing eye, the open hand with a
heart in it, a death’s-head and cross-bones, and everywhere, the three
interlinked rings characteristic of the order. These are only a few of
the innumerable ingenious designs that American factories have produced
to satisfy an overwhelming demand for fraternity rings. For the leading
schools also, many special rings have been executed to be used as
prizes, or else to meet the wants of school fraternities or sororities.
Of course, the numerous college fraternities also frequently use
specially designed rings as distinguishing emblems.
The immense number of rings that must have been produced for members
of the largest societies becomes apparent when we consider that the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, whose English foundation dates back
to about 1745, now has a membership of over 1,500,000, in the United
States and more than 160,000 in other countries. To this must be added
the membership of the Daughters of Rebekah, a coördinate body of women
numbering about 700,000. Another society, the Knights of Pythias,
though of comparatively recent organization, having been founded in
Washington, D. C., in 1864, has over 700,000 members in the United
States and Canada. This order has a branch exclusively for the colored
race, denominated the Knights of Pythias of North and South America,
Europe, Asia and Africa; its members number 50,000. The Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks counts 410,000 members in 1309 lodges and the
Knights of Columbus, a fraternal and benevolent society founded in New
Haven in 1882, had, on July 1, 1914, 326,858 members.
The membership of the Greek-letter fraternities of the universities
and colleges in the United States is enormous. In 1914 there were 38
leading fraternities distributed in 1228 active chapters and counting
2,656,817 members, with 979 fraternity houses. The oldest Greek-letter
society, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized at William and Mary College,
Virginia, in 1776; Kappa Alpha was founded at Union College, in 1827,
this being the first fraternity to be organized according to the system
at present prevailing. The first sorority was Kappa Alpha Theta,
established at De Pauw in 1870. The sororities now have about 50,000
members in 395 chapters.
A gem representing one of the States is often set in a talismanic ring.
The following is a list of the stones of the various States in the
United States,--a precious or semi-precious stone having been found in
every State:
Alabama Beryl
Arizona Turquoise
Arkansas Diamond
California Kunzite
Colorado Aquamarine
Connecticut Beryl
Delaware Pearl
Florida Chalcedony
Georgia Ruby
Idaho Opal
Illinois Pearl
Indiana Pearl
Iowa Fossil Coral
Kansas Chalcedony
Kentucky Pearl
Louisiana Chalcedony
Maine Topaz
Maryland Orthoclase
Massachusetts Beryl
Michigan Agate
Minnesota Chlorastrolite or Agate
Mississippi Pearl
Missouri Pyrite
Montana Sapphire
Nebraska Chalcedony
Nevada Gold Quartz
New Hampshire Garnet
New Jersey Prehnite
New Mexico Garnet or Peridot
New York Beryl
North Carolina Emerald
North Dakota Agate
Ohio Chalcedony
Oklahoma Smoky Quartz
Oregon Agate
Pennsylvania Sunstone or Moonstone
Rhode Island Amethyst
South Carolina Beryl
South Dakota Agate
Tennessee Pearl
Texas Agate
Utah Topaz
Vermont Beryl
Virginia Spessartite
Washington Agate
West Virginia Rock-crystal
Wisconsin Pearl
Wyoming Moss Agate
For fuller information concerning natal stones, stones of
the month, stones of the day, stones of the week, stones of
sentiment, stones for posy rings, for wedding anniversaries and
similar occasions, see George Frederick Kunz, “The Curious Lore
of Precious Stones,” J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia and
London, 1913, xiv + 406 pp., 58 pl. (8 in color), many text cuts.
VIII
RINGS OF HEALING
Closely allied with the magic rings, so closely indeed that it is often
difficult to establish a satisfactory distinction between them, are the
rings of healing, those to which were ascribed special and peculiar
curative powers. In some instances this was due to a legend connected
with a particular ring or with the prototype of a class of rings; at
other times the therapeutic virtue was believed to result from the
inscription of certain letters or words. In other cases, again, the
belief arose from the form given to the ring.
In the course of his eleventh consulate, Augustus was attacked by a
serious illness. None of the remedies prescribed for him were of any
avail, until finally he was relieved by following the directions of
Antonius Musa, who recommended cold baths and cold drinks. As a reward
Musa was granted the privilege of wearing gold rings, and also received
a large gift of money from the grateful emperor.[548] Although this
ring was not in itself a cause of healing it was certainly the memorial
of a successful cure.
A strange remedy for sneezing or hiccoughing, recommended by Pliny,
was to transfer a ring from one of the fingers of the left hand to the
middle finger of the right hand.[549] This prescription is copied from
Pliny by the physician Marcellus Empiricus[550] who says, however,
that a ring should be put on the middle finger of the _left_
hand, adding that the cure was immediate. Probably the explanation is
to be found in the fact that rings were rarely worn by the Romans on
the middle finger, and hence the unusual sensation produced by placing
a ring on this finger operated to check the nervous spasm causing
the sneezes or hiccoughs. It is well known that any nervous shock,
sometimes a very slight one, will suffice to cure such spasms; indeed,
Pliny also advises the immersion of the hand in very hot water.
Since lizards were believed to recover their sight by natural means
after they had been blinded, this fancy led to the use of a strange
method for procuring remedial rings. A blinded lizard was put into
a glass vessel, in which iron or gold rings were also placed. When
it became apparent that the creature had regained its sight, the
rings were taken out and used for the cure of weak and weeping eyes.
Something of the natural force that operated to restore the lizard’s
vision was supposed to communicate itself to the rings.[551]
In a treatise incorrectly attributed to the Roman physician Galen (“De
incantatione”), the statement is made that the wearing of a ring set
with a sard weighing twenty grains will ensure deep and tranquil sleep
and give protection against bad dreams or fearful “visions of the
night.” For nervous derangement, often a cause of nightmare, Marcellus
Empiricus, who practised medicine in the Roman world of the sixth
century A.D., recommended a finger ring made out of the hoof
of a rhinoceros, asserting that any patient suffering from “obstruction
of the nerves” would surely experience relief by wearing such a ring.
On the other hand a ring turned out of rhinoceros horn was supposed to
have efficacy against poison and spasms.[552]
As a cure for bilious or intestinal troubles, the physician, Alexander
Trallianus (sixth century A.D.) recommends an iron ring with
an octagonal _chaton_ on which should be inscribed the words:
Φεύγε, φεύγε, ὶον χολή, ἢ κορδαλος ἑζήτει.
“Fly, fly, wretched bile, the swallow is seeking thee.”[553]
This refers to the belief that the flesh of the swallow was a remedy
for those suffering from colic.
A gold ring, evidently of Byzantine origin, bears on the face, divided
into six segments, an invocation to the saints Cosmas and Damian.
According to Catholic legend these saints were brothers, of Arabian
birth, who practised medicine in Ægae in Cilicia at the end of the
third century. They were regarded as the patron saints of physicians
and were often invoked by those suffering from disease. Hence this
ring probably represents a type common in the Eastern Empire and used
as a talisman for the cure or prevention of various illnesses. We know
that the Byzantines were fervently devoted to three groups of saints,
regarded as physicians, whose festival days were July 1, November 1,
and October 17.[554]
The initial letters of some magic or religious formula believed to
operate as a charm, were engraved on certain rings, as, for example,
the four Hebrew letters א נ ל א or their equivalents in Roman
characters, sometimes disposed as follows:
_a_ | _l_
---+---
_g_ | _a_
This was called the Shield of David and was believed to afford
protection from injury by wounds, fire, etc. The Hebrew letters are the
initials of the four words:
אח נבוד לעולם אלתים
“Thou, God, art mighty for ever.”
A gold ring with a Runic (old Scandinavian) inscription was owned by
the Earl of Aberdeen in 1827. It had evidently been destined for use as
an amulet, the characters reading in translation as follows: “Whether
in fever or in leprosy, let the patient be happy and confident in the
hope of recovery.” On rings for wear as protection from the plague
the favorite inscriptions were ~IESVS~--~MARIA~--~IOSEPH~ and ~IHS
NASARENVS REX IVDEORTUM~.[555] A massive thumb-ring in Mr. Hamper’s
possession bore an old French legend more in accord with true Christian
piety than the inscription we have noted, namely: _Candu plera meleor
cera_, or “When God pleases, things will be better.”