RINGS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 325, 28 May 1875, Page 3

RINGS.

It would be impossible to describe a single ornament connected with which so much interest attaches as to the finger ring. It is of great antiquity, and during centuries of years has been associated With the most important concerns of life, both in matters of ceremony and affairs of the heart. ; It has been used as a means of recognition, as a credential, and as a form of introduction which insured hospitality to the,bearer of it. Royal edicts were j promulgated through its mediums, and power was transferred by its means. When Pharoah committed the government of Egypt to Joseph, 4ie took his ring from his finger and gave it to the young Israelite as a token of the authority he bestowed upon him. So also when Ahasuerus agreed to .Hainan's cruel scheme of .killing the Jews in all the king's provinces, he took the ring off his hand-arid gave it to ITamari as his warrant, and afterwards directed -that all official letters should be sealed with his ring.;■ "'"A ring formerly marked the rank and authority of a man, and the king's ring was as important a part of the insignia, of royalty as his sceptre or crown. The form of the ring is emblematical of eternity, and its materials of pricclessness. Lovers are united by a ring, and departed friends are often kept in remembrance by the. same token of affection. All these qualities sufficiently explain the reason why in old tales -and legends the power of the ring is a fruitful source of interest. Among many different nations rings were used as charms and talismen against the evil eye and demons, against debility, the power of the flames, and most of the ills inherent to human nature. In these days, inscriptions upon rings are-comparatively rare, but in old times- they' were common. It is supposed that the fashion of having mottoes, or " reasons," as they were-called, was of Roman origin, for the young-Romans gave rings to their lady loves with the mottoes cut on gems, such as ''Remember," " Good luck to you,-' " Love me and I will love thee/' In "some cases, the stones

are made to tell the motto by means of acrostics, or names are represented. The Prince of Wales r on his marriage to the Princess Alexandra, gave her, as a keeper, one with the stones set so as to represent ! hfa familiar name of Bertie, aa follows : Beryl, Emerald, E üby, Turquoise, I acinth, Emerald. Motto rings are quite popular in France, the French having precious stcnes for all the' alphabet with the exception off, k, q, y, and z. flings, such as these may be said to realise. Shakespeare's idea, put in the mouth' of Jacques, of finding '.' sermons in stones,' for here indeed the truth is apparent, that stones do symbolise the language of the heart. - "*'