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Some years ago a medal was exhibited in the Imperial Treasury in Vienna, which had been partly transmuted into gold by the stone used by the monk Wenzel Seiler who had been ennobled by Leopold I with the title Wenzeslaus Ritter von Reinburg. Recent tragic events make its present whereabouts doubtful. It is traditionally stated that the true Philosopher’s Stone was hung in the Ark by Noah to give light to life and radiance to the world after the Flood-darkness. This legend is a parable expressing the highest truth, for the Philosopher’s Stone that carries light into the darkness of materialism is the true Stone of the Wise. Among the discoveries made in the search for the Philosopher’s Stone the following are given by Dr. Brewer; the invention of Dresden porcelain by Botticher, that of gun powder by Roger Bacon, of the properties of acids and various substances by Prince Geber, of the nature of gases by Van Helmont, of salts by Dr. Glauber, etc.

POLISH STONES, POLAND STONES, POLES’ STONES. It has frequently been stated that the Poles originated the wearing of birth stones, but this practice is a very remote one and was recommended by ancient philosophers long before the Polani came to Polska. The Poles are naturally gifted with fine imagination and psychic intuition, therefore they readily absorbed the spiritual philosophies of the Jewish wanderers who received asylum in Poland. The fondness of the Poles for beautiful gems is proverbial and the spread of the knowledge of the occult virtues found to exist in these beautiful crystallizations was more marked in Polska than in any other country. It is also not to be wondered at that so many of the lists given are incorrect. In this book an endeavour is made to set right the many errors that have so naturally crept in. Usually the Poland Stones are doubtfully classified as follows:

THE MONTHS January Garnet, emblem of constancy. February Amethyst, emblem of sincerity. March Bloodstone, emblem of courage. April Diamond, emblem of innocence. May Emerald, emblem of love success. June Agate, emblem of health and longevity. July Carnelian, emblem of contentment. August Sardonyx, emblem of married happiness. September Chrysolite, emblem of protection from insanity. October Opal, emblem of hope. November Topaz, emblem of fidelity. December Turquoise, emblem of prosperity.

The emblems of the stones are fairly correct.

THE PLANETS Saturn Lead Turquoise Jupiter Tin Carnelian Mars Iron Emerald Sun Gold Diamond Venus Copper Amethyst Mercury Quicksilver Loadstone Moon Silver Crystal

The metals of the planets are correctly given and do not appear ever to have been disputed. The Turquoise of Saturn is correctly the Odontolite or Bone Turquoise. The Emerald is a stone of Venus, the Amethyst a stone of Jupiter, the Loadstone a stone of Mars. The Crystal has often been admitted as influenced by the Moon although it is more acceptable for quabalistic considerations to identify it with Neptune.

THE ZODIAC 1. Aries Ruby 2. Taurus Topaz 3. Gemini Carbuncle 4. Cancer Emerald 5. Leo Sapphire 6. Virgo Diamond 7. Libra Jacinth 8. Scorpio Agate 9. Sagittarius Amethyst 10. Capricorn Beryl 11. Aquarius Onyx 12. Pisces Jasper

The confusion here is very marked and the reader is referred to the chapters dealing with the High Priest’s Breastplate.

RINGS BEARING STONES OF INVISIBILITY. Perhaps the most famous of these rings is the ring of Gyges, the shepherd King of Lydia, described by Plato and Herodotus. When the stone was turned inwards the wearer was rendered invisible. By its aid Gyges assassinated King Candaules and seized his wife and children. It is related that Otnit, King of Lombardy, wore a ring given him by his mother, which had power similar to the ring of Gyges, as well as the special virtue of preventing the wearer from losing his way. Nizami, the poet of Persia in the early 13th century, tells the story of a shepherd, a story similar to that of King Gyges. Another ring of invisibility is the ring of Eluned or Sunet in the old romance of Ywaine and Gawaine.

RING OF POPE INNOCENT III. It is related by Matthew Paris that Pope Innocent III, well knowing the love that the English King John had for jewels, sent to him four gold rings set with precious stones. The Pope comments on the emblematical character of the gift, saying: “The rotundity of the rings signifies eternity, for we pass through time to eternity. The number four which is a square number indicates the firmness of mind which is neither depressed in adversity nor elated in prosperity. It signifies the four virtues which make up constancy of mind, viz., justice, fortitude, prudence, temperance. The material signifies wisdom from on high which is as gold purified in the fire. The greenness of the Emerald moreover denotes faith; the blueness of the Sapphire, hope; the redness of the Garnet, charity; the brightness of the Topaz, good works. In the Emerald, therefore, you have what to believe, in the Sapphire what to hope for, in the Garnet what to love, and in the Topaz what to practise. So that you ascend from one virtue to another until you see the Lord in Zion.”

RING OF REYNARD. In the story of Reynard the Fox, said to have been written by Hinreck van Alckmer though in reality it was written in the 15th century by Hermann Barkhusan of Rostock, Reynard believes himself possessed of a famous ring set with stones of red, white and green. The white stone cured all diseases, the red rendered night as bright as day, and the green made the wearer invincible. The story introduces Rabbi Abron of Trent who was wise above men, who spoke every language and knew the nature of every kind of herb, animal, and precious stone.

RING OF SOLOMON. Solomon, according to Rabbinical tradition, gazed on the stone of his ring and immediately knew everything concerning worldly affairs and much concerning heavenly. This ring is the subject of many legends.

ROCK CRYSTALLIZATIONS. Certain hair-like substances are found enclosed in crystals. They are also termed “penetrating minerals” and comprise Rutile, Asbestus, Actinolite and Tourmaline. These acicular crystals are called in France Flèches d’Amour (Love’s Arrows). They are also known as Venus’s Hair Stone, Thetis’s Hair Stone, Pencils of Venus, Cupid’s Arrows, Cupid’s Net, The Goddess’s Tresses, etc. These specimens cut and polished are interesting and beautiful, and have always been esteemed as charm stones for ensuring a growth of beautiful hair, for beauty, for grace, for skill and fascination in dancing, etc.

SAGDA. A mysterious ocean stone which fixes itself to the keels of ships. A protection against shipwreck, it will cling to the ship so long as the timbers are not cut. It is said to be of dark green colour, similar to Prase.

SAKHRAT. The Mohammedans say that the Sakhrat is a marvelous stone of green colour which reflects the deep blue tints on the crystal vapours of the heavens. The possession of the merest fragment of this holy stone bestows on the possessor the knowledge of all the secrets of the Universe.

SALAMANDER’S WOOL. Asbestos is so termed. It is also known as Mountain Flax, and is believed by the Tartars to be the root of a tree.

SARCOPHAGUS. The word is derived from the Greek SARX, SARKOS, flesh, and PHAGO, to eat. A stone found at Assos in Troas. Used by the ancients, it was said to consume an entire dead human body with the exception of the teeth in 40 days. It was known as Lapis Assius, and is noted by Pliny. Sarcophagi were generally employed throughout the ancient world.

SAURITE. The Saurite is said to be a stone cut from a green lizard with a sharp reed knife.

SCORPION STONE. This may have been a stone of the agate class but its composition is obscure. It is mentioned by Orpheus who says that if the hunter Orion had known of its existence he would have given all the stars to gain this remedy for his fiery pain. It healed the wounds of arrows, the stings of insects and the bite of the scorpion.

TOAD STONE. That the toad “wears a precious jewel in his head” was a profound belief in the Middle Ages, and a belief much commented upon in the works of writers of that period. Francis Barrett states that the stone of the toad was a cure for toothache. It was also given as an antidote for poison. In this latter connection it is said that if set in an open setting and worn on the finger it burnt the skin if poison were near. According to Fenton, a writer of the 16th century, “There is to be found in the heads of old and great toads a stone they call Borax or Stelon, which being used as rings gives forewarning against venom.” The toad was believed to have a natural fear of man, throwing out poison at the sight of him. In some parts of the world the stone is said to be extracted from the head by numerous cunning means. It is generally described as a species of black pebble. One of the special virtues of the Toadstone was to protect children from molestation by the fairies. It was also a cure for diseased kidneys and stomach disorders. According to Praetorius, the Prince of Alveschleben was given a ring of this land by a Kobold Brownie or Nixe as a house talisman to safeguard the fortunes of his family. A large toad is said to have dropped a black stone on to the bed of the wife of the Elector of Brandenburg after the birth of her son. Friedrich Wilhelm I ordered his jeweller to set the stone in a ring, which ring has always been worn by the head of the House of Hohenzollern as a symbol of prosperity, protection and good fortune. It was recently stated that the loss of this toadstone during the war was regarded as an evil omen for the ruling house.