The Chautauquan, Vol. 05, February 1885Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Philosophy
The Chautauquan, Vol. 05, February 1885
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
14. “Lignite.” Also called brown coal. It is the most imperfectly
mineralized form of coal. In some instances plants are so little changed
that they can easily be classified by the structure of the leaves and the
fruit. The fiber has become so impregnated with bitumen that it burns
with its peculiar flame and smoke. The jet so much used in jewelry is
a black variety of lignite, very compact in texture, and taking a high
polish.
15. “Kohinoor,” kohˌ-i-noorˈ (mountain of light). This famous stone
is now in possession of Queen Victoria. It was obtained before the
Christian era in one of the mines of Golconda, and passed to successive
sovereigns of India until it was borne away by a Persian conqueror in the
early part of the eighteenth century. In 1813 it was bought back by the
ruler of Punjaub. When Punjaub was annexed to the East India Company’s
territory it was surrendered to the Queen of England. It is said to have
weighed about 900 carats originally, but by cutting to have been reduced
to a weight of nearly 279 carats. By recutting it was again reduced so
as to weigh 186 carats, and at this time was shown (1851) at the Great
Exhibition. Since that time it has been again recut, for the third time,
and now weighs 123 carats, and is estimated at $600,000. For the other
“Paragons” see “Chemistry,” page 204. It is questioned whether the
“Grand Mogul” is a pure diamond. The largest undoubted diamond is the
“Orloff,” in the scepter of the Emperor of Russia. It weighs 194¾ carats.
The “Regent” or “Pitt” is thought to be the purest and most perfect
brilliant in Europe. It weighs now 136¾ carats, but its original weight
was 410 carats, and the fragments split off when it was cut were valued
at some thousand pounds. It was placed in the hilt of the sword of state
by Napoleon I. The “Grand Duke” belongs to the Emperor of Austria, and
weighs 134 carats. The “Star of the South,” found in Brazil, weighs 124
carats. The “Sancy” weighs only 53½ carats. It belongs to the Emperor of
Russia.
16. “Golconda.” An ancient city and fortress of India, once the
metropolis of the kingdom of Golconda. It is renowned for its diamonds,
which are, in truth, only cut there.
17. “The Dark Continent.” Africa, so called because so little has been
known of it through all history; but through the zeal and enterprise of
modern explorers we are led to hope that “the day is not far distant when
the secret places of this land of mystery will be penetrated by the light
of science and civilization.”
TEMPERANCE TEACHINGS OF SCIENCE.
1. “Malice prepense.” Malice aforethought, deliberately and previously
planned.
2. “Professor Newman.” See C. L. S. C. Notes in THE CHAUTAUQUAN for
November 1884, page 115.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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