Opaque, rough-surfaced, jagged on the edge, distorted in the spine, it exhibits a quite human image of decrepitude and dishonour; but the worst of all signs of its decay and helplessness is, that halfway up, a parasite crystal, smaller, but just as sickly, has rooted itself in the side of the larger one, eating out a cavity round its root, and then growing backwards, or downwards, contrary to the direction of the main crystal. Yet I cannot trace the least difference in purity of substance between the first most noble stone, and this ignoble and dissolute one. The impurity of the last is in its will or want of will. There is established a very pretty custom of assigning to the various masculine and feminine Christian names a particular gem, and such name-gems are often set together with natal and talismanic gems and with gems of one’s patron saint. It is considered an exceedingly good omen when it happens that all three gems are of the same sort. GEMS FOR FEMININE NAMES. Adelaide Andalusite Agnes Agate Alice Alexandrite Anne Amber Beatrice Basalt Belle Bloodstone Bertha Beryl Caroline Chalcedony Catherine Cat’s-eye Charlotte Carbuncle Clara Carnelian Constance Crystal Dorcas Diamond Dorothy Diaspore Edith Eye-agate Eleanor Elæolite Elizabeth Emerald Ellen Essonite Emily Euclase Emma Epidote Florence Fluorite Frances Fire-opal Gertrude Garnet Gladys Golden Beryl Grace Grossularite Hannah Heliotrope Helen Hyacinth Irene Iolite Jane Jacinth Jessie Jasper Josephine Jadeite Julia Jade Louise Lapis-lazuli Lucy Lepidolite Margaret Moss-agate Martha Malachite Marie Moldavite Mary Moonstone Olive Olivine Pauline Pearl Rose Ruby Sarah Spodumene Susan Sapphire Therese Turquoise GEMS FOR MASCULINE NAMES. Abraham Aragonite Adolphus Albite Adrian Andalusite Albert Agate Alexander Alexandrite Alfred Almandine Ambrose Amber Andrew Aventurine Archibald Axinite Arnold Aquamarine Arthur Amethyst Augustus Agalmatolite Benjamin Bloodstone Bernard Beryl Charles Chalcedony Christian Crystal Claude Cyanite Clement Chrysolite Conrad Crocidolite Constantine Chrysoberyl Cornelius Cat’s-eye Dennis Demantoid Dorian Diamond Edmund Emerald Edward Epidote Ernest Euclase Eugene Essonite Ferdinand Feldspar Francis Fire-opal Frederick Fluorite George Garnet Gilbert Gadolinite Godfrey Gagates Gregory Grossularite Gustavus Galactides Guy Gold quartz