Opal was called OPTHALMIOS or Eye Stone in the Middle Ages, and in the time of Queen Elizabeth it was written ophal and opall. Our “Rare” Ben Jonson writes of an opal “wrapped in a bay leaf in my left fist to charm their eyes with.” The opal—ophthalmis lapis—was famous as an eyestone, taking precedence over the emerald and all gems credited with such virtue. It was advised by mediaeval writers that it be wrapped in a bay leaf to sharpen the sight of the owner and to blunt that of others with whom he came in contact: hence also its reputed virtue of bestowing the gift of invisibility which earned it the name “Patronus furum,” the patron of thieves. The Bay tree is identified in astro-philosophy as a tree of the Sun and the zodiacal Leo (House of the Sun), and is an ancient recognized charm against evil forces, thunder, lightning and the afflictions of Saturn which is the heavenly symbol of darkness, as the Sun is the heavenly symbol of light. Albertus Magnus, regarding the opal as a symbol of the loveliness of light, says that “at one time, but not in our age, it sparkled in the dark.” The zodiacal Leo or Lion is the ancient recognized sign of royalty and old writers say that kingly government was established on the earth in the Leonine age. Alluding to the great translucent opal in the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, Albertus said that it safeguarded the honour of the kings. The stone was always considered to protect the wearer from cholera, kidney troubles, and similar diseases, to soothe the heart, the eyes and the nerves, and to protect from the lightning stroke. The belief in its power to ward off lightning was universal in the ancient world when amongst the people it was believed to have fallen from the heavens during thunder storms—hence its old name, KERAUNIOS, Thunder Stone, amongst the Greeks, and CERAUNIUM amongst the Romans. The opal was essentially the stone of beauty, which coveted gift it bestowed upon the wearer who, however, must have entered earth life with the Sun in Leo (approximately between July 24th and August 24th), Libra (September 24th to October 24th) or Aquarius (January 21st to February 19th). It favoured children, the theatre, amusements, friendships, and the feelings. Held between the eyes it gave proper direction to the thoughts. Held in the left hand and gazed upon it favoured the desires. It is the stone of hope and achievement and has been truly described as the “gem of the gods.” Above all, it is a stone of love, but if the lover be false its influence is reversed, and the opal proves a sorry gem for faithless lovers. Mr. Emanuel comments on the two fine opals which were amongst the imperial jewels of France, one of which was set in the clasp of the royal cloak. The opal, astrologically considered, is one of the fortunate gems for France. A beautiful uncut opal discovered at Czernovitza in Hungary has been valued at over £50,000 sterling; this specimen, in length 5 inches