They can be nothing but interesting curiosities to the majority who are ignorant of the trials, sufferings and disappointments of those brave and faithful Fraters and Sorores who regarded no sin so great as ingratitude and no tendency so foolish as incredulity. “For,” says Abra Melin, “you must have Faith. Neither should you dispute concerning that which you understand not. God out of nothingness hath created all things, and all things have their being in Him. Watch, labour and you will see.” “PSYCHOLOGY OF BOTANY, MINERALS AND PRECIOUS STONES” In the year 1907, a remarkable book bearing the above title, written by a gifted student who preferred to veil his identity under the pen name of “Charubel,” was published by R. Welch, Esq., 92 Shuttle St., Tyldesley, England. This work is now difficult to obtain. The author insists on a direct sympathy between the human soul and surrounding nature, and his work illustrates his method of linking together these eternal immortal powers so that the human can draw from these elements exactly that force he needs. The “Psychological Properties of Precious Stones,” includes his occult researches into hidden properties which he presents in certain order. The stones mentioned are the topaz, amethyst, coral, rock crystal, emerald, diamond, ruby, turquoise, sapphire, red garnet, carbuncle. “The realm of precious stones,” he writes, “abounds with wonders which transcend everything I may have hitherto been made conversant with. Hence, I am very much fascinated with these lustrous specimens of a chemistry which transcends the skill of the ingenious to identify or to produce the same. It is true that so far as appearance goes, modern skill can produce from a kind of paste what resembles the genuine stone, but he can no more produce a living stone than he can make a living tree. The true stone has a life and it is in this life that its true virtue consists.” The virtues of the topaz, writes Charubel, are to be appreciated by “fair people with weak or fragile constitutions, inclined to become despondent, of cold habits. A help to those who are out of sight or in the shade. It begets hopefulness in the hopeless. Strengthens and fortifies the soul against evil, wicked persons.” The seal of the topaz is according to our author—[Symbol: topaz] and the sacred name by which it is invoked is SOO-MAH-THU-EL-DI-VOO-MATH-EL. ------- The virtues of the amethyst are set down as a cure for false vision, bad memory, colour-blindness, intoxication, etc. The seal is given as—[Symbol: amethyst] and the sacred name by which the life of the amethyst is invoked is given as AVRUTHEL. ------- The virtues of the coral, according to Charubel, benefit decrepit persons and those prematurely old. It quickens the senses, is good in defect of the eyesight from gradual loss of energy in the optic nerve, and it strengthens the mental faculties.