Shakespeare and Precious Stones Treating of the Known References of Precious Stones in Shakespeare's Works, with Comments as to the Origin of His Material, the Knowledge of the Poet Concerning Precious Stones, and References as to Where the Precious Stones of His Time Came from

The Project Gutenberg eBook, Shakespeare and Precious Stones, by George Frederick Kunz

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with

almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or

re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Shakespeare and Precious Stones

Treating of the Known References of Precious Stones in Shakespeare's Works, with Comments as to the Origin of His Material, the Knowledge of the Poet Concerning Precious Stones, and References as to Where the Precious Stones of His Time Came from

Author: George Frederick Kunz

Release Date: June 13, 2005 [eBook #16055]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SHAKESPEARE AND PRECIOUS STONES***

E-text prepared by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Sankar Viswanathan,

and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

(http://www.pgdp.net/)

from page images generously provided by

the Posner Memorial Collection at http://posner.library.cmu.edu/Posner

SHAKESPEARE AND PRECIOUS STONES By GEORGE FREDERICK KUNZ, Ph.D., A.M., D.Sc.

THE CURIOUS LORE OF PRECIOUS STONES

Being a description of their sentiments and folklore, superstitions, symbolism, mysticism, use in protection, prevention, religion and divination, crystal gazing, birth-stones, lucky stones and talismans, astral, zodiacal, and planetary.

THE MAGIC OF JEWELS AND CHARMS

Magic jewels and electric gems; meteorites or celestial stones; stones of healing; fabulous stones, concretions and fossils; snake stones and bezoars; charms of ancient and modern times; facts and fancies about precious stones.

EACH: Profusely illustrated in color, doubletone and line. Octavo. Handsome cloth binding, gilt top, in a box. $6.00 net. Carriage charges extra.

SHAKESPEARE AND PRECIOUS STONES

Treating of the known references to precious stones in Shakespeare's works, with comments as to the origin of his material, the knowledge of the poet concerning precious stones, and references as to where the precious stones of his time came from.

Four illustrations. Square Octavo. Decorated cloth. $1.25 net.

MR. WILLIAM

SHAKESPEARES

COMEDIES, HISTORIES, & TRAGEDIES.

Published according to the True Originall Copies

LONDON

Printed by Isaac Laggard, and Ed. Blount. 1623.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Engraved by Martin Droeshout for the First Folio of 1623, wherein the plays were first assembled.

Reproduced from a copy of this Folio owned by the New York Public Library.

The original measures 7-1/2 x 13 in., or 20 x 33 cm.

SHAKESPEARE

and

PRECIOUS STONES

TREATING OF

The Known References of Precious Stones in Shakespeare's Works, with Comments as to the Origin of his Material, the Knowledge of the Poet Concerning Precious Stones, and References as to Where the Precious Stones of his Time came from

The Author

GEORGE FREDERICK KUNZ

PH.D., Sc.D., A.M.

Honorary President of the Shakespeare Garden Committee of New York City; Vice President of the Permanent Shakespeare Birthday Committee of the City of New York; Member of the Executive Committee of the New York City Tercentenary Celebration; Member of the Mayor's Shakespeare Celebration Committee of New York.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

PHILADELPHIA & LONDON

IMPRINTED BY

J.B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

At the Washington Square Press

Upon the TERCENTENARY of Shakespeare

1916

PUBLISHED JULY, 1916

TO RUBY,

MY DAUGHTER,

WHOSE MOTHER, SOPHIA HANDFORTH ,

WAS BORN IN THE LAND OF

SHAKESPEARE,

AND

TO RUBY'S DAUGHTER,

GRETEL,

(THE PEARL),

THIS VOLUME IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED

FOREWORD

As no writer has made a more beautiful and telling use of precious stones in his verse than did Shakespeare, the author believed that if these references could be gathered together for comparison and for quotation, and if this were done from authentic and early editions of the great dramatist-poet's works, it would give the literary and historical student a better understanding as to what gems were used in Shakespeare's time, and in what terms he referred to them. This has been done here, and comparisons are made with the precious stones of the present time, showing what mines were known and gems were worn in Shakespeare's day, and also something of those that were not known then, but are known at this time.

The reader is also provided with a few important data serving to show what could have been the sources of the poet's knowledge regarding precious stones and whence were derived those which he may have seen or of which he may have heard. As in this period the beauty of a jewel depended as much, or more, upon the elaborate setting as upon the purity and brilliancy of the gems, the author has given some information regarding the leading goldsmith-jewellers, both English and French, of Shakespeare's age. Thus the reader will find, besides the very full references to the poet's words and clear directions as to where all the passages can be located in the First Folio of 1623, much material that will stimulate an interest in the subject and promote further independent research.

The author wishes to express his thanks to Dr. Appleton Morgan, President of the Shakespeare Society of New York; Miss H.C. Bartlett, the Shakespearean bibliophile; the New York Public Library and H.M. Leydenberg, assistant there; Gardner C. Teall; Frederic W. Erb, assistant librarian of Columbia University; the Council of the Grolier Club, Miss Ruth S. Granniss, librarian of the Club, and Vechten Waring, all of New York City.

G.F.K.

NEW YORK April, 1916

CONTENTS

PAGE

SHAKESPEARE AND PRECIOUS STONES 15

PRECIOUS STONES MENTIONED IN THE PLAYS OF SHAKESPEARE 73

PRECIOUS STONES MENTIONED IN THE POEMS OF SHAKESPEARE 93

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ENGRAVED BY MARTIN DROESHOUT) Frontispiece

FIVE OF THE SIX AUTHENTIC SHAKESPEARE SIGNATURES 45

DIAMOND CUTTER'S SHOP, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 59

FROM A PORTRAIT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH 61

PRINTER'S MARK OF RICHARD FIELD 102

SHAKESPEARE AND PRECIOUS STONES

So wide is the range of the immortal verse of Shakespeare, and so many and various are the subjects he touched upon and adorned with the magic beauty of his poetic imagery, that it will be of great interest to refer to the allusions to gems and precious stones in his plays and poems. These allusions are all given in