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DIAMOND. Notwithstanding the number of preciousstones mode use of by the ancients, it is probable that theywere unacquainted with the diamond, on which modem re-finement has stamped so immense a value. Some haveimagined that Homer and Hesiod have mentioned this stoneby the name of adamus and adamantiuus} but it has beenmore generally supposed that these Greek terms have not anyrelation to it; and Pliny , who has taken much pains to inves-tigate the discovery of precious stones, declares that he canfind no mention of the diamond till near the beginning of theChristian aera j nor was any diamond discovered at Hercula­ neum or Pompeii . This valuable jewel in modern timesseems to have been introduced into Europe by the Arabians,when they established themselves in Spain , and was then sup-posed to be possessed of a number of miraculous virtues,being an amulet against poisons and witchcraft, and an in-fallible specific in many diseases.

The art of cutting and polishing diamonds was probablyknown to the artists of China and India at a very early pe-riod j but the extreme hardness of this gem had baffled theattempts of the jewellers of Europe till the year 1456, whenBerghen, a native of Bruges , constructed a wheel, which, bymeans of diamond powder, enabled him to cut and polishthis substance in the same way as other gems are wrought byemery. Previously to this discovery diamonds were set injewellery, precisely in the same state in which they arrivedfrom India .

The discovery of the Brazilian mines in 1730 has tendedvery greatly to depreciate the value of this jewel j to pre-vent, therefore, its becoming too common, the PortugueseGovernment have limited the number of slaves to be em-ployed by those to whom leases of these mines had beengranted.

Diamonds being now imported in their rude state, are cut