SAPPHIRE; 87 Pezzouliou, near Expailly ; also at Brendola in the Vi- centine, and in Portugal. Asia —It is found particularly beautiful in the Cape- lan Mountains, twelve days journey from Serian, a city of Pegu, in Ceylon; and, it is said, also in Persia. U.si. This mineral is, next to diamond, the most valuable of the precious stones. It is cut with diamond-pow- der, and polished by means of emery. The white and pale-blue varieties, by exposure to heat become snow- white, and when cut, exhibit so high a degree of lustre, that they are used in place of diamond. The most high ly prized varieties are the crimson and carmino red; these are the Oriental Ruby of the jeweller, and, next to the diamond, are the most valuable minerals hitherto dis covered. The blue varieties, the Sapphire of the jewel ler, are next in value to the red. The yellow varieties, the Oriental Topaz of the jeweller, are of less value than the blue or true sapphire. It does not appear that the ancients ever engraved fi gures upon this mineral. All the engraved sapphires preserved in collections, are of modern date; and of these, one of the most beautiful is a red sapphire, or oriental ruby, on which is cut the figure of Henry the Fourth of France. This gem was engraved by the celebrated ar tist Coldere, and was in the collection of the late Duke of Orleans. Observations. 1. Sapphire was first established as a distinct species, and separated from spinel, with which it had been con founded, by Rome de Lisle and Werner. C 3 2. It