Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/403

LEFT DIAMOND 349 DIANA 1852 and now weighs 100 1-16 carats. What was at the time said to be the largest stone in the world was sent to London from the Jagersfontein mines in South Africa in 1893. It weighed 971 carats, or nearly half a pound. Another weighed 640 carats. Another important diamond was set in the poi t of the scepter of the Russian empire, known as the Orloff, which weighs 194% carats. One time it formed the eye of an idol in the temple of Seringham in Mysore, whence it was stolen. It was in the throne of Nadir Shah, and after his murder it was bought by an Arme- nian merchant in 1772 at the price of 450,000 silver rubles and the title of nobility. By the gift of Prince Orloff, a favorite of Catherine II., from whom it derived its name, it came into her pos- session. The supposed great diamond of the King of Portugal, 1,770 carats, is mythical; or rather is a rolled oval peb- ble of white topaz. The Regent or Pitt diamond weighs 136.75 carats, and is of the purest water and most perfect shape. It decorated the sword hilt of Napoleon I., and is now in the Galerie d'ApoUon in the Louvre. One of the finest of diamonds is the Sancy diamond, 53 V^ carats, of exquisite shape and perfect water. It has been traced back to Charles the Bold, who lest it in 1477 at the battle of Nancy. It came through many private hands to the Huguenot nobleman Sancy. When Sancy was sent as an ambassador to Solothum, he received from Henri III. the command to send to him that dia- mond as a pledge. The servant to whom it was intrusted was attacked and mur- dered, but instead of giving up the diamond he swallowed it. Sancy had the body opened and found the precious diamond in his stomach. James II. pro- cured it when he came to France in 1688. Later it came into the possession of Louis XIV. and was worn by Louis XV. at his coronation. One of the most superb diamonds known is the sapphire-blue brilliant Hope diamond, valued at about $100,000. It is believed to have been cut from a blue diamond weighing in the rough 112% carats, sold by Tavemier to Louis XIV., and which disappeared in the troubles of 1792. The largest diamond ever found in Brazil weighed 254% carats, and was discovered in 1853 by a negress in the river Bogageno; it is known as the "Star of the South." It was sold to the Gaekwar of Baroda for $450,000. The largest and finest diamond in the world to-day was cut from the Cullinan crystal found in the Transvaal in 1905, which weighefl in the rough 3,106 metric carats. The largest stone cut from it "The Star of South Africa" weighs 530.2 carats and was presented to King Ed- ward VII. by the Union of South Africa. The diamond weighing method was changed in 1910. The standard "metric carat" is of 200 milligrams divided into hundredths, conforming with the metric system. The United States adopted the new carat July, 1913. DIAMOND BEETLE {Entimtis inir- perialis), splendid coleopterous insect be- longing to the family Curculionidx. It it a native of South America. DIANA (di-an'a), the Roman goddess of chastity and hunting, the daugnter of Jupiter and Latona, and the sister of Apollo or Phoebus, from which circima- stance she is occasionally called Phebe, her usual name in heaven, as Diana was DIANA on earth. This goddess was worshiped under many forms, which were almost as numerous as the attributes ascribed to her. She was also called Triceps and Tergimina, from her three special spheres of rule; worshiped as Luna in heaven, Diana on earth, and Hecate be- neath the earth, or the Infernal Shades. 23— Vol. in—Crc