History Of Rings.

Cy linders , squares , and pyramids were forms used for seals prior to the adoption of ring-seals . These settled with the Greeks into the scarabams or beetle ,. a stone something like the half of a walnut , with its convexity wrought into the form of a beetle , while the flat under surface contained the inscrip tion for the seal . The Greeks retained this form until they thought of dispensing with the body of the beetleonly preserving for the inscrition the

, p flat oval which the base presented , and which they ultimately set in rings . This shows how ring-seals came into form . Many of the Egyptian and other ring-seals are on a swivel , and doubtless originated with the perforated cylindrical aud other seals , which were , with a string passed through them , worn around the neck or from the wrist . The sculture of signets was , probably , the first use of gem engravingand

p , this was derived from the common source of all the arts , India . Figures on the Greek seals were , as a rule , nude , while those ou the Roman ones were draped . Favourite subjects were the gods , until P ythagoras forbade the use of them upon rings , lest , from seeing their images too frequently , it should breed contempt for them in ( die hearts of their worshippers . The sacred bull was a favourite effigy upon the rings of the Egyptians .

The value and usefulness of a seal or signet ring is little appreciated in this age of pen and ink , except in certain sections where the primitive habits of the dark ages still perpetuate their customs . For instance , in Persia , at the present clay , letters are seldom written and never signed by the person who sends them ; the authenticity of all orders and communications , . and even of a merchant ' s bills , depends wholly on . an impression from his seal ring . This makes the occupation of a seal cutter one of much trust and danger .

Such a person is obliged to keep a register of every ring-seal he makes , and if one be lost or stolen from the party for whom it was cut , his life would answer for making another exactly like it . The loss of a signet ring is considered a serious calamity . The only resources of a person who has lost his seal is to have another made with a new date , and to write to his correspondents to inform them that all accounts , contracts , and

communications to which his former signet is affixed are null and void from the clay ou which it was lost . To give a person , then , your seal ring is to give him the use and authority in those countries which our own signature to a check or other paper possess . As it is now in Persia in this regard , so was it the world over previous to the Christian era , and in most countries for many centuries after it . In ancient times the forefinger was emblematical of power ; the signet was worn on it .

There were fashions iu wearing rings . According to Pliny the Romans first wore them on the fourth finger , then on the little , the first , and finall y on all together except the middle one . At one time they were worn on the extremity of the little finger . There was supposed to be a little nerve in the fourth finger that went right to the heart , and love rings were worn on it . Classical physicians used always to stir their potions with this talismanic member . Plain rings were worn indiscriminately on either hand bthe

y Romans . Seals aud stones adorned the left exclusively . . The Jews wore their rings on the right hand , aud the Hebrew women then , as now , had no end of them . The wearing of rings on the left hand took its use from the fact that they were more liable to injury on the busier right member . The Gauls and ancient Britons wore theirs on the middle finger . Egyptian women wore two or three ou each linger , except the third , which was always covered with the

most , and they loaded the left hand heavier than the right invariabl y . At first the Romans only used a single ring ; then one on each finger , and at length several on each joint . Their foppery arose to such a pitch that they had their weekly rings . Heliogabaltts carried the point of using rings the farthest , for he never wore the same ring or the same shoe twice . Heliogabalus was a funny wretch anyhow . He would frequently invite to his banquets