The emerald condenses the green of the meadows and certain aspects of the ocean. – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875, translated from French

In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls. – Honore de Balzac

[T]he diamond and other precious stones are focuses of light, and essences of colour which seem expressly created to ornament on a small scale the human body with all the splendours which adorn the universe on a large scale. – Charles Blanc, Art in Ornament and Dress, 1875

These words dropped into my childish mind as if you should accidentally drop a ring into a deep well. I did not think of them much at the time, but there came a day in my life when the ring was fished up out of the well, good as new. – Harriet Beecher Stowe, Old Town Folks, 1869