in the writings of the ancients, a word used to express the elegant ornaments of the Greeks and Romans, composed of gold and gems. They also called these lithocolla, "cemented stones or gems;" the gold being in this case as a cement to hold the stones together. They wore bracelets and other ornamental things about their habits thus made; and their cups and table-furniture, for magnificent treats, were of this kind. The green stones were found to succeed best of all in these things; and the emerald and greenish topaz, or, as we call it, chrysolite, were most in esteem for this purpose. This use of the stones explains what Pliny very often says of them in his description: Nihil jucundius aurum decet, "Nothing becomes gold better;" this he says of the green topaz or chrysolite; and this and many other like passages have greatly perplexed the critics, who did not hit upon this explication.