History About the Persian King and His Sea of Glory Diamond

THE SEA OF GLORY.

A Reminiscence of Persian Splendour-A Splendid Crown Jewel.

It is quite possible that the graphic author of the Sketches of Persia, published by Murray, may have seen this notable gem. He saw the "Sea of Light," and other stones, some of which he could not individually examine. For example, on his second visit to the Persian Court, the king, at the reception of the envoy from the Governor-General of India was literally covered with rare jewels. His dress "baffled description." It was a robe of white, a-blaze "with jewels of an extraordinary size, and their splendour, from his majesty being seated where the rays of the sun played upon them, was so dazzling, that it was impossible to distinguish the minute parts which combined to give such amazing brilliancy to his whole figure." The splendours of the Persian Court in those days were on a far different scale to the somewhat "faded glories" of to-day, when the Shah is in danger of falling between two alternatives, a forced alliance with Russia, or an uncertain dependence upon the lukewarm friendship of England. In the days of the Seffarean monarchs, Merv was considered the most important frontier post of Persia; to-day it is almost an outpost of the Russian power in Asia.