Had the poet given any particular attention to these texts we could
scarcely fail to note the fact. Other Bible mentions, such as those
elsewhere made by Ezekiel (xxvii, 16, 22), regarding the trade of
Tyre, the agates (and coral) from Syria, and the precious stones
brought by the Arabian or Syrian merchants of Sheba and Raamah, are
too much generalized to invite any special notice. The same may be
said of most of the remaining brief allusions. We might rather expect
that where the color or brilliancy of a precious stone is used as a
simile this might strike a poet's fancy and perhaps find direct
expression in his own words. The light of the New Jerusalem is likened
to "a jasper stone, clear as crystal" (Rev. xxi, 11), and in Exodus
(xxiv, 10) the sapphire stone is said to be "as it were the body of
heaven in its clearness". However, that Shakespeare wrote of "the
heaven-hued sapphire" ("Lover's Complaint", l. 215) has no necessary
connection with this, as the celestial hue of the beautiful sapphire
is spoken of time and again by many of the older writers.
FIVE OF THE SIX AUTHENTIC SHAKESPEARE SIGNATURES
[Illustration: Signature on the purchase deed of Shakespeare's house in
Blackfriars dated March 10, 1613. In the Guildhall, London]
[Illustration: Signatures on the three pages of
Shakespeare's will executed March 25, 1616.
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