ng is completed
by a small golden chain attached to it by a loop passing over studs; the
links of this chain are perfectly flexible, and of extreme delicacy;
they resemble the modern guard-chain, or to speak more properly, the
modern chain imitates the ancient one; and we shall meet in the course
of our researches with very many other instances of the oft-repeated
fact, that "there is nothing new under the sun."

This ring mania was not content with considering the ring as an
ornament, or even as a talisman; a new science was revealed, the
_Dactyliomancia_, so named from two Greek words, signifying _ring_ and
_divination_. The performance of its mysteries was in itself so simple,
that it was deemed expedient to add certain formulae, in order to make
them more expressive. A ring was held, suspended by a fine thread, over
a round table, on the edge of which were placed counters engraved with
the letters of the alphabet. The thread was shaken until the ring,
touching the letters, had united as many as formed an answer to a
question previously put. This operation was preceded and accompanied by
certain ceremonies. The ring was consecrated with divers mysterious
forms. The person who held it was arrayed in linen only; a circle was
shaved round his head, and in his hand he held a branch of vervain.
Before commencing the gods were appeased by prayer.[82-*] This practice
long prevailed, and is mentioned by Gibbon as having given rise to the
persecutions for the crime of magic, in the reign of the Emperor Valens,
at Antioch.[83-*]

[Illustration: Fig. 87.]

[Illustration: Fig. 88.]

The simplest and most useful form of ring, and that, by consequence,
adopted by the people of all early nations, was the plain elastic hoop,
as shown in Fig. 87. Cheap in construction and convenient in wear, it
may be safely said to have been generally patronised from the most
ancient to the most modern times. Fig. 88 gives us the old form of a
ring made in the shape of a coiled serpent, equally ancient, equally
far-spread in the old world, and which has had a very large sale among
ourselves revived as a "decided novelty." In fact it has been the most
successful design our ring-makers have produced of late years. Yet this
antique ring may add another "new idea" to the modern designer. It is
"made on the principle of some of our steel rings which we use to hold
household keys, widening their circle by pressure. In this finger-ring
the part in the