Читать книгу The Book of Shells. Containing the Classes Mollusca, Conchifera, Cirrhipeda, Annulata, and Crustacea онлайн

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The purple colour which this little Molluscous animal produces, was discovered by the inhabitants of the ancient city of Tyre, and was thence called the Tyrian purple. The circumstances which led to the discovery of it are very imperfectly known, but fiction has supplied the want of historical facts, and described its origin with sufficient minuteness of detail. According to one account, the merit of its discovery is due to a dog belonging to a certain Hercules. We are informed that when this dog was accompanying his master along the sea-shore, who was then following the nymph Tyros, the animal seized one of the Purpuræ lying on the sand, and breaking the shell with his teeth, his mouth soon became coloured with the purple juice. The nymph having observed the effect, immediately expressed a strong desire to have a dress dyed of the same beautiful colour; and her lover, no less anxious to gratify her wishes, at last succeeded in discovering a method of applying it to cloth.

This colour was so highly valued by the ancients, that it was either consecrated to the worship of the Deity, or conceived to be fit only for the garments of royalty.