Sullivan, in his History of Maine, written since the Revolution, remarks, that even then the existence of the Great
Carbuncle was not entirely discredited.
In the Sketches from Memory Hawthorne gives an intimation of the tale which he might write and did afterward write of The Great
Carbuncle. The paper is interesting as showing what were the actual experiences out of which he formed his imaginative stories.
Van Tromp, in a suit of French country velveteens and with a remarkable
carbuncle on his nose.
Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond, or
carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights.
Stammato made Crioni a present of one of the state's principal jewels--a huge
carbuncle, which afterward figured in the Ducal cap of state--and the pair parted.
"Not the Countess of Morcar's blue
carbuncle!" I ejaculated.
This done, he drew from some concealed place a little scrap of looking-glass, and with its assistance arranged his hair, and ascertained the exact state of a little
carbuncle on his nose.
He would often spend a whole day settling and resettling in their cases the various stones that be had collected, such as the olive-green chrysoberyl that turns red by lamplight, the cymophane with its wirelike line of silver, the pistachio-coloured peridot, rose-pink and wine-yellow topazes,
carbuncles of fiery scarlet with tremulous, four-rayed stars, flame-red cinnamon-stones, orange and violet spinels, and amethysts with their alternate layers of ruby and sapphire.
And at the bottom, quite in the shade, where the details are absorbed in the obscurity, the mastiff, with his eyes glistening like
carbuncles, and shaking his chain, on which the double light from the lamp of Rosa and the lantern of Gryphus threw a brilliant glitter.
The fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city, where the lamps glimmered like
carbuncles; and through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds, the procession of the town's life was still rolling in through the great arteries with a sound as of a mighty wind.
Suddenly there is presented to his sight a strong castle or gorgeous palace with walls of massy gold, turrets of diamond and gates of jacinth; in short, so marvellous is its structure that though the materials of which it is built are nothing less than diamonds,
carbuncles, rubies, pearls, gold, and emeralds, the workmanship is still more rare.
Here and there out of the darkness round me the Morlocks' eyes shone like
carbuncles.