She [is] more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Ver. 15. She is more precious than rubies.] Or, Pearls, which of old were most highly esteemed, a as Pliny testifieth; nostra etate multis aliis gemmis post ponunter. Today, there are many other gems of greater price, as rubies, carbuncles, &c. Cardan b tells us that every precious stone hath an egregious virtue in it; every spiritual grace hath, we are sure, and is of more value than large domains, stately buildings, and ten thousand rivers of oil. If the mountains were pearl, the huge rocks rubies, and the whole globe a shining chrysolite, yet all this were not to be named in the same day with wisdom.
a Principium culmenque omnium rerum precii marga ritae tenent. - Plin. Gener. Hist. de Aquat., lib. iv.
b Card., Subt., lib. vii.