Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-11-13
Boards and yThisRers.

ted with Mr.. Secretary PuuIding, com
pelling naval officers, sc. to shave off
the hair on their faces, leaving on y
moderate whiSker, which gives grace
10 handsome countenance instead OF
producing hideousneSs, has attracted
much attention, and has induced us, for
the ediiication of the sufferers, and our
readers generally, to look into the sub,
iect of boards and whiskers; and we
now give the result of our cogitalions
and researches.
Boards have been regarded with diff
ferent feelings, by different nations and
tribes, in all ages. BY some people
they have been considered an ornament
and cherished with care; 10y others
they have been regarded as an undcs>
rable eXcreSCcncc, which should be
shaven off, or extirpated in some other
way. Boards have always been worn,
or trimmed, according to the prompt
lngs OF taste or convenience; accord
ing " as people We're etiemnate, Sa-
wage, terocious, or civilized and polite.
The ancient Jews wore boards of great
length, and the Gymnosophists, or old
Indian sagcS. looked upon long beard
as a mark of wisdom. and were there
fore particularly solicitous to have
boards of venerable length. The an
cient Assyrians and PcrsianS also pri-
ded themselves on the length of their
boards, and we are told that the kings
of Persia were wont 10 lntcrwcave
gold threads with their boards, which
gave them a brilliant and magnificent
appearance.
The Mohomcdans have always worn
their boards unmutIlated-indeed, they
make this an important point in their
religion, for Mahommed never shaved
the hair on his chin, and il is said that
the TartarS once waged long and
sanguinary war with their neighbors,
the Persians, regarding them as lntidelS,
because they would not cut their
boards after the Tartarian fashion. 1t
is even now custom in the East, TO
throw Swect>scentcd water on the
boards of their guests, in order 10 give
them an agreeable perfume; and wives
salute their husbands, and children then
fathers, by kissing the beard.
The ancien, Greeks and Romans held
the beard in great ycneration, and we
are Informed by Homer, that the beard,
Of King Priam aud the wise Nestol
were of Royal size, and as white a,
snow. Plutarch, however, tells Us, tha
Alexander the Great compelled his Ma
cedonian soldiers 10 shave their chin.
close, lest their flowing boards nigh
give IA handle to the enemy in the day
of battle But in the time OF JuStnian
long boards came again INTO fashion
and continued until Cons,antiuople VA
captured by the Turks.
In ancient and modern times, the IA
shion of wearing the beard, like all o
ther fashions, has undergone great vi
cisSiiudes. The LombardS, who inva
ded Italy, were remarkable for th'
length of their boards, and hence thei
name, Longibardi. The Anglo-SaX
onS wore long Ireards until the Norman
possessed themselves OF the country
when William the conqueror compelIe,
them to cut of all their boards, "tha
they might resemble civilized beings.
This was resisted, and protested agains
as an act of tyranny, bat in vain. Th
Russians have ever been in favor {
wearing the entire beard. Peter Tn
Great tried to bring about a reform, b.
only partially observation-disclosures h
ordered his subjects u cut of the
boards, or pay heavy fre. At tn
day, the peasants, and, indeed, ncari
every persop in the empire, evccpriu
the soldiers and the sailors, and all {
theirs IN the immediate employment
government, never shave off the
oeards, and disgusting, filthy lookn!
set they are, too.
In the middle ages, long beard ";
= in great repute in some of the Europ,
. an States. 1t is recorded of King Il
bert, of France, who reigned IN Il
{ tenth century, that he was not mo
!. famous for his warlke exploits, tha
T.. for his long white beard, which he su
icred to hang down on the outside of h
: cuirass, to encourage his troops in ba
: lie, and rally them when defeate
# John Mayo, IA celebrated painter oftl
lllh century. was nicknamed John Il
Bearded. His hair reached the groul
j. when he stood upwrieht; and he us
l. ally wore il fastened to his grid
is The majestic beard of Henry w.