The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-09-15
HISTORY or THE BEARD.

OF the antiquity oil The custom OF wearing
the beard there can be but little doubt, since:
unless Adam was the first barber, as well MS
gardener, he must have worn The old orna-
ment 10 HE thin with which God had FUR
nshed him. though nothing has shown the
mutabiIiiy oil fashion more Than TO cut, color
and curl, since the creation oil man. Inc Jews
have perhaps, been moIe CONSTANT the heard
Of any nation, having worn II from the tlmes
Of the Patriarcbs till within few years back;
nav, with them the cut Of the beard was sa-
cred duty-to shave, il was sign OF mourn
ing, and TO pluck, it an insult-The early
Greeks wore the beard long, ms also Tor
short period did the Romans.
The British AT one period, (when Caesar
invaded Britan,) clipped the beard close, and
wore the moustache. The Saxons who first
arrived on our island must have been an ex-
tremelv fierce looking race, since their whIs-
kers and moustaches arc described as OF i'm
mense length. reaching 10 the breast. Will
liam the Conqueror ordered all the men 10
shave in England, though he himself coniin-
ued fo wear II short beard and mousiache.
King Stephen, Henry the Second, Richard
the First and John, all wore their boards &C
cOrdinr 10 their several tastes. Henry the
third WIS clean shaven. Edward the First
and Second both were lasiidious in the ar
rangeTncni Of their boards q mouslachesj as
we're also all The beaux and cOuriiers during
their reign, crisping them with hot irons. and
taking great pains with their cut and curl.
In Richard the Seconds reignwe observe
The forkcd heard oil the Chaucer fashion
During the feigns of Edward the Sixth and
Richard the Third. men wore their faces at
iibifum Richmond shaved ; Henry the
Eighth sportcd till shaped beard. like the
one described ar ornamenting The chin lHu-
iibrus in the succeeding reign we recog-
mise beard pertaining 10 the counienance
Of that wondrous mortal, the slightest glance
OF whose face of genius and beauty. Ten
shriurd MS il is in all English hearis) iasci-
mates the eve wherever his picture han.rs in
our halls, and we bless heaven that we speak
the tongue that Shakespeare wrote.
During Elizabeih's reign men oiall parties
appear 10 have been extremely choice in the
shape of their boards. Eachprofession seems
TO have been peculiarly barbed. The cour-
tier. scholar. soldier. and priest. had each
their own peculiar twist of moustache. Men
even sworc by their boards in the good old
days OF Queen Bess. for what says the bard
-" Stand you forth now. stroke your chins
and swear by your boards that am aknave.
The squash huchler and bully, we presume
were inrnishe l,as il is customary to represent
a" Pistol upon the boards, with beard like
a coppce of hrushwood and mcusiache Of
most formidable twir;: many cashiered ras-
GALS, with hearts as white rs snow, wearing
upon their chins The beard of Hercules
In fact, according 10 some authorities.
men wee nj that time so careful of Their
chins. that il was no uncommon thing fol
them 10 be cncased 4, night lest Trey should
iurn in bed and rumple their bearGs out o
proper shape during sleep. The soldier, du
ring Elizabvih's reign. WAS perhaps more
solici,inus 10 Sp'-, an ample Wallace upon hi
face than any o'i.rr profession, and we 6nC
him accordingly ia The Seven Ages OF Man.
described rs BEARDED like parf when or
service; and gam. Nhen 'sirrn alarms had
changed TO merry meeting Te find the oil
ornament oil TN, warrior cheek sIufhing sOmt
boiehers cU<hion-'