Litchfield enquirer., 1854-08-10
NiscellaNy.
Wearing the Beard.

We fully believe the beard to be the best of resplraiUrs; we know that, since Engllshmen have dispensed with il, a s l. yer gauge substitute has been ol!en found necessary, even al the cost of disfiyure> meR, and inconvenience iu ihe wearer. But if the tender lungs and sore throat Is of men reQnIre the beard and mus,ache IO warm and Mudfy ihe air as ii passes through them before each inhalailum, wlIa are we lO say nf na tures carelessuess re> gardDg ter iSlrer and leEderer offspring wOman? Surely her resp,ralOry organlsn, needs even more shIeidin. than mans. l. IS true that women are neI,heI siune~ masuns nor WOrkers m iron or steel, but they are no tess wont " O klck up a dust" Do uni our housematds make u fly from the carpets In clouds, nll over the rooms, every day, ,n every house where's ,n they nnId office And do they nOl In> hale the said dus, wub husIness like reg. uarity' Aud vel, nnhapp'lS Or happily, as taste may aar,n. woiHaH is trii Utierly without frnler,mn! il IS urged, in de- fenSe Of nalure's arbIrarihess that wO. mans life is dOnHSic ore, that lrer du- l tles are at home ihai, unlike Mlan, she Is n0l exposed lO iiH HIciemency Ot the SeasutlS, and she IS nO, c,iltd upon lO bee come either siOntmaSoD Or Sheffield grinder. and that, therefore, she had nO need of such prnlec'mn as ,s,e beard | aff,rds. We cannot admu Oi this de. fence ;--lIse dust argument we have al- ready drsposed of, and we may add. that Ihe women Of uRclvllISed races endure all ,,f 'qnally with men; SD ii,al either the theO- ry of 'le long protective i"nci'On ct the beard, as a finai cause "I i's existence, mnsi, we fear. be gwen np, or we must accuse nature "t neglec,lul cruelty ia" the better halt" of Ihe human race. The lat ter alternative we are nn disposed 10 sd1pi, the m"re especially as we decidedly prefer w0mah's lip and chin in Itie: naked beauty; and as yet we have me, with no temlnne envy of the masculine prOtec. | tmn.
 In the absence ofsny theory, in all respects satisfactory, we would suggest 1 whether nafure's chlet motive for invest 1 ,nI man wiIh the beard may H0i consist ir her love of exhausless varIeiy. Wht wlll venture lO affirm thai she IS animal ted only ny ui'iusr,an sp'rn in creating i.el ,nfnne diversity of Enrms in ihe snlHla and vegetable kingdom? She revels il rouDiless notifications of plans for il,s ach'evenen, of similar ends. Regarding uniy il.e forms of nature, bOnndless caprice would seem her chef charac'erlsnc Studded, however. m"re Inii:naiey, sht appears as an aungh1v artist, devel"plnG and indIvldnallsIng her vast resources iHit every conceiva ble Gradalion of grandeur and beauIv. Out of iiis spirit arises, wt beleve, the distinctive aspecis nf man ant woman. His poien'iai beauty IS not les' ihan hers, but Oi a d lfrreni. n,0re com pIex. and severer order. When mam'' ph, scal system is perfectly developed, his C. paciOus chest and sialwarI frame, over laid wlil, muscles m high relief, seem IO U: iO require the beard E,r the completion q features fitted to harnlOnise with iber vIg oruns outline.
 But t will be observed. that the yer! reason which would induce us 'O sanction the wearing of he beard wOml6 aisO, iD { vast number ol cases, lorhd lIs aSsnmp' lion. As certain dresses dO not become d,minulive women, and must, m order It display ihelr wonderful effect, be Worn b, those of noble stature so ihe bearc-iden' ulied as Il IS win siernness, dignity snt sirength-is Only the becoming cnMple meni of true manIiness. live are no mistaken, therefore, the cultivation oi ih' beard IS perilous experiment for al degenerate sons of Adam, and may pro uuce in Ihe wearers the most ludicrou IncOngruiiy. We trust that the nOb' assnciaiiOns with the beard will never b' degraded; and we would adv'se all bear, loving asp,ranis Ia be well assured of ih' wnrlhipess-p,ys'csIIy and mrnialIy-'' wear II hei,ne Ihey venture iO show 'ien' selves in a decoration sO significant hOnor. He wb" adopts il. ls bound '' respect ns venerable trsdIii"ns. aud t' conduct lnmSeif wIIh an extra degree |" caTelnIness and proprleIy. For will oeards as w,Ii, other msIiiuIiOEs. al O0'
 '""', h Is ihe 1sGR IlaI makes then respectable. D" 'hose who do venture |
 wear n. we would venture Io add: le as ve less htp0crisy! Le, us not hca IhaT the healthy Jnnea wears a beat
 because he s"firTs sG frnm I,c, ,''eEc. Bu iei him who assumes !, pls.i hsmself 0
 what he cODceiSes lhe sense and riRhl q tue matter; hw maral courage will the sUsisin him unlil hs friends. who ms
 now amUse theNselvcs at hH expense shall esteem him iaF his brave Rdehiy l his onvielions.-W Weseminseer ReUieSO.