Morning journal and courier., 1884-09-29
HAIR AND REMEMBERING.
Historic Changes-RIOndes Doomed rl,ror,, tho Iordn, Clnha

From the London Globe,l
 Of all professions the most ancient is prob ably that of the tailor, and scarcely less an cisnt is that of the barber; yet, in spite of it's antiquity, somehow the hair-dresser's call ing has never gained very much respect for it's followers. The Jews, with the exception of the priests, let their hair grow, and at very early date long hair regarded as mark of beauty. From the earliest times the art of curling the hair seems to have been known; the Phrygians and Sybarites curled their locks, and so, probably, did the ancient Britons. These latter gentlemen always to shave their chins; and, judging from early pictures, one might imagine that they waxed their moustaches. In the eighth century the first time of cutting a child's hair was an important event. and wealthy people generally obtained some distin- guished parsonage to act as barber on the occasion, who was supposed henceforth to stand to the child pretty much in the same relation as a sponsor to his godchild.
 In rather later days long hair was con sidered a mark of rank. Slaves were obliged to keep their hair short, as, for in stance, when Cesar forced the conquered Gauls to cut their flowing locks as token of submission. Queen Beodicea is said to have worn her hair down, and so long was it that her majesty could sit upon it; while in France, for long time, none but the royal family were allowed to indulge in long hair. Nay, more, if we may believe the ancient chronicles, if the heir to the throne happened to get his hair cut, no
 matter how, he forthwith lost his rank en- tirely and became ordinary person. Lou is VII, however, after his accession con sented at the request of the clergy to have his hair not cut merely, but shaved clean off and his beard also. Unfortunately he omitted to ask the opinion of his wife, Queen Eleanor, who was so disgusted with his shorn appearance that she sought and obtained divorce then and there. One would rather like to know why the clergy have always endeavored to keep mems hair short; but, whatever the cause, there is no doubt as to the fact. They themselves were forced to adopt the tonsure at very early date, especially iii the eastern church, but the precise shape of the tonsure has formed the bone of contention in innumer- able disputes. By a canon of the year 1096, it was ordered that anyone who failed to reduce his hair to decent limits should be communicated; and if he should chance to die unclipped, no prayers might be of fered for the repose of his soul. Wulstan, bishop of Worcester, started regular cru sade against long hair; and Serlo, Nor man bishop, who had come over to Eng land, preached sermon before the king Henry D on the same subject So elo- quently did the good bishop plead, that, when he had done, the whole court con sented to lose their flowing curls. Taking the opportunity afforded, the preacher there upon produced a pair of scissors from his sleeve, and sheared the king and his court iers on the spot! The lovelocks of the cava- Hers, and the short hair of the round-heade, were each the subject of unnumbered pam phlets and squibs, such as ''The Loathesome- nesse of Long Haire, 3 ''The Defence of Shorte Haire," and host of others. The best known is, perhaps, the song beginning
 'tWhat creature's this with his short hairs,
 His little head and huge long ears,
 That this new faith had founded?
 The Pur1tans were never such, o,.
 Oh, such a knave's Roundhead.''
 The main difficulty that the cavaliers found in their favorite style was the niggardly dis position of dame nature in the matter of hair. Many 0 cavalier could no more get havelock to grow than he could fly. The consequence was the introduction of wigs or rather the re-introduction, for wigs seem to date from the days when the world was very young indeed. There is in the British museum wig from the Temple of Isis, at Thebes, which is in state of almost perfect preservation, and the curls are as curly as when first they issued from the hands of the 'fartist in hair" at that ancient city.
 It is odd to note how the color of hair most in fashion varies from time to time. Just now brown is ''the only wear" among the better classes, though golden is still in l vogue with others. Red hair, as we under l stand it, has probably never been fashiona- l ble, though red d-gold shade was all the rage | at one time-indeed more than once. It is | interesting to observe how different colors | are predominant in different parts of the ! country In Wessex-the south and west | the average peasant has the haxen hair of the ! Saxons. In the northeast, and in parts of | Kent also the red hair of the Danes is found | in large proportion of the common people, | and with it are associated many of the race characteristics of their Danish ancestors. l In the large towns, as might be expected, the | various races have blended, and the prevail l ing color of the hair is unquestionably brown. 1 Especially is this true of London. There is 1 a curious theory stated by Dr. Deddoes that we a nation are becoming gradually dark CT haired by reason of the fact that men seem to prefer dark haired wives. The doc tor examined the heads of 726 women, of | whom 357 were elassed fair and 369 as dark The fair women included 22 with red hair, 95 with light and 240 with brown, The dark ones were 336 dark brown and B black. Of the first-class the doctor found that 6S per cent. were married, but of the dark l haired women no fewer than 785 per cent. The statistics are given here for what they are worth. |