Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-09-21
THE USE OF PERFUMES.
A Delightful Practice, II Not Over In
dulged INA Pitiable Mistake.

~ DeiEhtiui EThCtlCes III MOI over N
dulged INA Pitiable Mistake.
The refinements of the ancients varied
in almost every way from those of a
modern age, except, perhaps, in some of
the uses appertaining to the toilet, and
the Scriptures, as well as other records
of ancient customs, bear testimony that
baths and clean linen, perfumes and
sweet odors were regarded quite as much
of a luxury then as now. Few are, per-
haps, aware that the origin of the use of
manufactured perfumes had a sacred
character, yet they were an invention of
the priests who officiated at the sacrifcial
affairs in the olden temples, and, doubt
less, great necessity must have been the
mother of invention, for from the
slaughtered beasts must have arisen most
noxious emanations, which all the water
in the land would not have washed clean
without the aid of the perfumes of Ara
bia. Moses leaves a record of the exact
perfumes and incense which were used
in the temples, although in biblical days
the latter was termed fr%ankincense, and
was, moreover, with myrrh and gold,
the most valued article of mer
The incense which contained myrrh
was especially reserved for the purifica-
ton of the body after sacrifice and used
by both men and women, though, Of
course, the latter were only anointed by
the former. 1t has a very aromatic
odor. For other purposes frankincense
was mixed with charcoal and a little
saltpeter. The same burning of incense
continues to this day t o be a part of the
ceremonious rites in certain religions.
AInroxar tLA .o1A 80 ,net,1A1 y~- 1.A&1N
cones or sticks of incense) for burning in
private houses is growing largely, and
many of our rich families live in an at
mosphere as heavily laden with sweet,
subtle odors as Cardinal Richelieu Of
Pompey. Moses is also said to have in
structed the Egyptian priests in the
science of extracting scents, and they
grew most proficient in the art of per-
fumery and invented a most extraordi-
nary variety. In fact, to this day has
descended the custom of declaring any
faint, sweet, strange odor to be like an
Egyptian perfume.
Opinions differ about the use and abuse
of swee scents. Certainly there is an
~incongruity in their use by men, but q
woman who leaves behind her a subtle
sense Of redolence carries always a double
charm. Strong, active, energetic natures
are apt to scorn an indulgence in what is
so grateful to their opposites-languid,
luxury loving people. Yet the natural
odor of flowers about the house are CRATE
full to all for their sweetness, as well as
for their beauty, and to those flowers to
which Mother Earth has refused a fra
GRANGE we give but half the care which
is showered upon those that can crafty
a double sense. To some poor unfortu-
mates the scent of certain odors, and ever
of flowers, is distastefuL and not always
from association. Even further than
that, the disliked odors render some per-
sons quite i'll.
With age the sense of smell is affected,
and, like the other senses, grows weak,
and some elderly ladies, especially those
who nave been beautiful, worldly women,
much hattered and admired, absolutely
reek with the strong bouquet of some
%perfumery. Their unconsciousness is
pitiable, their vanity deplorable, for it
would wound them too greatly to sug-
gest a lessenlng of their indulgence, and
they must be allowed to reek on. The
olfactory nerves are capricious things,
and the aioma which makes them dilate
with pleasure at n time is quite disa-
greeable at another. They easily become
surfeited with an overdose.
Women generally have a habit Of tuck.
ing little bags of sachet powder in Their
bureau drawers and pinning them in
their dresses, but they as generally art
indiscriminate in choosing the odors,
sometimes buying heliotrope, sometimes
violet, and again rose. There is much
more refinement and d%aintiness of feel.
ing, beside a quaint, and certainly sweet,
coquetry, in keeping always q perfume
of ones own; it becomes then always 6
part of ones being. If one is fond o.
the fragrance Of the rose an investment
in a few of the long peculiar walls con
tanning altar of rose and keeping them il
various places amid the possessions is
much more enduring way Of pertaining
than using sachet powder.-''S. S. E
NJ" in Chicago Herald