The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-24

through Europe. OF course, the most
costly and celebrated earring on record
is that of Cleopatra, which contained
a pearl valued at 10000 sesterces, or
nearly 100000. This was the gem
which she dissolved in vinegar and
swallowed at the banquet given to
Antony. in order to win the wager that
it was possible for meal to cost such
an enormous sum. Both the Greek and
Romen men of that period affected ear
rings, but with the Romans the prac-
tice was confined to the mobiles.
The Danes are generally credited
with the introduction of earrings into
this country. On several occasions,
when the sinews of war were at low
cbb, the Danish women came to the
assistance of their men folk by yield
ing up these ornaments to the melt
ing pot, while King sweno was ran
somed from this source. That the
SaxonS, who, doubtless, initiated the
Danes, were extremely fond of earrings
is proved by the fact that a Saxon
law expressly enjoined that earrings
and necklaces should, at mothers
death, fall to the lot of the daughter
After the tenth century, however the
fashion seems to have declined through
out Europe, and earrings are neither
found in graves nor seen in paintings
OF sculptures. Inc wearing OF them
was reintroduced into England in the
sixteenth century. and Stubbs, writing
in the time of Queen Elizabeth, SAYS:
"The women are not ashamed to make
holes in their ears, whereat they hang
rings and other jewels of gold and pre-
cious stones" But what would Shlbbs
have said If he had lived to see men
thus adorning themselves, which be-
came the vogue shortly afterwsrd3 ,
For example, in the famous Chandos
portrait, Shakespeare is depicted with
earrings; while If one closely scruti-
niZes the pictures of the great mobiles
of the day, 1t will be found that many
OF them are wearing left earring only
usually a pearl In the seventeenth
century earrings were no longer worn
by Englishmen Of birth and position
the fashion becoming transferred to
sailors, who have retained the use of
them, commonly in the form of gold
hoops, down to our own time. It has
long been common belief among sea-
faring men of all nations that the wear
ing of earrings strengthens the eye
sight, and is a certain cure for sore
and bleary eyes.
AS a matter of fact, the strengthen
ing of the eyesight theory is generally
accepted by the educated classes as
well, for one Oxen hears of ladies who
firmly believe that they have benefited
accordingly. Let ii be said at once
however, that this popular theory has
never obtained medical favor. 1t is,
indeed, nothing more than a supcrsti-
tion; probably a corruption of that
which taught that anything represent.
ing the solar system would, If worn
either on the finger, or on the arm
or in the ear. act as a talisman. In
the case of Inflammation of the eyes,
however. 1t is just possible that ear
piercing might once have been adopted
as modification of the old drastic
counter-irritant that took the form Of
inserting seton.
From Elizabethan days the use Of
earrings by women has continued 10
the present time. The shape of the
ornament. however. changes complete
ly with the fashions: long heavy pen
dants being succeeded by smaller ones
and these by single stones in almost
invisible chatons. set close to the lobe
OF the ear. In the days before the dis
covery OF anaesthetics. by whose
agency the nerves in the lobe of the
ear are now numbed preparatory to
piercing. the latter operation used to
be quite an important event in
young girls life. There was the sensa-
tion of vanity aroused by the acquire
ment of the coveted ornaments, which
carried with them the distinction of
being considered grown up, mingled
with the exaggerated dread Of the pain
which piercing involved A coarse but
humorous engraving entitled Ladies'
Ears Bored Gratis" and supposed 10
be designed by Rowlsndson. was pub
lished In 1894. Needless to say Il is
shaft aimed at the proverbial vanity
OF the sex. Ear piercing also formed
the subject Of a celebrated painting by
Sir David Wilkie. y. A. II Is known as
the First Earring" and was executed
for the first Duke OF Bedford IN 1895.
the figures being portraits Of members
o. the Russell family In this picture
the calm and persuasive eye OF the
mother. the look lowering between
vanity and fear of the little girl when
the private operator approaches 20 nx
the sparkling appendanges 10 her ears,
together with the rich and natural
colorins cannot soon be forgotten BY
any spectator.
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