THIS HAIR

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1770, 22 October 1879, Page 4

THIS HAIR

[From the “ Queen,”] The hair, says a modern writer, ia one of tile crowning beauties bestowed by nature upon human beings. Painters and sculptors have vied with each, other in their efforts to display it moat attractively. The poets of all ages and countries have been loud in its praise, and even the rigid censors of morals have not considered it unworthy of their notice. The colour of the hair has received particular attention, and every hue of which it is capable has in turn been fashionable or famous. The national tint of the tresses of some reigning beauty has at one time excited emulation, and all heads that could assume the same have done so. But very often the love-struck poet has given utterance to the praises of the hair of a particular colour, because the lady of his affections has happened to have it. Other reasons might be alleged; but all we care to show now is the high estimation in which the hair has been held. Even St. Paul exclaimed, “If a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her.” Meanwhile, Fashion has been busy throughout all ages of which we have any record, with female tresses. She has twisted and tortured, disfigured and coafined them; she has dyed, variegated, and blanched them; and has greased, stiffened, and frizzed them. She has done her best in some portion of every age to nullify their graceful effect, and to convert that which should have been a heauty into a deformity. But it must be admitted that sometimes her work has been of a higher character, and in accordance with the principles of true taste and art; That the hair ia really capable of artistic treatment is undeniable, and its nature is such that it seems to invite the skill and attention of the world. The ancient Greeks exercised their ingenuity upon it, and yet it is true that sometimes they wore quantities of false hair, plaited their tresses into elaborate braids, curled them into pyramids, frizzled and pomatumed them, so that it was only at intervals that the classic headdress which we call Grecian prev tiled. Among the Eomans hairdressing was quite an art. The ladies taught their slaves how to rear the hair iuto marvellous edifices of carls or frize. with flowers, jewels, and coronals; or to plait it into multitudinous plaits, which were enclosed by a silken cord, a caul, or a network oi gold or silver thread and gems, or fastened with pins, arrows,_ and even dagger-shaped jewels of gold, silver, Aco. We are told that the Egyptians perfumed and pomaded their tresses, suffered them to float in braids or ringlets about their necks and shoulders, wreathed them with flowers, gems, or bands, or bound them with a fillet about the head. They also wore false hair, and a veritable Egyptian wig ia still in existence- It ia said that they even painted, frosted, gilded, silvered, and stiffened the hair, till its identity was in a manner destroyed. Amongst the ancient Hebrews the great importance of the hair es an ornament was fnlly recognised, as we learn from the scanty allusions of the Old Testament. When either men or women took the Nazarite vow of ■elf-denial, they were not to cut or trim their hair, but to “ let the locks of the hair of the head grow.” When the vow was fulfilled the hair of the head was cut off and thrown upon the fire, which was under the peace offering. Everybody ia acquainted with the profuseness of Samson’s and of Absalom's locks, so nothing need be said of them, except that the record suggests the pride which men no less than women took in their hair. The men, however, as a rule, seem to have resembled the Orientals of the present day in attaching peculiar importance to the beard. One of the proverbs says, “the beauty of old men is the grey head;” but the beard was regarded almost with reverence. The hair of the head and the beard were anointed with perfumed oils and unguents, even in the case of the priests -themselves. The bridegroom in the Song of Solomon expatiates on the beautiful locks of bis bride, and Isaiah speaks of the “ well set hair ” of the ladies of his day. Only as an expression of sorrow and monrning did they consent to part with their muchprized tresses. The Assyrians, as is evident from the monuments, paid great attention to the hair. Speaking of the men, Mr Bonomi says the hair is combed down upon the head, and spread out upon the neck into a mass of cnrls, which rests upon the shoulders. In all cases where the colour has been preserved, it is painted black. The heard, moreover, is curled and dressed in most elaborate style. Sir A; H. Bayard says the eyebrows were idyed black, and the moustacfaea carefully trimmed and curled at the ends. The women generally appear to have worn the hair smooth, or simply waved upon the head, from which long curls or ringlets of equal length depended—behind and at the sides. In one case we observe the Assyrian Venus ia represented with a mural coronet, from beneath which the hair falls straight down behind, tapering to the waist. There are other variations, but they nil tend to show that the Assyrians resembled all the great nations of antiquity in the value they set upon the hair of their beads and the abundant care they bestowed upon its arrangement and adoring.