46 PHYSICAL SCIENCE BK. i 



reflection in a cup, another in a brass vessel pro 

 cured for some ordinary use. Presently a round 

 mirror was constructed specially to render this 

 service : it was not as yet of polished silver, but of 

 a common brittle ware. 



The men of ancient days lived a homely life ; they 

 thought themselves smart enough if they washed off 

 in the stream of the river the dirt contracted in their 

 work. But even then they bestowed pains on dress 

 ing their hair and combing out their flowing beards. 



s In this part of the toilet each attended to himself and 

 at the same time helped his neighbour. The thick 

 streaming hair of the men, which it was of old the 

 fashion to wear, was, of course, combed out by the 

 wives. But sometimes they thought themselves 

 handsome enough without any such artistic hand, 

 and they just shook it out for themselves as spirited 

 animals do their mane. Afterwards, when luxury 

 had now gained sway, embossed mirrors of gold and 

 silver of full-length size were made, and at last they 

 were actually adorned with precious stones. One 

 of these has ere now cost a woman more than the 

 amount of a dowry given in the old days at the 

 public expense to the penniless daughters of famous 



9 generals. Do you suppose Scipio s daughters bought 

 mirrors chased with gold from the iron money 

 that their dowry was paid in ? Happy the poverty 

 that gave occasion to earn such a title to glory ! 

 The Senate would not have dowered them if they 

 had been able to afford mirrors. Whoever the 

 man was to whom the Senate acted the part of 

 father-in-law, he knew that he had got a wife that 

 was above suspicion. Nowadays the whole of the 

 dowry that the Roman people gave Scipio would 

 not be enough to buy a single looking-glass for 



