AND LOWER EGYPT. 2 13 



nion of a German physician, that /« order to re- 

 move the suspicion of leprosy, they rendered that 

 colour universal which could give hirth to it. Car- 

 roty people, adds he, must have introduced this fa- 

 shion, by being the first to paint themselves tvitk 

 henna to disguise their redness. It is thus that patches 

 employed at first to conceal pimples, are by degrees 

 become a part of dress. I am inclined to believe 

 that this is the real solution of the difficulty *. All 

 these reasonings accumulated in the closet, must 

 fall to the ground, when opposed to facts. Egypt is 

 not the country of fashions, frivolity does not 

 there dictate every day, new customs, and con- 

 tinual alterations in dress. There, habiliments 

 and manners remain as they have been for ages 

 past. Their variation, which is a proof of in- 

 stability of character, does not compose a feature 

 in that of the inhabitants of Egypt. Besides, the 

 practice of reddening the beard with henna is very 

 far from being universal. I never saw but two 

 or three Arabian princes who made use of it. To 

 conclude, how could red-haired people have any 

 occasion to dye themselves red in order to dis- 

 guise their colour? 



* Work already quoted. Qjjcs. xxviii. 



TOL. iir. 



