INGENUITY AND LUXURY 



garded in all seriousness. Delicately scented powders 

 soon replaced ordinary white flour, and great powdered 

 and perfumed headpieces, costing sometimes three 

 hundred dollars or more, came to be part of the dress 

 of every well-groomed gentleman. 



These costly adornments soon became the marks 

 of thieves and purse-snatchers, who wrought havoc 

 among the wig-wearers in the narrow London and 

 Paris streets. Instead of being in danger of having 

 his pockets picked, a man was in constant fear of hav- 

 ing his wig snatched. In no place was he entirely 

 safe. If he rode in a closed coach the clever thief 

 might mount the rear axle, cut dexterously through 

 the back curtain, and extract a wig by a single jerk. 

 If he passed along the streets at night a fish-hook 

 dangling from some house-top might free him of his 

 hat and wig at one haul. And if he sat near an open 

 window on the street he was in constant danger from 

 long arms or still longer poles with hooks attached. 



A very common method employed by the thieves 

 for carrying on their trade was to assume the role of 

 bakers, carrying large baskets on their heads or shoul- 

 ders. In the basket was concealed a small but nim- 

 ble-fingered boy whose business it was to dart out 

 his hand at the right moment and remove the wig of 

 some unfortunate passer-by. 



THE FOLLIES OF FASHION 



It is difficult to select any one period and point to 

 it as the one of preeminently ridiculous fashion in 



[64]' 



