O F M A N H O O D. 453 



] and a half in diameter. It is difficult to invefti- 

 gate the origin ot" this fingular cuftom ; but it 

 is equally difFicult to trace the origin of piercing 

 the ears, (a practice almofl general), and fome- 



. times the noftrils, in order to adorn them with 



■ rings, &c. unlefs we attribute it to thofe naked 

 favages, who contrived to carry, in the leaft in- 

 commodious manner, fuch things as appeared to 

 them to be moft precious. 



But the whimfical varieties in the cuftoms of 

 different nations are ftill more apparent in the 

 manner of dreffing and wearing their beards. 

 The Turks ihavc their heads ; but allow their 

 beards to grow. Moft Europeans, on the con- 

 trary, ftiave their beards, and wear their own or 

 borrowed hair. The favages of America pull out 

 the hairs of their beards, but carefully preferve 

 thofe of the head. The Negroes (have their heads 

 in different figures ; foraetimes they cut their hair 

 in the Ihape of little ftars, fometimes in the 

 manner of a friar, but moft commonly in iilter- 

 nate ftripes. The Talapoins of Siam fhave the 

 heads and eye- brows of thofe children whofe 

 education is entrufted to them. In this article 

 every nation has different ufages. Some prefer 

 the hair on the Upper lip to that of the chin j 

 others efteem hair on the check; fome curl it, 

 and others wear it ftraight. It is not long fince 

 "We wore our hair behind loofe and floating; we 



i now inclofc it in a bag. Our drefs is different 

 S from that of our fathers. The differences in 



F f .3 drefs 



