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The Dressing of the Hair, Moustachios and Beard
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"The Judge," says Fortescue, "while he sitteth in the King's Courts, weareth a white quoife
of silke, which is the principal and chiefe insignement of habite wherewith Sergeants-at-lawe are dekked, and neither the Justice nor
the Sergeant shall ever put off the quoife, no, not in the King's presence, though he bee in talke with his majestie's highnesse."
The coif-cap is still worn on occasions when the Judge passes sentence of death, but with the
colour changed to black, the cap being worn over the wig.
Samuel Rogers in his "Table Talk" tells a good story of Lord Ellenborough's wig. On one
occasion when the distinguished Judge was about to go on circuit, his Lady intimated that she would like to accompany him. He replied
that he had no objection, provided she did not encumber the carriage with band-boxes, which were his utter abhorrence. During the first
day's journey, happening to stretch his legs, he struck his foot against something below the Beat, and discovered that it was one of the
detested band-boxes. Up went the window, and out went the band-box. The coachman stopped, and the footman, thinking that the band-box
had tumbled out of the window by some extraordinary chance, was about to pick it up. "Drive on !" thundered his lordship. The band-box
was accordingly left by the ditch. Upon his arrival at the court at which he was to officiate, and arraying himself for his appearance
at the court-house, "Now," said he, "where's my wig? where is my wig?" My lord,"replied the attendant," it was thrown out of the
carriage window!"
From 1770 onwards was the period of the highest blossoming of feminine head-gear. The bodies
of these enormous creations were formed of tow, over which the hair was drawn in great curls, rolls, bobs, &c., with false hair added,
the whole freely plastered over with powder, pomatum, &c., decorated with huge bows, ribbons, feathers, and flowers.
In the "Macaroni Dialogue " — a colloquy between Sir Harry Dimple and Lady Betty Frisky — in the Lady's Magazine, iv. 1773, which is
illustrated by a picture of a lady and gentleman discussing with great animation the merits of the male and female costumes of this
period, in which they are clad, the gentleman is presenting to the lady a nosegay, and she invites his interest in the excessively
lofty coiffure which she is wearing.
"Permit me to present your ladyship with this boquet — it has been to Warren's, doubly perfumed and scented; so that positively, my
lady, it has not the least of the vulgar odour of the flowers." "I vow, Sir Harry, you are a man of such nice sensations that you would
do honour to nobility. I am surprised you have hitherto been overlooked in the creation of Lords." "To be sure, my lady, my taste has
never yet been called into question. It was I who first dethroned those abominable monsters the Bucks, and established the reign of the
Macaronies — who first improved upon the Poudre á la maréchale by throwing in a dash of the violet. This hat your ladyship sees is of
my own cocking — those barbarians the hatters have no more idea of de retrousser un chapeau' for a man of genuine taste, than they know
how to wear it, and send it home with the smell of the dye, almost sufficient to make one faint. I always order my valet to give it a
thorough perfume before it comes into my presence." "0 ! exquisite refinement —w hat do you think of my cap?" "Amazing, my lady, beyond
description — yet had it been but an inch higher, it would have been at the very summit of the mode - you would then have been unable
to come into a room without stooping, or riding in a coach without the top being heightened." "You see, Sir Harry, I have anticipated
you: that upon the table is two inches higher; I shall wear it tomorrow night at the Pantheon." "I hope I shall have the felicity of
your ladyship's hand to walk a minuet. We shall have all eyes upon us, no doubt!" "I beg, Sir Harry, that your club may be increased in
proportion to my head, else we shall not be fit partners." "My lady, I shall have it as large again — my toupee shall be heightened
three inches." "You will then, Sir Harry, be the emperor of the Macaronies." "And you, my lady, their empress."
In a print of the period of the French lady in London, by J. H. Grimm, published by Carrington
Bowles, who appears to have been somewhat of a wag amongst publishers, devoting himself to the curious and extraordinary, the lady is
seen bowing as she enters the room, the head-dress reaching to the top of the ceiling. The good man of the house is so astonished and
overcome that he falls to the ground, bringing the table with him. A large picture upon the wall represents the Peak of Teneriffe.
Another print, issued by the same publisher, representing the fashionable head-dresses for
the year 1776, shows two ladies out walking, attended by their black servant, with head-dresses two yards high.
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