at other times they defend themselves from the sun or rain by fans or umbrellas. Their hair is universally black; and such a sameness of fashion reigns throughout this whole empire, that the head-dress is the same from the emperor to the peasant. The mode of the men's head-dress is singular; the middle part of their heads, from the forehead very far back, is close shaven; the hair remaining round the temples and nape of the neck is turned up and tied upon the top of the head into a kind of brush, about as long as a finger; this brush is again lapped round with white thread, and bent a little backwards. The women preserve all their hair, and, drawing it together on the top of the head, roll it round a loop, and, fastening it down with pins, to which ornaments are affixed, draw out the sides till they appear like little wings; behind this a comb is stuck in. Physicians and priests are the only exceptions to the general fashion; they shave their heads entirely, and are by that means distinguished from the rest of the people."

THE

TOILETTE IN PALESTINE AND SYRIA.

CHAPTER XLVI.

N Dr. Clarke's "Manners and Customs of the Ancient Israelites," he says, that "the shape of their dress cannot be exactly known. There is every reason to suppose that it was similar to that of the ancient Egyptians, which consisted of a tunic, a pallium or cloak, and a girdle." All ancient nations seem to have had the same costume, formed of long garments, without much shape or ornament; and as these were all much alike, they descended from father to son for many generations. The colours most valued among the ancients appear to have been purple, red, and violet, but white was the most used by the Israelites. Young people wore variegated clothes, like the

H H

coat of Joseph (Gen. xxxvii. 23).

"And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph of his coat, his coat of many colours, that was on him."

Their garments, however, were richly ornamented with fringes, borders of colour or embroidery, and jewels; and they were ordered to put borders on their robes, to remind them continually of the law of God. On their heads they wore a sort of tiara, like that of the Persians, for, among this people, to be bare-headed was a sign of mourning. Their hair was long, for shaving the head marked sorrow and affliction.

In the Scriptures, in various parts, we find descriptions of the manner in which the Jewish women attired themselves. We read in Ezekiel of the fine stuffs of different colours, a silken girdle, purple shoes, bracelets, a necklace, ear-rings, and a crown or mitre ; and in Isaiah, iii. 18, &c. we have a long account of their costume in all its varieties, when the prophet reproaches the daughters of Sion for their vanity and corruption; and truly, at that time, the love of dress and ornament must have been very prevalent, as we find by the numerous accessories to their toilette enumerated by the prophet.

In an old book on Palestine, written by Fuller, in 1650, we have a full account of the Jewish dress, taken from the Bible, and describing all the forms and peculiarities of their costume with the greatest precision. "At first," he says, "the habits of this persecuted people were made of raw hides, such as sheepskins and goat-skins; secondly, leather, as the girdle of Elijah; thirdly, hair cloth; fourthly, coarse hemp, for mourners; fifthly, fine linen, very fashionable in

those parts, silk, cloth, scarlet, wrought gold, woollen, and jewels. As for the shape and making of the Jewish garments, they were no affecters of various fashions, but kept to the same form for many ages. Indeed, their clothes, being for the most part loose vestments, not exactly fitting to their bodies, but only cast over, wrapped about, or girded unto them, the less curiosity was required in their making. And because we meet not with the trade of a tailor mentioned all through the Scriptures, it seems anciently no distinct occupation among the Jews, being probable the men or their wives made their own clothes. Thus the state and gallantry of the Jews consisted not in changeable fashions, but in their various changes, orient colours, costly matter, and curious embroideries."

"Next to their skins," the same author observes, "the Jews wore linen, over that a coat which came down to their very feet, accounted modest, grave, yea, honourable among them."

These coats, it appears, were fastened with girdles about the waist, and had collars at the neck; they also had a fringe of blue round the skirts. Over this coat, when they went abroad, they wore a mantle or cloak.

Different vocations and degrees of people among the Jews were, however, differently apparelled; and when the luxuries of the East Indies, such as silk, came among them, they were not backward in using them for the adorning of their persons. It is said that they wore hats, though the shape of this covering for the head is never mentioned. Their legs were generally bare, and on their feet they wore sandals, and in winter, shoes, frequently made of the badger's skin.

They wore chains, bracelets, and signet-rings, but no other ornaments.

The dress of the Jewish women was splendid with gold and embroidery. The Queen of Judea was arrayed in a garment of wrought gold. "Thus," observes Fuller, "such gallantry was fashionable amongst the Jews, long before any thereof was used in the western parts, or Rome itself; indeed, a mantle of cloth of gold we find mentioned by Pliny as a great novelty, though such a one had been worn by the Jewish queens a thousand years before."

Their trousers and tunics were made of fine linen, and rich silks embroidered in gold and jewels; they wore also a veil, which fell over the whole person down to the feet. The anklets of gold or silver, often alluded to in Scripture, were very heavy, and made a ringing sound as the wearer walked. The pride and pleasure that the Jewish ladies took in making a tinkling with these ornaments, is severely reproved by the prophet Isaiah. It is supposed that the caul alluded to by the prophet was intended to describe the peculiar manner of dressing the hair. It was at that time divided into tresses plaited with silk threads, gold ornaments, and golden coins.

Besides the anklets, the Jewish women wore earrings, nose-jewels, chains of silver and gold, and bracelets. The ear-rings probably contained a verse from the Scriptures, to serve as an amulet or charm, in which most Orientals place much faith, as they believe these amulets have power to avert evils and obtain blessings. They also wore from the waist boxes or bottles containing rich perfume; these they fastened to a chain and hung to their girdles. The