In more recent times we have particulars of several instances of both
bench and bar discarding the use of the wig. At the Summer Assizes at
Lancaster, in 1819, a barrister named Mr. Scarlett hurried into court, and
was permitted to take part in a trial without his wig and gown. Next day
the whole of the members of the bar appeared without their professional
badges, but only on this occasion, although on the previous day a hope had
been expressed that the time was not far distant when the mummeries of
costume would be entirely discarded.
We learn from a report in the _Times_ of July 24th, 1868, that on account
of the unprecedented heat of the weather on the day before in the Court of
Probate and Divorce the learned judge and bar appeared without wigs.
On July 22nd, 1874, it is recorded that Dr. Kenealy rose to open the case
for the defence in the Tichborne suit; he sought and obtained permission,
to remove his wig on account of the excessive heat.
Towards the close of the last century few were the young men at the
Universities who ventured to wear their own hair, and such as did were
designated Apollos.
Women, as well as men, called into requisition, to add to their charms,
artificial accessories in the form of wigs and curls. Ladies' hair was
curled and frizzed with considerable care, and frequently false curls were
worn under the name of heart-breakers. It will be seen from the
illustration we give that these curls increased the beauty of a pretty
face.
[Illustration: HEART-BREAKERS.]
Queen Elizabeth, we gather from Hentzner and other authorities, wore false
hair. We are told that ladies, in compliment to her, dyed their hair a
sandy hue, the natural colour of the Queen's locks.
[Illustration: A BARBER'S SHOP IN THE TIME OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.]
We present a picture of a barber's shop in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
It looks more like the home of a magician than the workshop of a
hairdresser, although we see the barber thoughtfully employed on a wig.
The barber at this period was an important man. A few of his duties
consisted in dressing wigs, using the razor, cutting hair, starching
beards, curling moustachios, tying up love-locks, dressing sword-wounds
received in street frays, and the last, and by no means the least, of his
varied functions was that of receiver and circulator of news and scandal.
It is recorded that Mary Queen of Scots obtained wigs from Edinburgh not
merely while in Scotland, but during her long and weary captivity in
England. From "The True Report of the Last Moments of Mary Stuart," it
appears, when the executioner lifted the head by the hair to show it to
the spectators, it fell from his hands owing to the hair being false.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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