_ERRATA._ Page 1 line 5 For _consider it_, read _consider them_. ibid — 10 For _and_, read _or_. — 41 note {29} For _longuam_, read _longam_. — 56 — After the Imitation of the French lines, read _AGAIN._ (BY A FRIEND.) The reason why men should have beards on their face, And that tattling women have none, Is, the Devil can’t shave such a chattering race, But he’d cut their glib cheeks to the bone. — 58 — 13 For “the course of her wise operations _are_ never,” read “the course of her wise operations _is_ never.” — 74 — 13 For _St. Clemet_, read _St. Clement_. — 83 — 11 For _weairng_, read _wearing_. — 87 — 22 ┃ — 88 note {55} ┃For _Tertullion_, read _Tertullian_. — 89 line 15 ┃ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------- POGONOLOGIA, Or a Philosophical and Historical _ESSAY ON BEARDS_. -------------------------------------------------- CHAP. I. _Of FASHION._ IF we were well persuaded that most new fashions are invented to hide some secret imperfections of the body, or to satisfy the avidity of shopkeepers, it is most likely we should consider it of less importance; for, if we seek the cause of these changes, we find in general it proceeds from the ingenious ardour of a milliner, the bad shape of some fine lady, the long visage of a second, and the broad foot of a beau parson. The first woman that ever wore a _fardingale_ wanted to conceal the indiscreet fruit of her gallantry. This sort of hoop, of a cylindrical form, entirely concealed the waist. In a little time all the ladies followed this example; and every fashionable fair-one appeared as if her lover had brought her in the same situation as she that introduced the fashion. The great large ruffs, which looked like a glory about the people’s necks, in the time of Henry IV.[2] were invented in Spain to hide the hernia gutturis, a very common disorder among the Spaniards. Though the French had not this disorder, they eagerly adopted the new fashion.