_J. Mynde Sc._] [Illustration: _facing page 101_ Pl. XVI _Miller del. et sc._] A particular description of their dress, as it would be foreign to my purpose, so it would carry me beyond my proposed limits. Some tolerable idea of it may be gathered from Plate XIV. XV. and XVI.[454]. All that I shall say, therefore, on this head is, that, notwithstanding their peculiar attachment to ancient customs, they are of late become not a little extravagant in this article. And though their fashions do not alter so quick as in _Europe_, yet they do alter, and that not seldom. Such of their singularities, however, in respect to dress and ornament, as seem more immediately to regard their health, it may be proper to mention. Some of the old men dye their beards, and the old women their hair, of a red colour, with henna, which gives them a very whimsical appearance; and many of the men dye their beards black, to conceal their age[455]. Few of the women paint, except among the _Jews_, and such as are common prostitutes; but they generally black their eye-brows, or rather make artificial ones, with a certain composition which they call _hattat_[456]. This practice, however, is daily declining. Upon a principle of strengthening the sight, as well as an ornament, it is become a general practice among the women, to black the inside of their eye-lids, by applying a powder called _ismed_[457]. Their method of doing it is by a cylindrical piece of silver, steel, or ivory, about two inches long, made very smooth, and about the size of a common probe. This they wet with water, in order that the powder may stick to it; and applying the middle part horizontally to the eye, they shut the eye-lids upon it, and so drawing it through between them, it blacks the inside, leaving a narrow black rim all round the edge. This is sometimes practised by the men, but is then regarded as foppish. Another singular method of adorning themselves the women have, which is, by dying their feet and hands with henna; which is brought in great quantities from _Egypt_, chiefly for that purpose, as the practice is general amongst all sects and conditions. The common way is only to dye the tips of the fingers and toes, and some few spots upon the hands and feet, and leave them of a dirty yellow colour, the natural tincture from the henna, which to a _European_ looks very disagreeable. But the more polite manner is to have the greatest part of the hands and feet stained in form of roses, and various figures, and the dye made of a very dark green[458]. This however, after some days, begins to change, and at last looks as nasty as the other.