CHAP. IV.Ofbearded Women.

A Woman with a beard on her chin is one of those extraordinary deviations with which nature presents us every day; as to those women who, in order to pass for men, have put on false beards, it was in consequence of some particular circumstance: that there have been others whose character, seconded by nature, made them regard a long beard as an honourable phenomenon for their sex, must seem at this time more extraordinary; but it would appear almost incredible that the eagerness of women to command should prompt them to make use of artificial means to have a beard on their chin, and, by this usurpation, to dispute with man the symbol of his sovereignty, and that, to put a stop to this disorder, the laws should have interfered, if the authenticity of the evidence which we have left did not put it beyond a doubt.

It is Cicero himself who gives an account of this singular law, instituted to prevent the women’s ever succeeding to get a beard: they are expressly forbidden by itto shave their cheeks. It is taken from the twelve Tables; the following are the words:Mulieres genas ne radunto. Let not women presume to shave their cheeks.[36]

36.Cicero,de Legibus.Lib.ii.

If the abuse which was the cause of this law is one of the greatest encomiums on beards, it presents us however with room for comparison. The women of the present day are every wit as envious of commanding, as those of whom Cicero speaks; but their means are very different.

It is beyond a doubt that the women of those days were very far from disliking a beard. The Venus of Cyprus, (whom the ancient Greeks represented with a bushy beard on her chin,) seems to strengthen this assertion.

As to bearded women, and those who have done themselves the honour of appearing so, we have several examples.

In the cabinet of curiosities ofStutgardin Germany, there is the portrait of a woman calledBartel Graetje, whose chin is covered with a very large beard: she was drawn in 1587, at which time she was but twenty-five years of age. There is likewise in the same cabinet another portrait of her when she was more advanced in life, but likewise with a beard.

It is said that the duke of Saxony had the portrait of a poor Swiss woman taken, remarkable for her long, bushy beard; and those who were at the carnival at Venice in 1726, saw a female dancer astonish the spectators, as much by her talents, as by her chin covered with a black, bushy beard.

Charles XII. had in his army a female grenadier: it was neither courage nor a beard that she wanted to be a man. She was taken at the battle of Pultoway, and carried to Petersburg, where she was presented to the czar in 1724: her beard measured a yard and half[37].

37.Russian measure.

We read in Trévoux’s dictionary, that there was a woman seen at Paris, who had not only a bushy beard on her face, but her body likewise covered all over with hair. Among a number of other examples of this nature, that of Margaret, the governess of the Netherlands, is very remarkable: she had a very long, stiff beard, which she prided herself on; and being persuaded that it contributed to give her an air of majesty, she took great care not to lose a hair of it. This Margaret was a very great woman.

It is said that the Lombard women, when they were at war, made themselves beards with the hair of their heads, which they ingeniously arranged on their cheeks, in order that the enemy, deceived by the likeness, might take them for men. It is asserted, afterSuidas, that, in a similar case, the Athenian women did as much.[38]These women were more men than our Jemmy-Jessamy countrymen.

38.[Greek: Pogonias],sive de barbâ Dialogus Antonii Hotomanni.

About a century ago the ladies adopted the mode of dressing their hair in such a manner that curls hung down their cheeks as far as their bosom. These curls went by the name ofwhiskers.[39]This custom undoubtedly was not invented, after the example of the Lombard women, to fright the men. Neither is it with intention to carry on a very bloody war, that, in our time, they have affected to bring forward the hair of the temple on the cheeks. The discovery seems to have been a fortunate one: it gives you a tempting, roguish, pleasing look, of which the ladies are very fond at present.

39.Servants, and citizens’ wives, who worewhiskerslike ladies of fashion, were attacked without mercy.See Trevoux’s dict.

Some wits have made themselves merry at the women’s not having a beard on their chin like the men: they pretended that it was impossible to shave them without bringing blood, because it is very difficult for the fair-sex to keep their tongues silent a moment. This thought has pleased so much that it has been put into Greek, Latin, Italian, and French verse. Here is the French.[40]

40.See le Menagiana, tom. iv. pag. 206.

Sais-tu pourquoi, cher camarade,Le beau sexe n’est point barbu?Babillard comme il est, on n’auroit jamais puLe raser sans estafilade.

Sais-tu pourquoi, cher camarade,

Le beau sexe n’est point barbu?

Babillard comme il est, on n’auroit jamais pu

Le raser sans estafilade.

IMITATED.

Know’st thou why my dear companionLadies have not beards like us?Talking always, who could shave them,Without gashing them the deuce.

Know’st thou why my dear companion

Ladies have not beards like us?

Talking always, who could shave them,

Without gashing them the deuce.

AGAIN.(By a Friend.)

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.

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.

What has been rendered sometimes supportable by circumstances, an extravagant taste, the desire of being distinguished from the crowd, or to command their attention; true taste, and especially the art of pleasing, has always proscribed. We meet with women every day whose features are shaded with this ornament of virility. But very far from priding themselves on this superfluity of nature, they regard it as a blemish to be ashamed of, which they endeavour to eradicate. How many brunetts especially[41]are obliged, in the secret moments of their toilet, to make use of!... But let us by no means reveal these mysterious operations; they have a right to expect our indulgence, as they tend to please us: moreover, a woman may very well be pardoned for correcting this deviation of nature, since the men are not ashamed to disfigure her.

41.The number is greater than people think. We have at present a heroine whose dignities of warrior, juris-consult, man of letters, and minister, as well as a bearded chin, concealed her sex a long time from her countrymen.

It is as ridiculous for a man to look like a woman, as for a woman to look like a man. However, a man without a beard would be much less surprising now-a-days, than a bearded woman, which proves how unnatural our tastes and customs are.

Back to Index Next