Hairdressing, He addressing

(Costume.) The adornment of the hair, and the forming of it into fantastic shapes, has been practised by women in all ages, and in no direction have the caprices of fashion been more strikingly displayed than in disposing this natural covering of the head. The early Hebrew women gloried in their luxuriant tre es, plaiting them, and adorning their heads with ornaments of gold, silver, and precious stones. The Greeks allowed their hair to grow to a great length, while the Egyptians often removed it as an incumbrance. There is no "fashion" connected with the hair, in vogue at the present time, which is new. It is not a modern idea to resort to borrowed or "false" hair to satisfy the caprices of fashion, neither is it to dye the hair, or dre it with unguents and oily substances. The Greek, Egyptian, Cart hag in i an, and Roman ladies, more than twenty-five centuries ago, made use of the most extravagant quantities of borrowed hair, and they wound it into large protuberances upon the back of their heads, and to keep it in place used "hair-pins" of precisely the form as in use at the present soaking the hair with a solution of sulphide of pot as sium, the darkne of the color depending on the strength of this solution; when partly dry, the hair is saturated with a solution of nitrate of silver. A very permanent dye is thus produced, needing only to be renewed as the growth of new hair becomes conspicuous. The frequent use of oils, bear's grease, arctusine, pomades, lustrals, rosemary washes, ., upon the hair, is a practice not to be commended. All of these oils and greasy pomades are manufactured from lard-oil and simple lard or other similar oily substances. There are many persons whose hair is naturally dry and crisp, and in most families there is a want of some innocent and agreeable wash or dre ing which may be used moderately and judiciously. The mixture which may be regarded as the most agreeable, cleanly, and safe is composed of Cologne spirit and pure castor-oil. The following is a good formula: Pure, fresh castor-oil, 2 oz. Cologne spirit (95 per cent), 16 oz. The oil is freely di olved in the spirit, and the solution is clear and beautiful. It may be perfumed in any way to suit the fancy of the purchaser. The oil of the castor be an has for many years been employed to dre the hair, both among the savage and civilized nations, and it po e es properties which admirably adapt it to this use. It does not rapidly dry, and no gummy, offensive residuum remains after taking on the chemical changes which occur in all oils upon exposure to light and air. It is best diffused by the agency of strong spirit, in which it di olves. The alcohol or spirit rapidly evaporates, and does not in the slightest degree injure the texture of the hair. This preparation, for dre ing the hair of children or ladies, will meet nearly or quite all requirements. Hair'ed, a. Having hair; hairy. Hair'-glove, n. A glove made of horse-hair, used while bathing to excite the action of the skin.