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Z.  SMITH  REYNOLDS 
FOUNDATION 

COLLECTION  IN 
SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/bookofperfumesOOrimm 


5  H 


9 


PREFACE. 


LTHOTJGH  I  am  aware  thai  Prefaces  are 
out  of  fashion,  and  that  it  is  now  custo- 
mary to  plunge  at  once  in  media*  res,  I  feel 
J/s^y^xQa  l)0luul  in  this  instance  to  deviate  from  the 
general  rule,  and  to  explain  how  I  was  led  to  emerge 
from  the  depths  of  my  laboratory,  and  to  appear  thus 
before  the  public  in  an  entirely  new  character.  Four 
years  ago,  I  had  to  prepare  for  the  Society  of  Arts 
a  paper  on  "The  Art  of  Perfumery,  its  History  and 
Commercial  Development,"  and,  to  qualify  myself  for  the 
task,  I  was  forced  to  devour  a  huge  pile  of  big  book* 
in  order  to  ascertain  through  what  mysterious  arts  the 
Ancients  ministered  to  the  gratification  of  their  olfac- 
tory sense,  and  to  the  embellishment  of  "the  human 
face  divine."  Two  years  later,  I  was  called  upon 
to  form  part  of  the  Jury  at  the  Great  Exhibition, 
and  to  draw  up  the  official  report  of  the  Perfumer; 
class.  The  researches  I  had  to  make  on  the  former 
occasion,  and  the  observations  I  gathered  on  the  latter, 
gave  me  a  complete  insight  into  the  world  of  "sweet 
smells,"  both  ancient  and  modern;  and,  thinking  that 
the   notes   T   had   thus  collected,   combined   with  the 


Sit     m^^^^m 


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results  of  my  experience  as  a  practical  perfumer,  and 
of  my  rambles  in  foreign  lands,  might  prove  in- 
teresting to  some  readers,  and  especially  to  ladies, 
I  published  in  the  "Englishwoman's  Magazine"  a 
series  of  articles  on  the  "  History  of  Perfumery  and 
the  Toilet."  These  few  stray  leaves  having  met  witli 
a  much  more  favourable  reception  than  I  had  pre- 
sumed to  anticipate,  I  have  been  induced  to  re-publish 
them  in  the  shape  of  a  book,  adding  thereto  a  great 
deal  of  fresh  matter,  and  numerous  illustrations. 

Many  writers  have  already  exercised  their  pen  on 
the  subject  of  Perfumery,  from  Aspasia,  the  wife  of 
Pericles,  to  Mr.  Charles  Lilly,  the  Perfumer,  of  the 
Strand,  at  the  corner  of  Beaufort  Buildings,  whose  pre- 
mises I  have  now  the  honour  of  occupying,  and  whose 
name  was  immortalized  in  the  "Tatler,"  and  other 
magazines  of  the  period.  The  list  of  these  works 
would  be  long  and  tedious,  and  those  that  are  worth 
noticing  will  be  found  chronicled  in  their  proper  place 
in  the  following  juages. 

Modern  books  on  Perfumery  may  be  divided  into 
two  classes,  some  being  simply  books  of  recipes,  laying 
claim  to  a  useful  purpose  which,  however,  they  do  not 
fulfil,  since  they  contain  nothing  but  antiquated 
formulas  long  discarded  by  intelligent  practitioners ; 
and  others  being  what  our  neighbours  call  reclames, 
namely,  works  written  in  a  high-flown  style,  but  inva- 
riably terminating  en  queue  dc  poisson,  with  the  praise 
of  some  preparation  manufactured  by  the  author. 

Besides    these   productions,    articles    on    Perfumery 


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have  occasionally  appeared  in  periodicals ;  but  though 
some  of  them  are  handled  with  evident  talent,  the 
want  of  technical  knowledge  on  the  pari  of  the  writers 
considerably  impairs  their  value.  I  may  mention  as 
an  instance  an  essay  of  that  kind  lately  published  by 
the  "Grand  Journal,"  in  which  a  certain  Parisian 
doctor  gravely  asserts  that  rouge  is  made  of  ver- 
milion, and  commits  numerous  oilier  blunders,  which 
may  pass  unnoticed  by  the  general  public,  bul  which 
in  the  eye  of  a  practical  man,  denote  his  utter  igno- 
rance of  the  subject  he  attempted  to  treat. 

In  writing  this  book,  I  have  endeavoured  to  steer 
clear  of  these  objections,  by  adopting  the  following 
plan,  which  will  be  found  to  differ  entirely  from  those 
.■>f  my  predecOBBOra.  After  devoting  a  few  pages  to 
the  physiology  of  odours  in  general,  I  trace  the  his- 
tory of  perfumes  and  cosmetics  from  the  earliest  times 
to  the  present  period,  and  that  is  the  principal  feature 
of  my  work.  I  then  briefly  describe  the  various  modes 
in  use  for  extracting  the  aromas  from  plants  and 
Bowers,  and  conclude  with  a  summary  of  the  principal 
fragrant  materials  used  in  our  manufacture ;  in  true, 
I  give  all  the  information  which  I  think  likely  to 
interest  the  general  reader.  The  only  recipes  which 
I  quote  are  those  which  I  think,  from  their  qoaintness, 
likely  to  amuse,  but  I  abstain  from  giving  modern 
formula?,  for  the  following  reasons,  which  I  hope  ina\ 
appear  sutiicii nt  : 

There  was  a  time  when  ladies  had  a  private  still- 
room   of   their  own,   and   personally   superintended   the 


^~-         •  fit*         ^tiSM@m&: 


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various  "  confections "  used  for  their  toilet ;  but  it 
was  then  almost  a  matter  of  necessity,  since  native 
perfumers  were  scarce,  and  exotic  preparations  ex- 
pensive and  difficult  to  procure.  Such  is  not  the 
case  now :  good  perfumers  and  good  perfumes  are 
abundant  enough  ;  and,  with  the  best  recipes  in  the 
world,  ladies  would  be  unable  to  equal  the  productions 
of  our  laboratories,  for  how  could  they  procure  the 
various  materials  which  we  receive  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  ?  And  were  they  even  to  succeed  in  so  doing, 
there  would  still  be  wanting  the  necessary  utensils 
and  the  modus  faciendi,  which  is  not  easily  acquired. 
I  understand  the  use  of  a  cookery-book,  for  the 
culinary  art  is  one  that  must  be  practised  at  home. 
but  perfumery  can  always  be  bought  much  better 
and  cheaper  from  dealers,  than  it  could  be  manufac- 
tured privately  by  untutored  persons. 

The  recipes,  therefore,  admitting  them  to  be  genuine, 
would  only  be  of  use  to  those  who  follow  the  same 
pursuit  as  myself.  But  is  it  to  be  reasonably  ex- 
pected that,  after  spending  my  life  in  perfecting  my 
art,  I  am  thus  to  throw  away  the  result  of  my 
labours  in  a  fit  of  Quixotic  generosity  ?  Had  I  dis- 
covered some  means  of  alleviating  the  sufferings  of 
my  fellow-creatures,  I  should  think  myself  in  duty 
bound  to  divulge  my  secret  for  the  benefit  of  hu- 
manity at  large;  but  I  do  not  feel  impelled  by  the 
same  considerations  to  give  to  niy  rivals  in  trade  the 
benefit  of  my  practical  experience,  for  then,  indeed, 
"Othello's  occupation"  would  be  "gone."    This  may  be 


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though!  by  some  a  selfish  way  of  reasoning ;  but  on 
due  reflection,  they  will  Hud  thai  I  am  only  more  sincere 
than  those  who  appear  to  act  differently.  As  a  proof, 
I  need  but  point  out  the  inconsistency  of  a  perfumer 
who  claims  some  superiority  for  his  art  in  compounding, 
and  who,  at  the  same  time,  explains  by  what  means 
he  attains  that  superiority.  Is  he  not  at  once  de- 
stroying his  prestige  if  he  professes  to  enable  others 
to  manufacture  just  as  well  as  himself P  The  con- 
clusion of  all  this  is,  that  the  recipes  given  in  books 
are  never  those  actually  used;  and  I  say,  therefore, 
cui  bono  ? 

If  I  have  avoided  recipes,  1  have  also  shunned  any 
allusions  to  my  personal  trade.  As  a  man  of  business, 
I  do  not  underrate  the  value  of  advertisements;  but 
I  like  everything  in  its  place,  and  consider  this  hybrid 
mixture  of  literature  and  putt',  an  insult  to  the  good 
sense  of  the  reader. 

Before  I  close  this  brief  address,  I  wish  to  acknow- 
ledge, with  bed  thanks,  the  aaaiBtance  1  have  receiyed 
in  the  shape  of  very  interesting  notes,  from  many  oi 
my  friends  and  correspondents,  among  whom  I  max 
mention,  Mr.  Edward  Greey,  of  the  Royal  West 
India  Mail  Company;  Mr.  Chapelie,  of  Tunis;  Mr. 
Thnnot,  of  Tahiti;  Mr.  Schmidt,  of  Shang-llae;  Mr. 
Ekingre,  of  Manilla;  Professor  Mnller,  of  Melbourne; 
Mr.  Hannaford,  of  Madras;  and  last,  not  least,  Mr.  S. 
Henry  Berthoud,  the  eminent  French  litterateur,  who 
very  kindly  placed  his  unique  museum  at  my  disposal. 
I   have  also  found  some  valuable  information  in   thl 


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following  books  (besides  others  mentioned  in  the  course 
of  the  work)  : — Sir  Gardner  Wilkinson's  "  Ancient 
Egyptians;"  Mr.  Layard's  "Xineveh;"  Mr.  Eastwiek's 
excellent  translations  of  Sadi's  "  Gulistiiu,"  and  the 
"  AnTar-i  SuhaiH;"  Mr.  Monier  "Williams's  no  less 
admirable  adaptation  of  "  Sakoontala  ; "  Consul  Pethe- 
rick's  "  Egypt,  the  Soudan,  and  Central  Africa ;"  Dr. 
Livingstone's  "Travels,"  and  Mr.  Wright's  "  Domestic 
Manners  and  Sentiments  During  the  Middle  Ages." 
I  have  not  the  honour  of  knowing  these  authors,  but 
I  hope  they  will  excuse  me  for  having  borrowed 
from  them  what  belonged  to  my  subject. 

In  conclusion,  I  crave  for  this  offspring  of  mv  leisure 
hours  (which  are  but  few),  the  same  indulgence  which 
has  been  shown  to  the  objects  contained  in  the  Work- 
men's Exhibitions  lately  held  in  various  parts  of  the 
Metropolis,  in  which  the  labour  and  difficulty  in  pro- 
ducing an  article  is  more  taken  into  account  than  the 
actual  merit  of  the  production.  Mine  is  a  plain,  un- 
varnished tale,  without  any  literary  pretension  what- 
ever ;  and  if  I  have  picked  up  a  few  gems  on  my  way, 
and  inserted  them  in  my  mosaic  work,  I  claim  but  to 
be  the  humble  cement  which  holds  them  together. 

EUGENE  EIMMEL. 


1= 


96,  Stra.vd,  \oth  Deefmber,  1864 


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CHAPTER  I. 
Physiology  OP  Pi  Bl  OKES. 

The  sense  of  smell— Origin  of  Perfumery— The  Perfumer"*  art- 
Perfumea  need  al  iir-t  I  -PI"  ofthi*  work— Nature  ol 

odours— Moral  cloak— <  of  odoorB— Influence  of  scent* 

,,„    memorj—  Kedicuial   prop  '  "  perfnmeB  by  the 

-Flower*  more  injurioua  than  perrbmee— Natural  in 
prefer  pleasant  odours 


CHAPTER  II. 
Tin;  EOSPTXANS. 

Perfumes  applied  to  three  distinct  purposes  in  Egypt— Religious 
-The  geared  Lull,  Apia— Ointment*  ,  Bared  to  the  gods— The 

Oasis— Pr bsubib— Kings anointed  -'■ 

for  .iiit.iihniim'  the  dead— Inoenaa  and  honors  paid  to  mummies— 

raaae— Animal*  embalmed— Modern  mode  of  embaln 

its —  The  Brrf  perfnmeBi— Cosmetic*  oaed  by  ladiea— The 

toilet  of  an  Egyptian  belle— Cleopatra  and  Mark  Antony— Egyptian 

,ini,,.  .,-  scene— The  hair  and  beard— 

. — Ladies'  head-dresses lj 


t 


1 


CHAPTER    III. 


Noah'*  sacrifice— Balm  of  Gilead— Altar  of  incense— Holy  incense 
and  anointing  oil— Jewish  knurs  anointad  OUcto,  onyohs,  and  gal- 
Ihiiiiiii  rwltiM  against  oaing  holy  perfume*  fat  printe  purposes— 
Purification  of  wameor-Eathei  and  a  ha  menu — Judith  and  II.  I  - 


■VJ^S> 


CONTENTS. 


femes — Solomon's  Song — Aromatics  used  by  the  Jews — Camphire — 
Spikenard — Saffron  —  Frankincense — Myrrh  —  Aloes  —  Clothes  and 
beds  perfumed— Aromatic  plants  abundant  in  Judaea — Anointing — 
Embalming — Soap  not  known  by  the  Jews — Cosmetics  and  toilet 
implements — Jewish  customs  preserved  in  the  Holy  Land — Jewish 
ornaments — Mode  of  wearing  the  hair — King  Solomon's  pages  ...    37 


■-? 


a ! 


3 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Ancient  Asiatic  Nations. 

The  garden  of  Eden — Ancient  authors  and  modern  discoveries — 
Assyrian  deities  and  worship — The  temple  of  Belus — Nimrod's  altar — 
Zoroaster — Origin  of  the  sacred  fire — Sardanapalus — Nineveh  and 
Babylon  —  The  hanging  gardens  —  Babylonian  perfumes  and  cos- 
metics— Parsondes  and  Nanarus — Astyages  and  Cyrus — The  Persians — 
Darius  and  his  perfume-chest — Antiochus  Epiphanes — A  "sweet" 
monarch — The  Lydians — The  hair  and  beard — Ladies'  head-dresses — 
The  marriage -market  at  Babylon — Mausolus,  and  his  little  specu- 
lation      59 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Greeks. 

Greek  deities  and  sacrifices — Eleusinian  mysteries — Juno's  toilet — 
Pallas  and  Penelope — Phaon's  transformation — Medea's  renovating 
process — Origin  of  Greek  perfumery — Diogenes'  notions  about  scents — 
List  of  Greek  perfumes — Athenian  perfumers — Grecian  entertain- 
ments— Socrates'  horror  of  scents  and  baths — Milto — Greek  cosmetics 
and  hair  dye — Lais  and  Myron — Funeral  rites — Anaereon's  wish — 
The  toilet  tribunal — Grecian  ladies'  head-dresses — Hair  cut  off  in 
mourning , 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Romans. 

Early  Roman  sacrifices — Religious  worship  and  funeral  rites — 
Tieinus  Menas — Lucius  Plotius — The  Roman  emperors'  taste  for  per- 
fumes— Roman  baths — The  Emperor  Hadrian — Caracalla's  laths — 
A  matron  at  her  toilette — Roman  perfumes  and  cosmetics — Roman 
perfumers — Catullus  and  Martial — -A  Roman  beau — Poppnea's  fifty 
asses — Ovid's  book  on  cosmetics — Hair  dyes — Modes  of  dressing  the 
hair — Otho's  wig — Phcebus's  expedient 97 


Jl 


Jr 


N;v, 


• 


CHATTER    VII. 

The  Orikntals. 

Tho  Eastern  Empire — Tho  Arabs— Avieenna — The  invention  of 
rose-water — Oriental  courtesies — Censer  and  CuilaMan  — -Mahomet's 
Paradise— Musky  walls— Turkish  baths— Scented  clay  used  as  soap— 
gadi'a  "  <  Julist.in  " — llatiz's  love  of  flowers — Tanjtakh  and  Yezdijird — 
Turkisli  Indira  Tlist  of  Oriental  ooametica  ami  mode  of  preparing 
them — Eastern  modi'  of  wearing  the  hair — Tho  king  of  Persia's 
barber 1'^ 


V 


CHATTER   VIII. 

THE  Far  East. 

Perfumery    us 'd   in    India   2000  years  ago — Sakoontala — Sacred 
flioo    Ointmenta — Banna-— The  live  Hindu  heavens — Kama,  the 

Indian  Cupid— Religious  ceremonies— Tibetan  altar— O  i  hin-l 
sacrifices — Hindu  marriages  and  funerals — Origin  of  otto  of  roses — 
Indian  flowers  and  essences— Extracts  from  Indian  poems  relating 
to  flowers  and  perfumes— Hindu  perfumers  and  barbers—  I  noense  n  1 
by  Mussulmans— Exorcisms— Cosm. 'lies— Origin  of  soorma— Indian 
mode  of  dressing  the  hair— Himalayan  fashions— Chinese  censers — 
Chinese  funerals — Chinese  perfumers  and  cosmetics — Chinese  ill  iwers— 
Three  styles  of  coiffure  used  in  China— Japanese  perfumers  and  cos- 
metics—Japanese funerals— Style  of  hair-dressing  in  Japan  .     .     .     .139 


CHATTER   IX. 

Uncivii.izi.i)  Nations. 

Savage  modes  of  adornment — African  ointments — Tola  pomatum- 
Bridal  toilet  at  Fernando  To— African  head-dresses:  the  cocked-hat, 
nimbus,  and  shoe-brush  styles— The  Ounyamon.-ii— King  Radama's 
system  of  hair-cutting— Arab,  Nubian,  and  Abyssinian  coiffures— Tin- 
language  of  oyster-shells— A  begging  bridegroom— A  pal  on  the 
head  -A  hath  in  a  teacup— The  enamelling  process  in  Boodan— 
Fashions  in  Central  ifrioa— The  Neam-Xam  and  Oomo  peasants 
Bine  hair  and  red  skin— The  Tagall  and  l.oo-Choo  Islander 
Macaulay's  Now  Zealander— Tattooing  in  New  Zealand— The  artist's 
song— Embalmed  heads — Rainbow  style  of  hair  dyeing  in  Fec-jec — 
IWdcred  beaux— White  rrrru*  black— Nooka-hiva  and  Tahiti— Terra 
del  Fuego— South  American  Indians— Facial  painting  among  the 
Redskins — Indian  mourning 


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CHAPTER   X. 

From  Ancient  to  Modekn  Times. 

Gauls  and  Britons — The  Druids — Roman  conquest — Clovis — Char- 
lemagne— Sweet  rushes — Embalming — The  Crusades — Introduction 
of  rose-water — The  perfumers'  charter — Mediaeval  times — Hungary- 
water — The  Renaissance — Venetian  hair-dyes — Catherine  de  Medicis 
— The  secrets  of  Master  Alexis — Queen  Elizabeth — Pomanders — The 
boat  of  foolish  smells — Musk  and  civet — Casting-bottles — Perfumed 
ground — Aromatic  fumigations  —  Sweet  bellows — Bucklersbury  in 
Shakespeare's  time — Perfumery  hawkers — Charles  I. — The  Common- 
wealth—  Charles  II. —  Patches — Hair-powder  —  Louis  XIV. — The 
Prince  de  Conde's  snuff — Ancient  recipes — Louis  XV. — The  Georges 
— English  perfumers  of  the  last  century — French  charlatans — The 
hair  and  beard — Ladies'  head-dresses ISO 


CHAPTER  XI. 
The  Commercial  Uses  of  Flowers  and  Plants. 


Countries  whence  perfumery  materials  are  obtained  —  Proposed 
British  flower-farms — Distillation,  expression,  maceration,  and  ab- 
sorption—  Semeria's  new  system  of  enflairai/e  —  Fiver's  pneumatic 
apparatus — Millon's  percolating  process — Quantities  of  flowers  con- 
sumed— Manufacture  of  perfumery — London  and  Paris  perfumers — 
Scents,  toilet  soaps,  cosmetics,  etc. — Glycerine — Volatilisation  of  per- 
fumes— A  word  of  advice  to  ladies 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Materials  Used  in  Perfumery. 

The  animal  series,  musk,  civet,  aud  ambergris — The  floral,  herbal, 
andropogon,  citrine,  spicy,  ligneous,  radical,  seminal,  balmy,  fruity, 
and  artificial  series — New  materials — East  India  essences — Australian 
trees  and  flowers — Other  aromatic  products 241 


FRONTISPIECE— The   Siior   of  Rem:,    the    Perfumer,    on 
Pont-au-Cha.nge,  Pauls  to  face  tin    Till- . 

FRONTISPIECE  TO  CHAP.  I.— The  Floral  Would       to  fact 

Initial  A 

a  primitive  pl.efume  altar 

Egyitian  Princess  

Powdered  Belle  of  the  last  century     

Annua  Head-dress         

Lf.pcha  Head-dress        

Fi.oiial  Clock         

l.iNNKrs,  the  Botanist 

"The  Young  Arab"        

Perfumery  and  Toilet  Attributes  (Tail-piece) 

IK!  i.N'TISPIECE  TO  CHAP.  II.— An  Egyptian  Temple,  to  face 

Initial  L 

Mi  mmy  Pit 

Kiiamsis   III.  Sac  BOH  INcj  

Ki.Yi-HAN  OKU BHH8  (Tiro  Illustrations)  

Offerings  of  Ointment  (Tuo  Illustrations) 

l'i:n  sr  Pouring  Oil  over  a  Mummy  

Kmhu.ming  Mummies  (Perfuming  the  Body)     

KMBALMnra  Mi  mmies  (Binding  the  Body)  

Emuai  mim,  Mummies  (Painting  the  Case)  

1'iMKAi.  Vase  

Mi  mmy  in   a  Cat 

Ai.AiiASTiii  Vase  containing  Ointment       

oinimini    BatXM  (Four  Illustrations) 

OlNTMEM     BOS    WITH    f'.'MIWEI  Ml  \  ]- 


At 


OF    ILLUSTRATION-. 

A  Theban  Lady's  Dbessisg-case      

Kohl  Bottles  and  Bodkin  (Three  Illustrations)    

Chinese  Kohol  Bottle 

An  Egyptian  Lady  at  her  Toilet 

Egyptian  Mirrors  (Three  Illustrations)        

Egyptian  Mirror  with  Tyfhonlan  Handle       

Egyptlin  Comii     

Cleopatra  on  the  Cydncs      

Slave  Anointing  Guest 

An  Egyptian  Banquet     

Egyptian  Barbers  (Two  Illustrations)  

Egyptian  Wig,  from  the  Berlin  Collection     

Egyptian  AVig  in  the  British  Museum  (back  and  front  view] 

Beards  (Three  Illustrations)        

Egyptian  Ladies'  Head-dresses  (Tu-o  Illustrations)       

Egyptian  Head-dress  from  a  Mummy  Case       

Head-dresses  (Tail-piece)  


FRONTISPIECE    TO    CHAP.  III.- 
Land  


-A  Garden  is  the  Holy 

to  face 

Initial  jk 

The  Altar  of  Incense 

The  High  Priest  Offering  Incense  

Judith  Preparing  to  Meet  Holofernes 

Henna,  or  Camphire.  with  enlarged  leaf  and  flower 

Spikenard 

Saffron        

Frankincense        

The  Aloes  Tree 

An  Eastern  Marriage  Procession 

An  Eastern  Bride         

Jewish  Captives  at  Babylon 

Jewish  Censer  (Tail-piice)        

FRONTISPIECE  TO  CHAP.  IV.— The  Death  of  Sardasapalus      59 

Initial  T 

Baal,  or  BklOS      , 

astarte.  the  assyrian  venus  , 

Dagos,  or  the  Fish-God         

Altar  (Khorsabad)         


^n 


-.'- 


Nimrod's  Statue  and  Altaic 

Ai.tar  on  a  High  Place  

Assyrian  Altak  and  Priests  (Khorsahad)         

Sassanidk  Medal 

Parser  Altar        

Assyrian  Ointment  Boxes  (Tito  Illustration*)       

Assyrian    Perfume    Bottles,   with    cuneiform    inscription 

(Ximroud)   Tito  Illustrations 

Babylonian  Banquet      

IsVlNSE-BURNINO    BEFORE   A    KlNG    (  PeUSEPOL; 

Euro's  Head-dress  

I'VKIS'    III  AD-DKESS    (  Pi  RSEPOLIS)  

A~-yeian   Kar-rings  (Three  Illustrations)     ... 

BABYLONIAN   I. Aims  

Assyrian  \Vi\(.ed  Bill  [TaH-fieee] 

FRONTISPIECE  TO  CHAP.  V.— Venus"  Toilet 

Initial  X 

Private  Altar       

Patera  

Incense  Altar      

('■reek  Altar         

Alabaster  Scent-bottle         

Public  Washing  Basin 

Ladies'  Toilet  Basin      

Greek  Ladies  at  their  Toilet         

Bun  Girl  Painting     

Funereal  L'rns  (  Tiro  Illustrations) , 

Mitra  Head-dri.ssls  (Tline  Illustrations) 

Sakkos  Head-dress         

Korymbos  Head-dress   ...    " 

Strophos  Head-dresses  (Three  Illustrations)         

Ximiio  Head-dresses  (Three  Illustrations) 

Kri.di.mnon  Head-dress  

Tllnlll    HeaD-DRESS  

111. i.iK  Censer  (Tail-jiiici)  

FRONTISPIECE  TO  CHAP.  VI.— A  Roman  Lady's  Boudoir. 

Initial  R 

K'lN-i    Altar       


TT5^-' 


!^y 


.1ST   OK    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


4 


UAOIC   Kukri;  hit;    DaWI  I  OR   EXORCISM      

Minim     Hi;  ad-dri:-s  

Pocket  Coxa  I'sKii  iiv  Tiir.  Mich  TiiniK.s 

Statue  of  Providence  wptb  Bubntno  Oepjsbe 

Chinese  Censes  at  Tono-Ohoo-Foo 

Private   [H0SH8B   lii  iini.i;  

(Kim -it:  Maui  

Chum—  Hbap-dbbbs  (Teapot  Sttlb)        

Chinese  Baebeb 

Japanese  Ladies  at  their  Toilet 

Japanese  ISi.u.i;    

Japanese  Head-dress    

Japanese  Pebfuxb  Bobnbe  (Tail-puce)      

PBOB  nsriKi'K  TO  CHAP,  ix.— Otahitian  Dancees,  to  face 

I  Ml  111.    I 

A  Bridegroom's  Toicbt  at  Fernando  Po 

lil-lllhi  I  mirn   Head-dresses 

Londa  Head-dress  

Ajbhxba  Bbad-dbbss       

Head-SBESS  OP  tiii;  Oinyamonezi  Tr  ires 

\kv-si\un  Lady 

A3TS8INIAN    Ami  ii  r  

Abyssinian   Comiis 

African  Anointing  Feather 

Marquesas  Hair-fin       

Marqfesas  Ear-rings  made  of  Fish-hones        

('mm  FROM  Till    Sol.  mil  in    Islands 

Tattooed  Head  of  a  Ni  \v  Zi  vi  i\n  Ciur.r  (Tail-piece) 

FKiiMlslMKi  IX    TO    CHAP.    X.— A    Strolling    Vendor    of 
Perfi'mi.ry  (  iimi;  or  I.mis  XV.) tofaa 

1  Nil  I  VI.    L 

A   Last  at  her  Toilet  (18th  centdrt)     

I.  Mm. s    Maki.ni.    Garlands  

A  Mi  iii.EVAi.  Pi  in  i  mi.u's  Shop         

i. a  donra  i  iii   si  h  i1iiimu  i  cafi  i.i.i        

The  Boat  of  Foolish  Smells 

A  Ladt  with  Patches,  of  the  Tims  of  Charles  ii 

Airi.MNO  Hair  PoWDBR  in  .if    LOUIS   XV.)  


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

Comb  of  the  1"th  century     ..         210 

Madame  de  Pompadour  at  Choisy 213 

German  Barber  (16th  century)       ...  216 

Caricature  of  the  Horned  Head-dress 218 

Various  Styles  of  Head-dresses  Last  Century' — Butterfly, 
Dove,  Battery,  Bride,  Noble  Simplicity-,  Great 
Pretensions,  Jardiniere,  Tuilf.ries,  Frigate,  Capri- 
cious, Intercepted  Looks,  Union,  Pilgrimage,  Flower 
Girl,  Shepherdess,  Porcupine,  Friendship,  Victory 

(Eighteen  Illustrations) 220-1 

Modern  Toilet  Requisites  (Tail-piece)        222 

FRONTISPIECE    TO  CHAP.   XI.— Interior    of   a    Perfume 

Manufactory  at  Nice to  face  223 

Initial  U ib. 

Steam  Still 226 

Oil  and  Pomade  Frames          229 

View  of  Grasse 230 

View  of  Nice         231 

Floral  Vase  (Tail-piece)            240 

FRONTISPIECE  TO  CHAP.   XII.— A   Flower   Garden  and 

Distillery  at  Nice     to  face  241 

Initial  II jg. 

Musk-Deer 242 

Musk-Deer  Hunting      243 

Musk-Pod  (Natural  size)        244 

Civet  Cat     246 

Bigarrade  Leaf 250 

Tuberose      251 

Cassie 252 

Patchouli      255 

Cloves           257 

Nutmeg         ib. 

Benzoin        258 

Camphor       a. 

Dipterix  Odorata 259 

Sassafras     ,/,. 

Vanilla  Plant      261 

Flora  (Tail-piece) 264 


^ 


feat""** 


&&& 


m 


<  ^ 


THE    BOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

Who  has  not  felt  revived  and  cheered  by  the  balmy 
fragrance  of  the  luxuriant  garden  or  the  flowery  mea- 
dow P  Who  lias  not  experienced  the  delightful  sensa- 
tions caused  by  inhaling  a  fresh  breeze  loaded  with  the 
spoils  of  the  flowery  tribe? — that  "sweet  south,"  so 
beautifully  described  by  Shakspeaiv  as 

"Breathing  o'er  a  bank  of  violets, 
Stealing  and  giving  odour." 

An  indescribable  emotion  then  invades  the  whole  being ; 

the  soul  becomes  melted  in  sweet  rapture,  and  silently 

offers  up  the  homage  of  its    gratitude    to  the  Creator 

for  the  blessings  showered  upon  us;  whilst  the  tongue 

slowly  murmurs  with  Thomson — 

"  Soft  roll  your  incense,  herbs,  and  fruits,  and  flowers, 
In  mingled  clouds  to  Him  whose  sun  exalts, 
Whose  breath  perfumes  you,  and  whose  pencil  paints!" 

It   is  when  nature  awakes  from  her  long  slumbers, 

and  shakes  off  the  trammels  of  hoary  Winter,  at  that 

delightful  season  which  the  Italian  poet  so  charmingly 

hails  as  the  "youth  of  the  year," 

"  Primavera,  gioventii  dell'  anno  ! " 

that  the  richest  perfumes  fill  the  atmosphere.     The  fair 

and  fragile  children  of  Spring  begin  to  open  one  by  one 

their  bright  corols,  and  to  shed  around  their  aromatic 

treasures : — 

"  Fair-handed  Spring  unbosoms  every  grace  ; 
Throws  out  the  snowdrop  and  the  crocus  first; 
The  daisy,  primrose,  violet  darkly  blue, 
And  polyanthus  of  unnumber'd  dyes  ; 
Tin  yellow  wallflower,  stained  with  iron-brown. 
And  lavish  stock  that  scents  the  garden  round." 

But  soon — too   soon,  alts  ! — those  joys   are  doomed  to 


<i'1i 


.> 


IYSIO]  OOl     "1      PERI  I  Ml  s.  y 

pass  :  1  i  1< < %  the  maiden  ripening  into  the  matron,  the 
Bower  becomes  a  seed,  and  its  fragrance  would  for  ever 
be  tost,  had  it  not  been  treasured  up  in  it--  prime  by  some 
mysterious  arl  which  gives  it  Fresh  and  lasting  life. 

"The  rosea  soon  withered  that  hung  o'er  the  rave, 
Hut  some  blossoms  wire  gathered  while  freshly  they  shone, 
And  a  den  was  distilled  from  their  flowers  th  •' 
All  tin;  fragrance  of  summer  whi  n  Bummer  was 

Tims  the  sweei  but  evanescent  aroma,  which  would 
otherwise  be  scattered  to  the  winds  of  heaven,  assumes 
a  durable  and  tangible  shape,  and  consoles  us  for  the 
loss  of  flowers  when  Nature  dons  her  mourning'  garb, 
and  the  icy  blasl  howls  round  us.  To  minisf  ir  to  these 
wants  of  a  refined  mind — to  revive  the  joys  of  ethereal 
spring  by  carefully  Baving  its  balmy  treasures — con- 
stitutes the  art  of  the  perfumer. 

When  1  say  "the  art  of  the  perfumer,"  let  me  ex- 
plain this  phrase,  which  might  otherwise  appear  ambi- 
tious. The  first  musician  who  tried  to  echo  with  a 
pierced  reed  the  Bongs  of  the  birds  of  the  forest,  the 
first  painter  who  attempted  to  delineate  on  a  polished 
surface  the  gorgeous  Bcenes  which  he  beheld  around 
him,  were  both  artists  endeavouring  to  copy  nature; 
and  so  the  perfumer,  with  a  limited  number  of  materials 
at  bis  command,  combines  them  like  colours  on  a  palette, 
and  strives  to  imitate  the  fragrance  of  all  flowers  which 
are  rebellious  to  his  skill,  and  refuse  to  yield  op  their 
essence.  Is  he  not,  thru,  entitled  to  claim  also  the 
name  of  an  artist,  if  he  approaches  even  faintly  the 
perfections  of  Ins  charming  models? 


--_.        t 


4  THE    BOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

The  origin  of  perfumery,   like  that  of  all  ancient 

arte,  is  shrouded  in  obscurity.      .Some  assert  that  it  was 

tir-t   discovered   in   Mesopotamia,    the  seat  of  earthly 

paradise,  where,  as  Milton  says, 

"  Gentle  gales, 
Fanning  their  odoriferous  wings,  dispense 
Native  perfumes,  and  whisper  whence  they  stole 
Those  balmy  spoils  ;'* 

others  that  it  originated  in  Arabia,  which  has  long 
enjoyed,  and  still  retains,  the  name  of  the  "land  of 
perfumes."  "Whatever  may  be  the  true  version,  it  is 
evident  that  when  man  first  discovered 

"  "What  drops  the  myrrh,  and  what  the  balmy  reed," 

his  first  idea  was  to  offer  up  these  fragrant  treasures  as 
a  holocaust  to  the  Deity. 
The  word  perfume  (per, 
through,  fttmum,  smoke) 
indicates  clearly  that  it 
was  first  obtained  by 
burning  aromatic  gvuns 
and  woods ;  and  it  seems 
ae  it'  a  mystic  idea  was 
connected  with  this  mode 
of  sacrifice,  and  as  if  men 
fondly  believed  thattheir 
prayers  would  sooner 
reach  the  realms  of  their 
gods  by  being  wafted  on 
the  blue  wreaths  which 

slowly  ascended    to   heaven    and   disappeared    in    the 


* 


-> 


atmosphere,  whilst  their  intoxicating  fumes  threw  (hem 
into  religious  ecstasies.  Thus  we  find  perfumes  form  b 
part  of  all  primitive  forms  of  worship.  The  altars  of 
Zoroaster  and  of  Confucius,  the  temples  of  Memphis  and 

those  of  Jerusalem,  all  smoked  alike  with  incense  and 
aweet  scented  woods. 

Among  the  Greeks,  perfumes  were  not  only  con- 
sidered as  a  homage  due  to  their  deities,  but  as  a  sign 
of  their  presence.  Homer  and  other  poets  of  that  period 
never  mention  the  apparition  of  a  goddess  without 
speaking  of  the  ambrosial  clouds  which  surround  her. 
Thus  is  Cupid's  fair  mother  described  in  the  "Iliad" 
when  she  visits  Achilles: — 

"Celestial  Venus  hovered  tfei  lii-  heed, 
Ami  roseate  unguents  heavenly  fragrance  shed 

And  in  one  of  Euripides'  tragedies,  Hippolites,  dying, 

exclaims,  "  O  Diana,  sweet  goddess,  I  know  that  thou 

art  near  me,  for  I  have  recognised  thy  balmy  odour." 

The  use  of  perfumes  by  the  ancients  was  not    long 

confined  to  sacred  rites.      From  the  earliest  times  of  the 

Egyptian  empire  we  find  that  they  were  adapted  to 
private  uses,  and  gradually  became  an  actual  necessary 
to  those  who  laid  any  claim  to  refined  taste  and  habits. 

We  may  Bay  thai  perfumery  was  studied  and  cherished 

by  all  the  various  nations  which  held  in  turn  the  sceptre 
of  civilization.     It  Mas  transmitted  by  the  Egyptians 

to    the    .lews,     then    to    the    Assyrians,     tile    <i  recks,    the 

Romans,  the  Arabs,  and  at  last  to  the  modern  Euro- 
pean nations,  when  they  emerged  from  their  long  chaos 
hi'  barbarous  turmoil,  and  again  welcomed  the  aits  ,,t 


' 


■ . -W^ 


peacc.  It  will  bo  our  study  to  trace  its  course  through 
these  different  phases  ;  to  dive  into  the  mysteries  of  the 
toilet  of  the  Greek  beauty  and  the  Roman  matron ;  to 
describe  the  various  ways  in  vrhich  ladies  have  endea- 
voured, at  all  times  and  in  all  countries,  to  increase  and 
preserve  the  charms  lavished  upon  them  by  nature;  and, 
lastly,  to  record  the  progress  of  perfumery  to  the  present 


.7 


Fgvplian  Princess 


Powdered  Belle  of  the  last 
century. 


period,  when,  having  shaken  off  the  trammels  of  ignor- 
ance and  quackery,  it  aspires  to  become  useful  no  less 
than  ornamental.  To  render  the  history  of  the  Toilet 
more  complete,  we  shall  bestow  a  passing  glance  on  the 
sundry  styles  of  dressing  the  hair  at  different  periods, 


v    t'5 


-; 


V 


African  Headdress. 


PHY8I0L001    hi     PERI  I  ICES.  < 

from  the  Egyptian  princess  under  the  Cheops  dynasty 
t.i  the  powdered  belle  of  the  last  century.  Nor  Bhall 
civilised  people  monopolise  our 
whole  attention  :  in  our  coamings 

"all  round  the  world,"  we  Bhall 
find  even  among  barbarous  tribes 
some  curious  fashions  to  register, 
and  African  beauties  as  well  as 

Tartar  damsels  will  have  to  reveal 
to  US  the  secrets  of  their  so-called 

embellishments.  We  shall  then 
conclude  with  a  brief  description 

of  the  principal  modes  used  in 
extracting  perfumes  from  dowers 

and  aromatic    plants,    of   the   chief  materials   to  which 
We  are  indebted  for  our  aromatic  treasures,  and  of  tin 

various  substances  which 

might     also    be    rendered 

available  for  thai  purpose. 
Before     commencing, 

however,  this  chronolo- 
gical narration,  I  may  be 
allowed  t0  8aya  few  Words 

on  odours  iii  general. 

All      plants     ami      all 

flowers   exhale  an    odoui 

more   or   teas    pi  rceptible 

Lepcha  Headdress.  — more  or  leSS  agreeable. 

Some  fiowen,  like  that  of  the  orangc-t  ice  and  the  rOBB, 

pOBBBBB   such  a  powerful  aroma  that  it  -cents  the  air  for 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES 


miles  around.  Those  who  have  the  good  fortune  to  travel 
in  the  "  genial  land  of  Provence,"  when  the  flowers  are 
in  full  hloom, 

"And  the  woodbine  spices  are  wafted  abroad 
And  the  musk  of  the  roses  blown," 

are  saluted  (as  I  have  frequently  been  myself),  with  the 


balmy  breezes  emanating  from  the  floral  plantations 
of  Grasse  or  Niec  long  before  they  reach  them.  Some 
flowers  have  a  stronger  smell  at  sunrise,  some  ;it  mid- 
day, others  at  night.  This  depends  hi  a  great  measure 
on  the  time  they  are  wont  to  open,  which  varies  so  much 


g#j£  t*$& ' 


among  the  fragrant  tribe,  that  it  lias  allowed  a  patient 
botanist  to  form  a  floral  clock,  cadi  hour  being  indicated 
by  the  opening  of  a  particular  Bower. 

The  accompanying  illustration  will  give  some  idea  of 
lli is  flora]  clock.  I  have  taken  it  from  an  old  work 
on  botany,  but  for  its  accuracy  I  cannot  vouch.  It  con- 
sists of  the  following  flowers,   the  hour  stated  tor  sonic 

being  in  the  morning  and  for  others  in  the  evening: — 


dfa 


nn-ioi.ooY  of  rr.ui-'t  mi;s. 


9 


1 

Etaee. 

.5 

Convolvulus. 

9 

2 

Beliotrope. 

6 

Geranium. 

10 

Lilac. 

3 

Water-lily. 

7 

M  ignonctte. 

11 

Magnolia. 

1 

8 

Carnation. 

12 

Vioii  i  and  Pansy. 

1 


All  odours  are  not  alike  in  intensity.  Some  flowers 
lose  their  fragrance  as  soon  as  they  are  culled;  others, 
on  the  contrary,  preserve  it  even  when  dried.  None, 
however,  can  equal  in 
strength  and  durability 
the  odours  derived  from 
the  animal  kingdom,  A 
single  grain  of  musk  will 
retain  its  aroma  for  years, 
and  impart  it  to  every. 
thing  with  which  it  comee 
in  contact. 

(  'dours  have  been  claa- 
sitied  in  various  ways  by 
learned  men.  Linnaeus, 
the  father  of  modern  bo- 
tanical    Science,    divided  Unnaeua,  the  Botanist. 

them  into  seven  classes,  three  of  which  only  were  plea* 


J( 


L'HB    BOOK    <IK    PERFUMES, 


sant  odours,  viz.,  the  aromatic,  the  fragrant,  and  the 
ambrosial :  but,  however  good  his  general  divisions  may 
have  been,  this  classification  was  far  from  correct,  for 
he  placed  carnation  with  lam-el  leaves,  and  saffron  with 
jasmine,  than  which  nothing-  can  be  more  dissimilar. 
Fourcroy  divided  them  into  five  series,  and  De  Haller 
into  three.  All  these  were,  however,  more  theoretical 
than  practical,  and  none  classified  odours  by  their  re- 
semblance to  each  other.  I  have  attempted  to  make  a 
new  classification,  comprising-  only  pleasant  odours,  by 
adopting  the  principle  that,  as  there  are  primary  colours 
from  which  all  secondary  shades  are  composed,  then- 
are  also  primary  odours  with  perfect  types,  and  that  all 
other  aromas  are  connected  more  or  less  with  them. 

The  types  I  have  adopted  will  be  found  in  the  follow- 
ing- table: — 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  ODOUKS. 


CLASSES. 

TYPES. 

Ol'OlLS    BELONGING    TO  THE    SAME 

JBose 1 

\  Geranium,    Sweetbriar,    Rhodium, 

lily  of  the  Valley 

Acacia,  Syringa,  Oranpe  leaves. 

Lily,  Jonquil,  Narcissus,  Hyacinth. 

..   Vanilla 

f  Balaam  of  Peru  and  Tola,  Benzoin. 
<      Styrax,   Tonquin   Beans,    Helio- 
C    trope. 

! 
Clow 

1 

...  Clore    

Rosemary,  Patchnuly. 

Berjramot.Oranpo,  Cedrat,  Limette 
Spike,  Thyme,  Serpolet,  Marjoram. 

Mint 

,  Umond   

■  Musk 

\  Badiane,  Carraway,  Dill,  Coriander, 
|      Fennel. 
Laurel,  ''each  Kernels,  Mirbane. 

Apple,  Pine-apple,  Quince. 

T-v.1. 


-sy 


l'H\MOI.C)(.Y     UK     PERFl    MIS. 


, 


I 


This  is  the  smallest  number  of  types  to  which  I  could 
reduce  my  classification,  and  even  then  there  are  some 

particular  odours,  such  as  that  of  winter-green,  which 
it  would  be  difficult  to  introduce  into  either  class ;  nor 

docs  this  list   comprise  the  .-cents  which  arc  produced 
by  blending  several  classes  together. 

Jean  Jacques  Rousseau,  Zimmermami,  and  other  au- 
thors, say  that  the  sense  of  smell  is  the  sense  of  imagina- 
tion. There  is  no  doubt  that,  as  I  have  observed  be- 
fore, pleasant  perfumes  exercise  a  cheering  influence  on 
the  mind,  and  easily  become  associated  with  our  remem- 
brances. Sounds  and  scents  share  alike  the  property  of 
refreshing  the  memory,  and  recalling  vividly  before  us 
scenes  of  our  past  Hf< — an  effect  which  Thomas  .Moon- 
beautifully  illustrates  in  his  "  Lalla  Kookh:" — 

"The  young  Arab,  haunted  by  the  smell 
Of  her  own  mountain  flowers  as  by  a  spell, 
The  sweet  Elcaya,  and  thai  courteous  tree, 

Which  bows  to  all  who  BO  k  LtS  rauopy, 
Sees  call'd  up  round  her  by  the 
The  well,  the  camels,  and  hex  father's  tents; 
Sighs  far  the  home  aha  left  with  Sttle  pain, 
And  wishes  e'en  its  sorrows  back  again." 

Tennyson  expresses  the  same  feeling  in  his  "Dream 
of  fair  women." 

"  The  smell  of  violets,  hidden  in  the  preen, 
1'our'd  back  iiit"  my  i  mpty  BOul  and  liana 

The  times  when  I  remember  to  hare  been 
Joyful  and  free  from  blame." 

Criton,  Eippocrates,  and  other  ancient  doctors,  classt  d 
perfumes  among  medicines,  and  prc-cribed  them  for 
many    diseases,     especially    those    of    u    nervous    kind. 


W 


->*♦ 


12 


THE    BOOK    ob'    l'KKFl  MES. 


Pliny  also  attributes  therapeutic  properties  to  various 
aromatic  substances,1  and  some  perfumes  arc  still  used 
in  modern  medicine. 

Discarding,  however,  all  curative  pretensions  for  per- 
fumes, I  think  it  right,  at  the  same  time,  to  combat  the 
doctrines  of  certain  medical  men  who  hold  that  thev  are 


if' 

w 


%<i^^  l'-\'? 


injurious  to  health.  It  can  be  proved,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  their  use  in  moderation  is  more  beneficial 
than  otherwise;  and  in  eases  of  epidemics  they  have 
been    known    to    render    important    service,    were    it 

1  Pliny,  in  his  Natural  History,  mentions  eifrhty-four  remedies  derived 
from  rue,  forty-one  from  mint,  twenty-five  from  pennyroyal,  forty-one  from 
the  iris,  thirty-two  from  the  rose,  twenty-one  from  the  lily,  sever*,  on  from 
the  violet,  etc.     (Pliny's  Nat.  Hist.  b.  xx.  and  xxi.) 


'.—  - 


% 


PHYSIOLOG1     OF    PEHF1   MES. 


[3 


: 


only  Id  tlie  four  thieves  who,  by  means  of  their 
famous  aromatio  vinegar,1  were  enabled  to  rob  half 
the  population  of  Marseilles  at  the  time  of  the  greaf 
plague. 

It  is  true  that  flowers,  if  III  in  a  slei  pin^-apartment 

all  night,  will  Bometimes  cause  headache  and  sickness, 

but  this  proceeds  not  from  the  diffusion  of  their  aroma, 
hut  from  the  carbonic  acid  they  evolve  during  the  night. 

If  a  perfume  extracted  from  these  flowers  were  left 
open  in  the  same  circumstances,  no  evil  effect   would 

arise  from  it.  All  that  can  he  said  is  that  sonic  deli- 
cate people  may  he  affected  by  certain  odours;  hut  the 
same  person  to  whom  a  musky  scent  would  give  a 
headache  might  derive  much  relief  from  a  perfume 
with  a  citrine  basis.     Imagination  has,  besides,  a  great 

deal  to  do  with  the  supposed  UOXIOUS  effects  of  perfumes. 
Dr.  Cloquet,  who  may  he  deemed  an  authority  on  this 
subject,  of  which  lie  nude  a  special  study,  says  in 
his  able  Treatise  on  Olfaction : — "We  must  not  forget 
that  then'  are  many  effeminate  men  and  women  to  he 
found  in  the  world  who  imagine  that  perfumes  an'  in- 
jurious to  them,  hut  their  example  cannot  he  adduced 
as  a  proof  of  the  had  effect  of  odouiS.     Thus  Dr.  Thomas 

CapeUini  relates  the  story  of  a  lady  who  fancied  she 

could  not  bear  the  smell    of  a   rose,   and    fainted   on 


1  It  i>  related  thai  during  il"'  great  plague  which  visited  Mar-,  ill'-  f.mr 
robben,  who  bad  become  associated,  invented  an  am 

which  tin- y  could  rah  the  dead  ami  the  dying,  without  any  (eat 
of  infection.    Tbia  rinegai  wai  long  known  in  Prance  under  the  nam.'  of 

desquatre  Voleura,"  ami  gave  tin-  iir>t  idea  of  Ti.il.  t  Yin.  .-ar. 


I32h:\ 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEKFtMES. 

receiving  the  visit  of  a  friend  who  carried  one,  and  vet 
the  fatal  flower  was  only  Artificial."  ' 

"Were  any  other  argument  wanting  to  vindicate  per- 
fumes from  the  aspersions  cast  upon  them,  I  would  say 
that  we  are  prompted  by  a  natural  instinct  to  seek  and 
enjoy  pleasant  odours,  and  to  avoid  and  reject  un- 
pleasant ones,  and  it  is  unreasonable  and  unjust  to 
suppose  that  Providence  has  endowed  us  with  this  dis- 
cerning power,  to  mislead  us  into  a  pleasure  fraught 
with  danger,  or  even  discomfort. 


1  Osphn'sinlngie,  ou  Trciite  <le  ('Olfaction,  par  lu  Dr.  II.  Cloquet,  chap. 
v.  p.  80. 


Tin1  barge  she  sat  in.  like  ■  burnished  throne, 
Hunit  on  the  water;  the  poop  wis  beaten  gold, 

Purple  the  sails,  and  so  perfumed  that 
1  lit'  winds  were  love  siek  .... 

Antony  ani>  Clkopat&I. 

OXG  be- 
fore any 
other  na- 
tion, E- 
gypt  had 
learned, 
or  rather 
invented, 

J*t^3S5*^  llie  art    (it 

raising 
lofty  temples  to  its  gods,  magnifi- 
cent palaces  to  its  princes,  and  im- 
mense cities  for  its  people,  and  of 
decorating  them  with  all  the  va- 
rious treasures  which  nature  had 
placed  at  its  disposal     Whilst  the 
Jews  and  other  surrounding  people  were  confined  to  the 
simplicities  of  pastoral  life,  the  Egyptians  were  enjoying 
the  luxuries  of  refinement,  and  carried  them  to  an  extent 
which  was  not  surpassed,  it'  equalled,  by  those  w  ho,  after 
them,  successively  held  the  sceptre  of  civilization. 
Although  the  Egyptians  left  no  trai f  their  Litera- 


' 


«nnZ=*Q  , 


^3sa,>  iMM^UdS. 


1ZS* 


THE    ill  w  IK    OF    PEHFTJMES. 


ture,  the  ample  descriptions  given  by  the  Greek  and 

Latin  authors,  the  frequent  mention  made  in  the  Bible, 

and,  above  all,  the  numerous  paintings  and  sculptures 

found  on  their  monuments  and  in  their  tombs,  give 

us  a  complete  insight  into  their  manners  and   mode 

of  life.     The  huge  piles  of  granite  which  they  reared 

over  the  last  asylum  of  their  monarchs,  in  the  vain 

hope  of  securing  their  eternal  peace,  and  of  screening 

them  from  the  profane  gaze  of  intruders,  were  not  proof 

against  the  cupidity  of  the  fellahs  of  modern  Egypt,  who 

found  their  way  into  the  abodes  of  the  dead  in  search  of 

the  treasures  buried  with  them.     This  unholy  spoliation 

was  not,  however,  entirely  barren  of  happy  results, 

"  For  nought  so  vile  on  the  earth  doth  live 
But  to  the  earth  some  special  good  doth  give." 

In  tliis  instance  the  inroads  made  by  the  avaricious 
plunderers  into  the  ruined  pa- 
laces and  mummy  pits  paved 
the  way  for  equally  daring  but 
more  disinterested  explorers, 
and    enabled    scientific    men 
like  Sonnini,  Belzoni,  Savarv, 
Champollion,    Sir    Gardener 
Wilkinson,     Mariette,      and 
others,  to  dive  into  the  mys- 
teries   of   ancient    Egyptian 
customs,  and  to  give  us  a  correct  and  vivid  account 
of  what  the  world  was  long  before  the  era  of  written 
history.      We   learn    from    these    descriptive    illustra- 
tions, confirmed  by  the  records  of  ancient  writers  and 


lummy  Tit. 


v; ; 


3=. 


n 


-•-:_ 


1111.    EGYPTIANS 


by  the  numorous  implements  found  intact  in  the  tombs, 
that  perfbmea  were  extensively  consumed  in  Egypt,  and 
applied  to  three  distinct  ptuposes— ofGarings  to  the  gods, 
embalming  the  dead,  and  usee  in  private  life. 

At  all  the  festivals  held  by  the  Egyptians  in  honour 
of  their  numerous  deities,  perfumes  played  a  conspicuous 
part,  and  they  also  ranked  among  the  most  grateful  of 
their  daily  el.Iat ions.  With  the  tunes  gratitude  of  a 
primitive  people,  they  felt  it  a  sort  of  duty  to  offer  the 
finest  fruit,  the  fairest  flower,  the  richest  wine,  the 
tiit  te-t  bullock,  to  the 
gods,  who  Were  Sup- 
posed to  havedisp  as- 

id   those    1 ns  ;    but 

of  all  other  sacrifices 
thatof  incense  appear- 
ed totheni  the  niostre- 
fined  and  appropriate. 
In  the  temples  of  Kis, 
the  good  "goddess  ;" 
of  Osiris,  the  eternal 
rival    of  Typhon  ;    of 

Paaht,  ortheEgyptian 
Diana;  aromatic  gums 

and  woods  were   con- 
stantly burned  by  the 
priests,  and  on  grand  r 
state     occasions     the 

1  •    _Vi         ie  re    ■   ..    i  Rhamaea  III.  Sacrificing. 

Kingnimself officiated, 

holding  a  censer  in  one  hand,  and  in  the  other  a  small 


<s$ 


m 


vase  with  a  spout  containing'wine  or  perfumed  oil  for 
libations  to  be  poured  on  the  altar.  The  engraving  on 
the  preceding  page,  which  represents  Rhamses  III., 
illustrates  this  mode  of  sacrifice. 

In  ordinary  ceremonies  incense  alone  was  offered,  hi 
the  .shape  of  round  balls  or  pastilles,  which  were  thrown 
into  the  censers.  Those  censers  were  not  swung  about, 
as  are  those  used  in  Catholic  churches :  they  were 
straight,  and  held  firmly  in  the  right  hand,  whilst  the 
incense  was  thrown  in  with  the  left,  an  operation  which 
must  have  required  some  little  practice,  if  performed  as 
adroitly  as  the  Egyptian  painters  woidd  lead  us  to 
believe. 


m^=^* 


Igyptian  •  Censera. 

At  Heliopolis,  the  City  of  the  Sun,  where  the  great 
orb  was  adored  under  the  name  of  Re,  they  burned 
incense  to  him  three  times  a  day — resin  at  his  first 
rising,  myrrh  when  in  the  meridian,  and  a  mixture  of 
sixteen  ingredients,  called  Kuphi,  at  his  setting. 

The  sacred  bull,  Apis,  had  also  his  share  of  such 
homage.  Those  who  wished  to  consult  him  burnt  in- 
cense on  his  altar,  filled  the  lamps  which  were  lighted 
there  with  fragrant  oils,  and  deposited  a  piece  of  money 
before  the  statue  of  the  god.  They  then  whispered 
softly  to  him  the  question  they  wished  to  ask,  and 
issued  from  the  temple  carefully  stopping  their  ears. 


Si 


1 


\*\ 


W*'u 


m 


m 


m 


Cffenngs  of  Ointment. 


THE    EGYPTIANS. 

The  first  word  that  was  uttered  by  any  one  tliey  clianced 
to  meet  ai'ter  that,  was  taken  by  them  to  convey  the 
reply  which  they  sought. 

lit  sides  incense,  ointment  was  also  offered  to  the  gods, 
and  formed  an  indispensable  pari  of  what  was  considered 
a  complete  oblation.  It  was 
placed  before  the  deity  in 
vases  of  alabaster  or  other 
costly  material,  on  which 
was  frequently  engraved 
the  name  of  the  god  to 
whom  it  was  offered.  Some- 
times the  king  or  the  priest  took  out  a  certain  portion, 
and  anointed  the  statue  of  the  divinity  with  his  little 
finger. 

At  the  fete  of  Isis,  which  was  performed  with  great 
magnificence,  they  sacrificed  an  ox  filled  with  myrrh, 
frankincense,  and  other  aromatic  substances,  which  fchey 
burnt,  pouring  a  quantity  of  oil  over  it  during  the  pro- 
cess. The  fragrant  vapours  thus  produced  counteracted 
the  smell  of  the  burning  flesh,  which  would  otherwise 
have  been  unbearable,  even  to  the  most  ardent  votaries 
of  the  goddess. 

The  two  principal  festivals  in  honour  of  Osiris  were 
held  at  six  months'  distance  from  each  other.  The  first 
was  meant  to  commemorate  the  loss,  and  the  second 
the  finding,  of  Egypt's  tutelar  god.  At  the  latter  the 
priests  carried  the  sacred  chest,  inclosing  a  small 
vessel  nt'  gold,  into  which  they  poured  some  water,  and 
all  the  people  assembled  cried  out,  "Osiris  is  found!" 


rf*U*r 


J*. 


m^Mm^-^s^ 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


They  then  threw  into  the  water  some  fresh  mould,  to- 
gether with  rich  odours  and  spices,  and  shaped  it  into 
a  little  image  resembling  a  crescent,  which  was  supposed 
to  typify  the  essence  and  power  of  earth  and  water. 

It  was,  however,  in  their  grand  religious  processions 
that  they  made  the  most  luxurious  display  of  perfumes. 
In  one  of  those  described  as  having  taken  place  under 
one  of  the  Ptolemies,  marched  one  hundred  and  twenty 
children,  bearing  incense,  myrrh,  and  saffron  in  golden 
basins,  followed  by  a  number  of  camels,  some  earning 
three  hundred  pounds  weight  of  frankincense,  and 
others  a  similar  quantity  of  crocus,  cassia,  cinnamon, 
orris,  and  other  precious  aromatics. 

No  king  coidd  be  crowned  without  being  anointed : 
this  was  done  privately  by  the  priests,  who  pretended 
that  the  ceremony  had  been  performed  by  a  god,  in 
Drder  to  convey  to  the  people  a  more  exalted  notion 
of  the  benefits  conferred  on  their  monarehs.  The 
latter  also  shared  with  the  deities  the  privilege  of 
being  offered  incense :  but  this  only  on  special  occa- 
sions, such  as  their  return  from  a  victorious  campaign. 
The  king  then  entered  the  capital,  borne  in  his  chair 
of  state,  and  accompanied  by  a  brilliant  cortege.  A 
long  procession  of  priests  came  to  meet  him,  dressed 
in  gorgeous  robes,  and  holding  censers  full  of  incense, 
whilst  a  sacred  scribe  read  from  a  papyrus  roll  the  glo- 
rious deeds  of  the  victorious  sovereign. 

The  Egyptians  believed  in  the  transmigration  of  souls 
— a  doctrine  afterwards  adopted  by  Pythagoras  and  other 
Grecian  philosophers.    They  held  that,  after  leaving  the 


^Ar 


V 


s>V\  i& 


THE   EG!  I'll  \Ns.  O] 

body  of  a  man,  his  soul  entered  thai  of  .some  other  ani- 
mal, and,  having  successively  passed  through  all  crea- 
tures of  the  earth,  water,  and  air,  it  again  assumed  the 
human  shape,  which  journey  was  accomplished  in  the 

lapse  of  three  thousand  years.  This  belief  would  ac- 
count for  the  very  great  care  they  took  m  embalming 
the  bodies  of  their  dead,  so  that,  after  having  concluded 
their  long  journey,  the  souls  might  find  their  original 
envelopes  in  a  tolerable  state  of  preservation.  Diodorus, 
however,  assigns  another  reason  for  this  custom,  and 
says  the  wealthy  Egyptians  kept  the  bodies  of  their 
ancestors  in  magnificent  rooms  set  apart  for  that  pur- 
pose, in  order  to  have  the  gratification  of  contemplating 

the  features  of  those  who  had  died  many  generations 
before  them,  for  the  whole  appearance  of  the  person  was 
so  well  preserved  that  it  could  be  easily  recognised. 

Several  times  during  the  year 
these  mummies  were  brought 
out  and  received  the  greatest 
honors.  Incense  and  libations 
were  offered  to  them,  and 
sweetly  scented  oil  was  poured 
over  their  heads  and  carefully 

wiped  oil'  with  a  towel  carried 

on  the  shoulder  for  the  pur-Prlestr,0Urius0ii°veraWummy. 

pose.     A  priest  was  generally  called  in  to  officiate  on 

these  occasions. 

The  operation  of  embalming  was  performed  in  the 
following  manner  by  the  ancient   Egyptians,  according 

to  Herodotus: — They  first  extracted  the  brains  through 


rC  ~&k         -->*  ASS  ■  • 


^^^^A^&^A 


m 


w 


&£ 


THE   BOOK   OF    PERFUMES. 


the  nostrils  by  means  of  a  curved  iron  probe,  and  filled 
the  head  with  drugs ;  then,  making  an  incision  in  the 
side  with  a  sharp  Ethiopian  stone,  they  drew  out  the 
intestines,  and  inserted  into  the  cavity  powdered  myrrh, 


Embalming  Mummies  (Perfuming  the  Body). 

cassia,  and  other  perfumes,  frankincense  excepted.  After 
sewing  up  the  body  they  kept  it  in  natron1  for 
seventy  days,  and  then  wrapped  it  up  entirely  with 
bands  of  fine  linen,  smeared  with  gum,  and  laid  it  in  a 

wooden  case, 
made  in  the 
shape  of  a  man, 
which  they 
placed  upright 
against  the 
wall. 

This  was  the 
first   class,    or 


Embalming  Mummies  (Binding  the  Body) 


"Osiris  style,"  of  embalming;  but,  being  very  expen- 
sive, it  was  confined  to  the  richest  people.     Another 

A  native  sesquicarbonate  of  soda  found  in  great  quantities  in  Egypt. 


THB    EG!  I'll  INS. 


mode  consisted  in  injecting  oil  of  cedar  into  the  body, 
without  removing  the  intestines;  whilst,  in  the  case 
of  the  poorer  class  of  people,  the  body  was  merel] 
cleansed  with  ByrmoBa  and  salt,  subjecting  it,  in  both 
cases,  to  a  natron  bath,  which  completely  dried  the 
tlesli.      The   tirst   kind   of  embalming  COSl    a   talent,   01 

about  £250,  the  second  twenty-two  minse,  ox  £60,  and 
the  third  was  extremely  cheap.    These  operations  were 


ues  (Punting  I 

performed  by  some  persons  regularly  appointed  for  the 
purpose,  and  at  Thebes  there  was  a  whole  quarter  of  the 

town  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  the  necessary  imple- 
ments. <'ne  of  the  most  curious  parts  of  the  perfor- 
mance was  that  the  partuckuteB,  or  dissector,  who  had 
to  make  an  incision  in  the  body,  ran  away  as  soon  as 
it  was  done,  amid  the  bitter  execrations  of  all  those 
present,  who  pelted  him  unmercifully  with  stones,  to 
testily  their  abhorrence  of  any  one  inflicting  injury  on 
a  human  creature,  either  alive  or  dead. 
In  some  of  the  mummies  the  viscera  "ere  returned 

into  the  body,  after  being  dean-ed  with  palm  wine  and 
mixed  with  pounded  aromatics  ;   but  for  persons  of  di- 


.   ■  '     - 


j 


THE    BOOK   OF    PERFUMES. 


tinction  they  placed  the  internal  parts  in  four  sepulchral 
vases,  dedicated  to  different  deities.     The  first  jar,  sur- 
mounted with  a  human  head,  was  consecrated  to  Am- 
Set,  a  genius  presiding  over  the  South,  and  contained 
the  large  intestines ;  the  second  rase,  covered  with  a 
tynocephalus,  held  the  smaller  viscera,  and  was  dedicated 
toHa-Pi,  the  genius  of  the  North:  the  third,  represented 
here,  received  the  heart  and  lungs, 
and  was  decorated  with  a  jackal's 
head,  in  honour  of  Traut-mutf,  the 
genius  of  the  East ;    and   in   the 
fourth,  ornamented  with  a  hawk's 
head,  were  deposited  the  liver  and 
gall-bladder,  under  the  protection 
of    Krebsnif,    the    genius    of    the 
West,  who    was,    as    well   as    the 
three  others,  a  son  of  Osiris.    All 
these   vases  were  filled  with  per- 
fumes, to  insure  the  preservation 
of  their  contents. 
Embalming  was  not  confined  to  the  human  species. 
Some  animals,  and  principally  those  held  sacred  by  the 
I    ;  tians,  equally  shared  this  privilege.     When  the 
divine  bull,  Apis,  had  completed  the  twenty- five  years 
which  were  allotted  to  him  as  the  extent  of  his  natural 
life,  the  priests  drowned  him  in  the  Nile,  embalmed 
him,    and    buried   him   with    great    solemnity.      Cats 
and  other  animals  were  also  embalmed,  and  there  are 
numerous  specimens  of  their  mummies  in  the  British 
Museum. 


-     '•  Ik  k 


-r= 


nil      EGYPTIANS. 


In  some  barren  parts  of  Egypt,  where  Band  was 
more  plentiful  than  aromatics,  they  preserved  their 
dead  by  exposing  them  for  Borne  time  on  the  ground 
in  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun,  which 
completely  desiccated  the  body.  Son- 
niiii  describes,  in  his  travels,  a  some- 
what similar  process  carried  on  at  a 
Capuchins'  convent  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Palermo,  by  means  of  which 
the  bodies  of  all  the  community  have 
been  kept  since  its  foundation  by 
broiling  them  over  a  slow  fire,  forming, 
B8  he  says,  a  most  ghastly  collection. 

Among  many  customs  derived   by 
modern  Egyptians  from  their  ancestors 

is  that  of  embalming,  which  is  still  Mun.my  cf  a  Cat. 
observed  among  wealthy  people,  and  which,  according 
to  Maillet,  is  performed  in  the  following  manner:  they 
wash  the  body  several  times  with  rose-water,  perfume  it 
with  incense,  aloes,  and  a  variety  of  spices,  wrap  it  up 
in  a  sheet  moistened  with  liquid  odours,  and  bury  it 
with  the  richest  suit  of  clothes  belonging  to  the  de- 
Ceased. 

Great  as  was  the  consumption  of  perfumes  in  Egypt 
for  religious  rites  and  funeral  honours,  ii  was  scarcely 
equal  to  the  quantity  of  aromatics  used  for  toilet  pur- 
poses. The  Egyptians  were  very  cleanly  in  their 
habits,  and  were  the  inventors  of  that  complete  sysfe  m 
of  baths  which  the  Greeks  and  Romans  borrowed  from 
them,  and  which   has  remained   in    use   among  modern 


■'~-m&^, 


vv>  aeiK 


THE    HOOK    OF    PERFIMKS. 

Eastern  nations.  Alter  the  copious  ablutions  in  which 
they  indulged,  they  rubbed  themselves  all  over  with 
fragrant  oils  and  ointments.  This  practice  may  appear 
repulsive  to  English  readers,  but  it  was,  no  doubt,  re- 
quired by  the  climate  to  give  elasticity  to  the  skin  and 
counteract  the  effects  of  the  sun.  It  is  still  generally 
kept  up  in  Africa  and  other  hot  countries.  The  un- 
guents used  were  of  great  variety,  and  were  at  first 
dispensed  by  the  priests,  who  were  then  alone 
acquainted  with  the  mysteries  of  the  compounding  art, 
and  may  be  termed  the  first  manufacturing  perfumers. 
Some  were  flavoured  with  origanum,  bitter  almond, 
or  other  aromatics  indigenous  to  the  Egyptian  soil; 
but  the  greater  part  of  their  ingredients,  such  as 
myrrh,  frankincense,  etc.,  came  from  Arabia.  They 
were  kept  in  bottles,  vases,  or  pots, 
made  of  alabaster,  onyx,  glass,  por- 
phyry, or  other  hard  substances ; 
and  also  in  boxes  made  of  carved 
wood  or  ivory,  which  assumed  some- 
times the  most  curious  shapes,  such 
as  that  of  fishes,  birds,  etc.  Some 
of  these  boxes  were  divided  into 
compartments,   like   the   specimen 

Alabaster  Vase  containing 

o.—ment.  represented  on  the  next  page,  which 

probably  held  different  cosmetics  for  the  toilet.  The 
preparation  of  those  ointments  was  so  perfect  that  a 
specimen  in  the  Alnwick  Castle  musemn  has  retained 
its  scent  after  a  lapse  of  three  or  four  thousand  years. 
They  were  generally  very  expensive,  and  the  poorer 


SK 


annexed  toilet-case,  containing  a  goodly 
array  of  jars  and  bottles,  supposed 
to  have  belonged  to  a  Theban  lady. 
Besides  scented  oils  and  unguents, 
they  used  red  and  white  paint  for 
their  faces,  and  a  black  powder 
called  kohl,  or  kohol,  made  of  anti- 
mony, which,  applied  with  a  wooden 
or  ivory  bodkin  to  the  pupils  of  the 
eyes,  increased  their  brilliancy  and  made  them  appear 


it 


Kohl  Bottles  and  Bodkin. 

larger — a  custom  still  prevalent  throughout  the  East. 

This  kohol  was  held  in  vases  of  a  curious 

shape  of  which  quantities  have  been  found 

in  the  tombs.    One  of  those  represented  here 

is  evidently  of  Chinese  origin,  which  leads 

some  people  to  suppose  that  the  intercourse 

between  Egypt  and   tbe  Celestial  Empire 

commenced  at  a  very  early  date.     This  is, 

however,  a  vexed  question,  on  which  many 

large  folios  have  been  written,  and  I  shall,    KohoT'bottie. 

therefore,  abstain,  with  wholesome  dread,  from  offering 


PrJc- 


V 


I 


llll       I  i.M'l  1  \\\ 


an  opinion  on  such  a  controverted  subject.  I  must  not 
omit  from  the  list  of  artifices  employed  by  Egyptian 
belles,  thai  of  staining  their  fingers  and  the  palms  of 
their  hands  with  the  leaves  of  the  henna  (Ltncsoiiia  i>ur- 
mis),  a  practice  which  is  supposed  by  some  to  have  given 
rise  to  the  Greek  metaphor  of  "rosy-fingered  Aurora." 
The  accompanying  outline,  taken  from  a  painting  at 
Thebes,  represents  an  Egyptian  lady  at  her  toilet,  and 


At;  Fgyptian  Lady  at  her  Toilet. 

may  convey  an  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  this  im- 
portant duty  was  performed.  One  of  her  attendants 
is  pouring  water  over  her,  another  ruhs  her  with 
her  hand,  a  third  gives  her  to  inhale  the  flower  of 
the  lotus,  whilst  the  fourth  is  preparing  to  replace  her 
ornaments. 

Among  the  numerous  toilet  implements  found  in 
Egyptian  tomhs,  the  most  conspicuous  are  mint 
combs.  The  former  were  made  of  copper  mixed  with 
Other  metals,  and  their  workmanship  and  polish  were 
so  excellent  that  some  of  them  which  have  been  revived 
after  lying  buried  for  many  centuries  equal  almost  in 


£i~. 


;r, 


.  ■ .  _  \r  >i 


j  in:  an  i'ii  uts. 


31 


v^ 


Egyptian  combs  were  generally  made  of*  wood;  some 
plain,  and  others  carved.  The  annexed  specimen  is  not 
unlike  our  modern  small-tooth  comb  in  shape. 

The  taste  lor  perfumes  and  cosmetics  went  on  increas- 
ing in  Egypt  until  the  time  of  Cleopatra,  when  it  may 
be  said  to  have  reached  its  climax.  This  luxurious 
queen  made  a  lavish  use  of  aromatics,  and  it  was  one  of 


Cleopatra  on  the  Cydnus. 

the  means  of  seduction  she  hroughl  into  play  at  her 
first  interview  with  Mark  Antony  on  the  banks  of  the 
Cydnus,  which  is  so  beautifully  described  by  Shaks- 
peare.  Glowing  as  the  picture  may  seem,  it  is  in  no 
way  overdrawn,  and  has  been  copied  by  our  gn 


A 


-3TT- 


• 


i 


*i 


- 


THE    BOOK    OF    PF.KFl.MtS. 


a  ; 


almost  word  for  word,  from  Plutarch's  original  recital, 
to  which  he  only  added  the  charm  of  his  verse. 

At  all  private  festivals 
perfumes  were  in  great  re- 
quest. The  first  duty  of 
the  attendant  slaves  on 
the  arrival  of  the  visitors 
was  to  anoint  their  heads, 
or,  rather,  their  wigs,  for 
they  wore  all  shaven  and 
wore  this  artificial  cover- 
ing, which  served  the  pur- 
pose of  modern  turbans — 
to  protect  them  against 
the  rays  of  a  scorching  sun.  During  the  entertain- 
ment, fresh  flowers  were  used  in  great  profusion  : 
chaplets  of  lotus  decorated  the  necks  of  the  guests, 
garlands  of  crocus  and  saffron  encircled  the  wine-cup, 
floral  wreaths  were  hung  all  round  the  room,  and 
over  and  under  the  tables  were  strewn  various  flowers 
mingling  their  fragrance  with  the  fumes  of  numerous 
cassolettes,  whilst,  to  leave  no  sense  ungratitied,  musi- 
cians charmed  the  ear  with  the  sweetest  melodies.  It 
was  thus  that  Agesilaus  was  received  when  he  visited 
Egypt ;  hut  the  rude  Spartan,  unaccustomed  to  such 
luxuries,  refused  the  sweetmeats,  confections,  and  per- 
fumes, for  which  act  of  barbarism  the  polished  na- 
tives held  him  in  great  contempt,  as  a  man  incapable 
and  unworthy  of  enjoying  the  refinements  of  good 
societv. 


nil.    BOTPTLUI8.  33 

Herodotus  relates  a  very  curious  custom  which  was 
observed  al  these  Egyptian  festivals.  When  (he  revel 
was  at  its  height,  a  man  entered,  bearing  the  wooden 

image  of  a  dea  1  body,  perfectly  carved  and  painted,  and 
cried  aloud,  "  Look  at  this,  drink  and  make  merry,  for  so 
vim  will  be  after  your  death."     ( >ur  modern  "  sensation  " 


dramatists  could  oo1  wish  for  a  better  contrast,  and  I 
do  not  sec,  after  all,  why  this  strange  habil  should  be 
more   wondered    at    than    the    ftmtir  with   which   they 

have  aoughl  lately  to  introduce  ghosts  into  our  public 
and  private  entertainments.  , 


kt 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


The  Egyptians,  as  I  said  before,  shaved  their  heads 
and  chins,  and  looked  with  abhorrence  on  the  rough- 


Fgyptiau  Barbers. 

haired  and  long-bearded  Asiatic  nations.  They  only 
allowed  their  hair  and  beard  to  grow  when  in  mourn- 
ing, and  looked  upon  it  in  any 
other  circumstance  as  a  sign  of 
low  and  slovenly  habits.  Most  of 
them  wore  over  their  shaven  polls 
wigs  made  of  curled  hair,  with  a 
series  of  plaits  at  the  back,  like 
the  annexed  specimens,  one  of 
which  is  taken  from  the  British 
Museum,  and  the  other  from  the 
Berlin  collection  of  antiquities. 
Poor  people,  who  could  not  afford 
the  expense  of  real  hair,  had 
theirs  made  of  black  sheep's  wool. 
By  B  singular  contradiction,  the 
great  people  wore  artificial  beards. 
which  they  likewise  affixed  to  the 


*&-*£* 


36 


11IL    BOOK    OF    PEKKl  MKS. 


the  remainder  descended  on  each  side  of  the  face,  covering 
the  cars  completely.  They  generally  had  an  ornamental 
fillet  round  the  head,  with  a 
lotus  bud  in  front  by  'way  of  a 
fcrroniere.  Some  of  the  crime 
£me  indulged  in  a  head- 
dn  sa  representing  a  peacock, 
whose  gorgeous  plumage  set 
off  their  dark  tresses :  and 
princesses  were  usually  dis- 
tinguished by  a  coiffure  of 
extraordinary  dimensions,  com- 
of  the  animal,   vegetable,    and 


Mummy  case. 


billing   all   the   riches 
mineral  kingdoms. 

Modem  Egypt  has  preserved  many  of  the  customs  of 
its  former  inhabitants,  on  which  I  shall  further  descant 
when  treating  of  the  '•Orientals."  At  present  I  shall 
proceed  in  due  chronological  order,  and  devote  mv  next 
chapter  to  the  Jews. 


1 


£ 


Mm 


i  iiim  o  n 

I  In-     -li  WB 

are      mi- 

■puj.       llnlllltl'illy 

'**  i,w"  ■-"  -2^91  t'ie  """■, 

ancient 
people  ex- 
tant,  and 
the   IIi.lv 
Scriptures 
t'u  r  n  i  >h 
us      with 
abundanl 
details  re- 
specting 
then  since  the  com- 
mencement   cit'    the 
world,  1  have  given  them 
the  second  place  in  my  history  of  Perfumes,  because 
those  luxuries  do  not  appear  to  have  come  into  general 
use  among  them  until  their  return  from  Egypt.    During 
their  long  captivity  in  thai   highly  civilised  country, 
they  became  initiated  in  all  the  refinements  of  their 
masters,  being  gradually  transformed  from  a  simple. 


%k2 


m 


pastoral  people  to  a  polished,  industrious  nation ;  and 
among  the  many  arts  which  they  brought  back  with 
them  into  their  own  country  was  that  of  perfumery. 

Long  before  that  time,  however,  they  had  probably 
discovered  the  aromatic  properties  of  some  of  their 
native  gums,  and,  prompted  by  that  natural  instinct  to 
which  I  have  already  alluded,  they  had  offered  those 
fragrant  treasures  on  the  altars  raised,  to  their  God. 
Thus  we  findXoah,  on  issuing  from  the  ark,  expressing 
his  gratitude  to  the  Almighty  for  his  wonderful  preserva- 
tion by  a  sacrifice  of  burnt  offerings,  composed  of  "every 
clean  beast  and  every  clean  fowl.-'1  It  is  true  that 
Genesis  does  not  mention  incense  as  having  formed  part 
of  the  holocaust,  but  the  very  words  that  follow,  "  And 
the  Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savour,"  may  lead  us  to  as- 
sume that  such  was  the  case. 

The  mountains  of  Gilead,  a  ridge  running  from 
Mount  Lebanon  southward,  on  the  east  of  the  Holy 
Land,  were  covered  with  fragrant  shrubs.  The  most 
plentiful  among  them  was  the  amyris,  which  yields  a 
gum  known  under  the  name  of  "  balm  of  Gilead." 
Strabo  also  speaks  of  a  field  near  Jericho,  in  Palestine, 
which  was  full  of  these  balsam-trees.  This  gum  seems 
to  have  formed  an  article  of  commerce  at  a  very  early 
period,  for  the  Ishmaelitc  merchants  to  whom  Joseph 
was  sold  by  his  brethren  "  came  from  Gilead  with  their 
camels,  bearing  spiccry,  and  balm,  and  myrrh,  going  to 
carry  it  down  to  Egypt."  * 

Among  the  many  commands  which  Moses  received 
1  Genesis  viii.  20.  :  Genesis  xxxvii.  25. 


ml 


V  Js> 


:)  from  the  Lord  on  his  return  from  die  land  of  captivity, 
were  those  of  erecting  the  altar  of  incense,  and  com- 
pounding the  holy  oil  ami  perfume: — 

••And  lima  shalt  make  an  altar  to  born  incense  npon: 

ol'sliittim  wood  shalt  thou  make  it." 

"  And  thou  shalt   overlay  it  with   pure  gold,   the  top 


thereof,  and  the  sides  thereof  round  about,  and  the  horns 
thereof;  and  thou  shalt  make  unto  it  a  erown  of  gold 
round  about."  ' 

In  the  same  chapter  we  find  the  directions  far  making 
the  lmlv  anointing  oil : — 

"Take  thou  also  unto  thee  principal  spices,  of  pure 

1  Exodoa  m.  1  '•'<■ 


m^ 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

myrrh  five  hundred  shekels,  and  of  sweet  cinnamon  half 
so  much,  even  two  hundred  and  fifty  shekels,  and  of 
sweet  calamus  two  hundred  and  fifty  shekels.  And  of 
cassia  five  hundred  shekels,  after  the  shekel  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  of  olivo  oil  an  hin. 

"  And  thou  shalt  make  it  an  oil  of  holy  ointment,  an 
ointment  compound  after  tho  art  of  the  apothecary  (or 
perfumer)  :  it  shall  be  a  holy  anointing  oil." ' 

This  oil  served  to  anoint  tho  tabernacle,  the  ark  of 
the  testimony,  the  altar  of  burnt  offerings,  the  altar  of 
incense,  tho  candlesticks,  and  all  tho  sacred  vessels.  It 
was  also  used  to  consecrate  Aaron  and  his  sons,  con- 
ferring upon  them  perpetual  priesthood  from  generation 
to  generation.  The  ceremony  was  confined  to  the  high 
priest,  and  was  performed  by  pouring  oil  on  the  head  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  run  down  on  the  beard  and  the 
skirt:!  of  tho  garments.'-  There  is  a  controversy  as  to 
when  this  practice  was  discontinued — some  of  the  rabbis 
pretending  that  it  was  given  up  about  fifty  years  before 
the  destruction  of  the  temple;  whileEusebius  is  of  opinion 
that  it  remained  in  use  until  our  Saviour's  time.3 

Jewish  kings  were  also  anointed,  but  opinions  differ 
very  much  as  to  whether  it  was  done  with  the  holy  oil 
or  common  oil.  Talmudic  writers  maintain  that  it  was 
the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  kings  of  the  family  of 
David  to  be  anointed  with  the  same  holy  oil  which  was 
used  in  the  consecration  of  the  high  priest ;  but  this 
can   scarcely   agree   with    the   directions    contained 


Psalm  CXXXlii,  2 


m 


THB  jkws. 

Exodus,  1>v  which  the  use  of  the  holy  ointment  is  con- 
fined to  Aaron  and  his  generation,  to  the  exclusion  of 
every  other  person.' 

Although  the  ingredients  of  this  oil  are  given  to  US, 
we  are  no!  told  how  it  was  prepared;  and  it  Beems diffi- 
cult to  understand  how  so  many  solid  substances  could 
be  introduced  into  an  hin  of  oil  (which,  according  to 
Bishop  Cumberland,  is  only  a  little  more  than  a  gallon) 
without  destroying  its  liquidity.  Maimonides  pretends 
to  explain  this  liy  saying  that  the  four  spices  were 
pounded  separately,  then  mixed  together,  and  a  strong 
decoction  of  them  made  with  water,  which,  being  Btrained 
from   the  ingredients,  was  boiled   up  with  the  nil  till  all 

the  water  hail  evaporated.1 

The  instructions  given  to  Moses  fur  compounding  the 
holy  incense  were  as  follow: — 

"Take  unto  thee  sweet  spices,  stacte,  and  onycha,  and 
galbanum;  these  sweet  spices  with  pure  frankincense;  of 
each  shall  there  be  a  like  weight  :  and  thou  shalt  make 
ii  a  perfume,  a  confection  after  the  art  of  the  apothecary 
(or perfumer),  tempered  together  pure  and  holy."3 

The  word  perfumer  occurs  in  some  of  the  translations 
instead  of  that  of  apothecary,  which  is  easily  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  in  those  times  both  callings  were 
combined  in  one. 

There  is  a  great  difference  of  opinion  among  scrip- 
tural commentators  as  to  the  true  nature  of  stacte, 
onycha,  and  gallianum. 

'  Bxodoa  \1.  II  16,  :  Ps  Aj>|ur.itu  Ti'in[ili.  an.  i         I 

3  Exodus  xxi.  34,  35. 


1 


fcM 


IHL    liOGK    OF    PERFUMES. 


Stacte,  in   Hebrew   5\£3  (flflApi),  means  dropping; 

and  the  Greek  translation.  ~Tax-rq  stak:i  .  has  the  same 
signification,  hence  it  was  thought  by  some  to  be  storax 
and  by  others  opobalsamum.  Gesenius  simply  calls  it 
a  fragrant  gum ;  but  Professor  Lee  maintains  it  was 
myrrh,  and  he  is  probably  correct.  Rosenmuller,  how- 
ever, says  that  arajcrr)  is  derived  from  a~ra±eiv,  to  distil, 
and  that  it  was  a  distillate  from  myrrh  and  cinnamon. 
The  word  stacte  also  occurs  in  Latin  authors,  but  their 
definitions  do  not  agree ;  Pliny  saying  it  is  the  natural 
exudation  of  the  myrrh  tree  before  it  is  cut,  whilst 
Dioscorides  pretends  it  is  an  unguent  made  of  mvrrh 
pounded  in  a  little  water  and  mixed  with  origanum. 

There  is  still  a  greater  controversy  respecting  onvcha. 
Geddes  and  Boothroyd  assimilate  it  to  bdellium,1  and 
Bocharrus  brings  forth  many  arguments  to  prove  it  to 
have  been  labdanum.2  one  of  the  principal  aromatics  used 
by  the  Arabians.  Maimonides  states  it  was  the  hoof  or 
claw  of  an  animal,  and  Jarchi  the  root  of  a  plant.  The 
■  4  _-■ neral  version,  however,  is  that  it  was  the  shell  of 
a  fish  found  in  the  marshes  of  India,  and  that  it  derived 
it  s  fra  grance  from  the  spikenard,  upon  which  it  fed.  This 
fish  was  also  found  in  the  Pied  Sea.  whence  the  Jews  pro- 
bably obtained  it ;  and  its  white  and  transparent  shell 
resembled  a  man's  nail,  which  accounts  for  its  name.* 

Galbanum.    in   Hebrew    rOl^TI  .    means 

unctuous,  and  was  evidently  a  balsam.     Bishop  Patrick 


1  Gum-rosin  produced  bv  the  bahamodendron  i 

2  Gum  of  tile  cittut  crctiats. 

3  6vi>{  {oiiyi)  in  Greek  means  a  hniw  • 


^ 


Sjs 


¥ 


43 


says  it  must  not  be  confounded  with  1  lie  common 
galbanum  used  in  medicine,  which  lias  anything  but 
an  agreeable  smell,  bul  thai  it  tree  a  superior  Borl  found 
in  Syria,  mi  .Mount  Ainniius. 

The  word  tempered  has  also  been  discussed,  some  pre- 
tending thai  it  meant  tailed.  Maimonides  says  thai  the 
incense  was  always  mixed  with  Bait  of  Sodom;  but 
Bishop  Horslcy  thinks  that  tempered  in  tin's  ease  signi- 
fies dissolved. 

Bczaleel  and 
Aholiab,  who  were 
expert  "in  all  man- 
ner of  workman* 
shiji,"  were  in- 
trnsted  with  the 
task  of  preparing 
the    holy   oil    and 

incense,  and  it  was 

strictly  forbidden 
to  use  them  for  any 
other  bul  aacn  'i 
purposes. 

"  Whosoever 
shall  make  like 
unto  that,  to  smell 
thereto,  shall  even 

be  cut  off  from  his 
people." ' 

li  was  likewise  the  exclusiTi  pn  rogative  of  priests  t  . 
1  Exodus  xix  38. 


The  High  Pnest  offering  Incense. 


,  ■ 


r 


w 


v 


* 


offer  up  incense  in  the  temple :  and  for  having  violated 
this  law,  and  disregarded  the  threats  of  Moses  and 
Aaron,  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  with  two  hundred 
and  fifty  princes  of  the  assembly,  were  swallowed  up 
by  the  earth,  with  their  families  and  their  goods.1  V 

At  a  later  period,  King  TTzziah  was  likewise  repri- 
manded by  Azariah  and  eighty  other  priests  for  attempt- 
ing to  burn  incense  in  the  temple ;  and  having  persisted 
in  his  design,  he  was  struck  with  leprosy  on  the  spot.2 

The  very  severe  penalties  decreed  by  Moses  against 
any  persons  attempting  to  use  the  holy  oil  and  incense 
for  private  purposes,  or  even  to  compound  similar  pre- 
parations, give  a  very  evident  proof  that  the  Jews  had 
brought  from  Egypt  with  them  the  habit  of  employing 
perfumes,  otherwise  such  prohibitions  would  have  been 
unnecessary.  ;j 

TTith  these  they  had  also  imported  the  cleanly  habits 
of  the  Egyptians,  and  that  complete  system  of  baths 
which  gave,  as  it  were,  new  life  to  the  frame,  and  which 
naturally  led  them  to  the  use  of  sweet  unctions. 

The  purifications  of  women,  as  ordained  by  law,  also 
caused  a  great  consumption  of  aromatics.  They  lasted 
a  whole  year,  the  first  six  months  being  accomplished 
with  oil  of  niyrrh,  and  the  rest  with  other  sweet  odours. 
This  was  the  ordeal  Esther  had  to  undergo  before  she  was 
presented  to  king  Ahasuerus,  and  "  she  obtained  grace 
and  favour  in  his  sight  more  than  all  the  virgins."'3 

Perfumes  were  also  one  of  the  means  of  seduction  Hi'">  35 

resorted  to  by  Judith  when   she  went   forth  to  seek 

1  Numbers  xvi.  32-35.      ■  2  Caron.  xxri.  16-19.     3  Esther  ii.  12,  17. 


p?2^ 


THE  Jl.ws.  4;, 

Holofernea  in  hia  tent,  and   liberate  her  people  from 
his  oppn  ssion. 
"She  pulled  oft'  the  sackcloth  which  die  had  on,  and 

put  oft' t hi-  garments  of  her  widowh 1,  and  washed  her 

body  all  owr  with  water,  and  anointed  herself  with 
precious  ointment,  and  braided  the  hair  of  her  head 
and   put   a    tire  upon  it,   and  put  on   her  garment  of 


TC5^ 


Judith  Trepann*  to  meet  Holofernes. 

gladness,   wherewith   she   was  clad   during   the   life   of 
Manassas  her  husband." 

"  And  she  took  sandals  upon  her  feet,  and  pul  about 
her  bracelets,  and  her  chains  and  her  rings,  and  her 
ear-rings  and  all  her  ornaments,  and  decked  herself 
bravely,  to  allure  the  eyes  of  all  men  thai  should  see 
her."1 

1  Jmlitli  \ 


X 


n 


^tr-''. 


il 


K  ' 


«  "'UAt„     « -J  , 


16 


THE    HOOK    OK    PERITMES. 


6> 


* 


Perfumes  were  then  very  costly,  and  the  Jews  held 
them  in  such  high  esteem  that  they  formed  part  of  the 
presents  made  to  sovereigns,  as  we  find  it  to  have  been 
the  case  when  the  queen  of  Sheba  visited  king  Solomon, 
and  brought  him  "  such  spices  as  had  never  been  seen." 
We  also  read  that  Hezekiah,  receiving  the  envoys  of 
the  king  of  Babylon,  showed  them  all  his  treasures, 
"the  gold  and  silver,  and  the  spices  and  sweet  oint- 
ment." ' 

The  most  complete  description  of  the  various  aroma - 
tics  used  by  the  Jews  is  to  be  found  in  the  Canticles. 
A  symbolical  meaning  has  been  ascribed,  it  is  true,  to 
this  splendid  Hebrew  poem ;  but,  even  if  taken  in  a 
figurative  sense,  the  frequent  mention  of  perfumes  made 
in  it  shows  that  they  must  have  been  well-known  and 
appreciated  at  the  Jewish  court. 

"  Because  of  the  savour  of  thy  good  ointment,  thy 
name  is  as  good  ointment  poured  forth." 

"  "While  the  king  sitteth  at  his  table,  my  spikenard 
sendeth  forth  the  smell  thereof." 

"  My  beloved  is  unto  me  as  a  cluster  of  camphire  in 
the  vineyards  of  Engedi." 

"  Who  is  this  that  cometh  out  of  the  wilderness  like 
pillars  of  smoke  perfumed  with  myrrh  and  frankincense, 
with  all  powders  of  the  merchant  ?  " 

"The  smell  of  thy  garments  is  like  the  smell  of 
Lebanon." 

"Thy  plants  are  an  orchard  of  pomegranates,  with 
pleasant  fruits;    camphire,  with    spikenard,    spikenard 


au 


^ 


t  JU 


yd-' 


SK--S 


IK 


Sfe 


,'XOc^.' 


^ 


l-'-^H 


nil.  .h:\vs. 


17 


;iik1  saffian  ;  cabanas  and  cinnamon,  with  all  bees  ol 

frankincense;  myrrh,  and  alius,  with  all  the  chief 
spices." 

The  last  lines  sum  ap  the  principal  fragrant  sub- 
stances then  in  use,  of  which  the  following  description 
may  not  be  deemed  out  of  place  : — 

Campliiie  is  the  Same  shrub  which  the  Aral  is  call  henna 
(laicsoitia  iiicrniis),  the  leaves  of  which  are  still  used  by 
women  in  the  East  to  impart  a  rosy  tint  t<i  the  palms  of 

4W 


WE* 


Henna,  or  Camphj 


$&, 


with  enlarged  leaf  and  rlower. 


their  hands  and  the  soles  of  their  feet.      Its  flowers  are 
very  fragrant,  and  are  worn  in  chaplets  round  the  neck. 

or  used  to  decorate  apartments  and  scenl  the  air. 

The  tine  nature  of  Spikenard   has   been   at   all   times 

the  subject  of  much  controversy.     Ptolemj  mentions  it 

as  an    odoriferous    plant,    the    best    of   which    grew    at 

Bangamati  and  on  the  borders  of  the  country  now  called 
Bootan.     Pliny  says  there  are  twelve  varieties  of  it — 


THE    HOOK    Of    FEKFOMES. 

the  best  being  the  Indian,  the  next  in  quality  the  Syriac, 
then  the  Gallic,  and,  in  the  fourth  place,  that  of  Crete. 
He  thus  describes  the  Indian  spikenard  :  "  It  is  a  shrub 
with  a  heavy  thick  root,  but  short,  black,  brittle,  and 
yet  unctuous  as  well ;  it  has  a  musty  smell,  too,  very 
much  like  that  of  the  cyperus,  with  a  sharp  acrid  taste, 
,Vj  the  leaves  being  small,  and  growing  in  tufts.  The 
heads  of  the  nard  spread  out  into  ears  ;  hence  it  is  that 
nard  is  so  famous  for  its  two-fold  production,  the  spike 
or  ear,  and  the  leaf."  l  The  price  of  genuine  spikenard 
was  then  one  hundred  denarii  per  pound,'3  and  all  the 
other  sorts,  which  were  merely  herbs,  were  infinitely 
cheaper,  some  being  only  worth  three  denarii  per 
pound. 

Galen  and  Dioscorides  give  a  somewhat  similar  account 
of  spikenard  or  nardostac/iys,3  but  the  latter  pretends 
that  the  so-called  Syrian  nard  came  in  reality  from 
India,  whence  it  was  brought  to  Syria  for  shipment. 
The  ancients  appear  to  have  confounded  spikenard  with 
some  of  the  fragrant  grasses  of  India,  which  would 
account  for  the  report  that  Alexander  the  Great  when 
he  invaded  Gedrosia  could  smell  from  the  back  of  his 
elephant  the  fragrance  of  the  nard  as  it  was  trod  upon 
by  the  horses'  feet.  This  error  was  shared  by  Linmeus, 
who  did  not  attempt  to  classify  it,  but  was  inclined  to 
think  it  was  the  same  as  the  Andropogon  nardus,  com- 
monly called  ginger-grass. 

Sir  William  Jones,  the  learned  orientalist,  turned  his 


I 


1  Pliny's  Nat.  Hist,  hook  \u.  chap.  26. 

2  About  £3  6s.  8d.  of  our  money.  3  From  the  Greek  vaoSoarcixu 


^ 


■^. 


THE   JEWS. 


49 


serious  atteiitinn  to  this  question,  and  after  a  laborious 
investigation  succeeded  in  establishing  beyond  doubt 
that  the  spikenard  of  the  ancients  was  a  plant  of  the 
valerianic  order,  called  by  the  Arabs  sumbul,  which 
means  "spike,"  and  by  the  Hindus  jatamansi,  which 
signifies  "  lucks  of  hair,"  both  appellations  being  derived 
from  its  having  a  stem  which  somewhat  resembles  the 
tail  of  an  ermine  or  of  a  small 
weasel.  He  consequently  gave 
it  the  name  of  "Valeriana  Jata- 
mansi," under  which  it  is  now 
generally  classed  by  botanists. 
It  is  found  in  the  mountainous 
regions  of  India,  principally  in 
Bootan  and  Nepaul.  Its  name 
appeals  to  be  derived  from  the 
Tamil  language,  in  which  the 
syllable  rjrrrj  ni'ir  denotes  any 
thin^  possessing  fragrance,  such 
as  ndrtum  pilltl,  "  lemon-grass  ;" 
ndrtimpanei,  "Indian  jasmine;" 
iiarta  niaiium,  "wild  orange,"  etc. 
bable,  however,  that  the  word  spikenard  was  often 
applied  by  the  ancients  as  a  generic  name  for  every 
sort  of  perfume,  as  the  Chinese  now  designate  all 
their  scents  by  the  name  of  :2k  heang,  which  pro- 
perly means  incense,  it  being  for  them  the  type  of  all 
perfumes. 

Safiron  is  composed  of  the  dried  stigmata   oi    the 
flowers  of  the  crocus  safivus.     Calamus   is   the   root  of 


(r<i/- 
It 


Spikenard. 
tana  Jatamansi.) 


hiehl 


y   pro- 


&      ifaM 


rj'a: 


rr 


d 


<M 


v  P3 


50 


THE    liOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


the  sweet  flag-  (calamus  aromaticus),  and  Cinnamon  the 
bark  of  the  dnnamomiim  rervtn. 

Frankincense  is  an  exudation  from  a  sort  of  terebinth 
called  boswellia  thurifera,  which  is  principally  found  in 
Yemen,  a  part  of  Arabia.  In  the  time  of  Pliny  it  was 
only  to  bo  procured  from  that  country,  and  he  tells 
many  marvellous  stories  respecting  its  mode  of  collec- 
tion and  the  difficul- 
ties in  obtaining  it. 
•.KSvIuI  A  It  has,  however,  since 

been  discovered  in 
some  of  the  moun- 
tainous parts  of  India. 
Myrrh  is  likewise 
an  exudation  from  a 
tree  called  balsamo- 
dendron  myrrha,  found 
principally  in  Arabia 
and  Abyssinia.  The 
Greeks  attributed  a 
fabulous  origin  to  this 
precious  resin,  hold- 
ing it  to  bo  produced 
saffron  {docs  Sativus).  by  the  tears  of  Myrrha, 

daughter  of  Cinyrus,  king  of  Cyprus,  who  had  been 
metamorphosed  into  a  shrub.  It  is  now  scarcely  used 
in  perfumery,  although  it  was  such  a  favourite  with  the 
ancients. 

The  aloes  mentioned  here  must  not  be  confounded  with 
the  medicinal  drue  bearing  the  same  name.     It  is  the 


51 


\\ 1  of  a  tree  called  aloexylum  agallochum  and  is  still 

greatly  used  in  the  East  as  a  perfume  principally  for 
burning. 

Thai  these  aromatics  formed  already  an  importaul 
branch  of  commerce,  appears  from  the  words  used  in 
(he  Canticles,  "all  powders  of  the  merchant  ;"  and  i;  is 


Frankincense  ■BosKcllia  tkurytra). 


equally  evident   they  wire  applied  to  many  purposes. 
Besides  those  that  wire  burned,  or  used  as  perfumes, 
the  allusion  made  to  "the  smell  <>t'  the    garments, 
shows  that    they   laid   them    among  their  clothes,   a 
custom  also  observed  by   the  Greeks,  as  mentioned  in 

Homer's  "  Odvs-ey."    ;md   kept    up    to   the   present   day 

amon<;   Eastern   nations.      The  most    luxurious  era 


'  ,  ,^ ', 


- 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES 


applied   scents   to   their   couches,    as   we  read   in   the 

Pro  verbs : — 

"  I  have  perfumed 
my  bed  with  myrrh, 
aloes,  and  cinna- 
mon." l 

We  cannot  wonder 
that  the  Jews  evinced 
such  a  taste  for  per- 
fumes (a  taste  which 
they  have  retained 
to  the  present  day), 
when  wc  consider 
with  what  lavish 
hand  Nature  had 
showered  her  fra- 
grant treasures  upon 
them.  Judea  abound- 
ed with  aromatic 
plants     and     shrubs, 

and  well  might  Goldsmith  hail  it  as  a  second  Arabia : 

"  Tc  fields  of  Sharon,  dross' d  in  flowery  pride ; 
Ye  plains  where  Jordan  rolls  its  glassy  tide; 
Ye  hills  of  Lebanon,  with  cedars  crowned ; 
Ye  Gilcad  groves,  that  fling  perfumes  around ; 
Those  hills  how  sweet !  those  plains  how  wondrous  fair ! "  2 

The  Egyptian  custom  of  anointing  the  head  of  a 
guest  to  honour  him  was  practised  likewise  by  the 
Jews  ;  thus  when  Jesus  was  sitting  at  table  in  Bethany, 

1  The  Captivity." 


"TZGi. 


sitefe  •- 


i  in:  .r  i  \% -. 


53 


in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper,  "  there  came  a  woman 
having  an  alabaster  box  of  ointment  of  spikenard,  very 

precious,  and  she  brake  the  box  and  poured  it  on  his 
head."1 

The  Jews  had  also  borrowed  from  the  Egyptians  the 
practice  of  embalming  their  dead,  for  We  sec  in  the 
Gospel  that  alter  Jesus's  deatli  Xicodemus  "brought  a 
mixture  of  myrrh  and  aloes,  about  an  hundred  pound 
weight.  Then  took  they  the  body  of  Jesus  and  wound 
it  in  linen  clothes  with  the  spices,  as  the  manner  of 
Jews  is  iii  bury." -' 

Soap  docs  not  appear  to  have  been  known  by  the  Jews. 
It  is  true  that  the  word  sojic  occurs  twice  in  the  Bible,3 
but  in  these  instances  it  may  be  permitted  to  doubt  if 
it  renders  the  true  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  word  JV13 
(borit/i).  The  Septuagint*  translates  it  "  herb,"  and  the 
Latin  Vulgate  "the  herb  borith."  Jarchi  says  it  was 
an  herb  used  by  fullers  for  cleansing  clothes,  and  Mai- 
monides  thinks  it  was  the  plant  called  by  the  Arabs 
gaeuJ,  which,  according  to  Jerome,  grows  abundantly 
in  the  moist  parts  of  Palestine.  Others  again  asserl 
that  it  meant  fuller's  earth,  or  a  saponaceous  clay 
found  in  the  east,  which  is  still  used  there  for  the  bath. 
Dr.  Henderson  in  his  new  translation  of  Jeremiah,  has 
it  "potash,"' and  he  appears  to  be  nearer  the  truth, 
for  I  strongly  believe  borith  to  have    been  nitrate   of 

'  St.  Mark  rrr.  3.  '   hn  six.  39,  40. 

3  Jeremiah  ii.  22  ;  and  Malachi,  iii.  2. 

4  A  Qreek  version  of  the  Old  i  ippotedto  be  the  work  of 
seventy  translators. 

1  Jeremiah  and  Lamentations,  translated  bj  Dr.  Henderson,  page  H, 


THli    HOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


m 


potash,  or  common  nitre.  It  may  be  objected  that  the 
words  used  by  Jeremiah,  "  For  though  thou  wash  thee 
with  nitre,  and  take  thee  much  sope,"  show  that  nitre 
and  borith  were  two  different  things.  This  I  fully  admit, 
but  the  substance  called  nitre  by  the  ancients  was  in 
reality  the  natron  of  Egypt,  a  sesquicarbonate  of  soda 
which  was  found  in  several  lakes  in  that  country,  and  used 
for  washing  and  also  for  embalming,1  whilst  our  common 
nitre  or  saltpetre  is  a  nitrate  of  potash.  I  am  confirmed 
in  this  opinion,  by  the  description  of  the  holy  incense 
found  in  the  Talmud  (Book  Cheritoth,)  which  comprised 
WISH?  HH3,  (borith  of  Carshena),  probably  a  native 
nitre  found  at  Carshena,  and  a  very  proper  ingredient 
to  promote  combustion,  if  we  admit  it  to  be  nitre,  but 
difficult  to  explain  if  it  is  asserted  to  be  a  soap,  a  clay, 
or  even  an  herb. 

Jewish  women  were  mostly  endowed  with  great  phy- 
sical beauty — a  gift  which  they  have  preserved  to  this 
time,  throughout  the  work  of  ages,  the  changes  of  climes, 
and  the  innumerable  hardships  to  which  they  have  been 
submitted.  Not  contented,  however,  with  their  natural 
personal  attractions,  they  tried  to  enhance  them  with 
various  cosmetics,  among  which  stood  pre-eminent  the 
Egyptian  kohl,  described  in  the  last  chapter.  It  was 
this  artifice  Jezebel  resorted  to  when  she  was  expecting 
Jehu ;  for,  although  the  text  says  that  she  painted 
her  face,"  it  was  most  probably  her  eyes  to  which  she 
gave  that  dark  lmo  which  was  I  bought  so  fascinating. 
Ezekiel   explains   this  mode  of  painting  more  clearly 

:  2  Kings  ix  30. 


t 


Jst 


'"^■'".■■;-j--. 


#•>- 


mi,  jews. 


56 


when  be  says,  "Thou   didst    wash   thyself,  painl 
thine  eyes,  and  deckedsl   thyself  with  ornaments." 

The  toilet  implements  used  by  the  .lews  were,  like 
their  perfumes,  borrowed  principally  from  their  late 
masters,  the  Egyptians.  They  used  the  same  Bori  of 
metal  mirrors,  and  the  brazen  laver  made  by  Moses  for 
tin'  tabernacle  was  composed  of  those  belonging  to  the 
women  of  the  congregation. 

There  is  no  country  in  the  world  where  manners  and 


An  Eastern  Marriage  Procession. 


customs  arc  so  perpetuated  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion as  in  the  East.  We  find  among  the  modern  Arabs 
the  same  mode  of  life  which  was  adopted  by  the  patri- 
archs of  old,  and  we  may  likewise  form  some  idea  of  the 


£ 

~ 


■■. 


&F?& 


THE    BOOK    Of    PERFUMES. 


costumes  and  habits  of  ancient  Jewish  women  from  those 

of  the  present  occupants  of  the  Holy  Land.  The  marriage 
procession  represented  on  the 
previous  page  may  give  us 
some  notion  of  the  ancient  way 
of  performing  that  ceremony. 
The  sweet  aspersions  and  aro- 
matic fumigations  are  still 
maintained ;  and  in  the  an- 
nexed engraving  of  an  Eastern 
bride,  we  recognise  many  of 
the  ornaments,  with  the  loss 
of  which  Isaiah  threatens  the 
daughters  of  Zion  as  a  punish- 
ment for  their  wickedness  : — 
"  In  that  day  the  Lord  will 
take  away  the  bravery  of  their 
tinkling  ornaments  about  their 
feet,  and  their  cauls,  and  their 
round  tires  like  the  moon, 

"  The  chains,  and  the  brace- 
lets, and  the  mufflers, 

"  The  bonnets,  and  the  orna- 
ments of  the  legs,   and   the 

head-bands,  and  the  tablets,  and  the  ear-rings, 
"  The  rings  and  nose-jewels, 
"  The  changeable  suits  of  apparel,  and  the  mantles, 

and  the  wimples,  and  the  crisping-pins, 

"  The  glasses,  and  the  fine  linen,  and  the  hoods,  and 

the  veils. 


Eastern  Bnde 


w> 


i  in:  .11. us. 


o7 


"And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  instead  of  sweet 
smell,  there  shall  be  u  bad  odour ;  and  instead  of  a 
girdle,  a  rent  ;  and  instead  (if  well-set  hair,  baldness; 
and  instead  of  a  stomacher,  a  girding  of  sackcloth ;  and 

burning  instead  of  beauty."  ' 

Of  all  the  menaces  held  out  by»the  prophet  to  the 

Hebrew  women,  that  of  baldness  must  have  been  the 
most  severely  felt  by  them,  for  they  generally  possessed 
very  tine  hair,  which  they  wore  confined  in  a  net  or 
caul,  and  ornamented  with  "round  tires  like  the  moon." 
The  men  also  kepi 
their  hair  long,  just 
as  it  grew;  and  Absa- 
lom's hair  is  said  to 
have  weighed  two 
hundred  shekels, 
which  is  about  thirty- 
one  ounces.  Shorn 
locks  were  usually  a 
sign  of  slavery;  and 
in  this  lamentable  guise  are  represented  Jewish  captives 
at  Babylon  suing  mercy  from  their  conquerors.  The 
priests  had  their  haircut  every  fortnight,  while  they  were 
in  waiting  at  the  temple.  The  Xazarites,  who  mad-  a 
vow  of  observing  a  more  than  ordinary  degree  of  purity, 
were  forbidden  from  touching  their  hair  with  a  razor  or 
Boiasors  during  its  continuance,  but  when  it  ended  tin  \ 
came  to  the  door  of  the  temple,  and  the  priest  shaved 
their  heads,  and  burnt  their  hair  on  the  altar. 
1  Isai.ih  iii.  18-21. 


1     i  lives  at  Eabylon. 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEKHM1-. 


Josephus  relates  that,  in  grand  ceremonies,  king  Solo- 
mon was  preceded  by  forty  pages,  all  scions  of  noble 
families,  wearing  their  hair  profusely  powdered  with 
gold-dust,  which,  glittering  in  the  sun's  rays,  had  a 
most  brilliant  effect.  Our  belles  of  the  present  time 
who  patronise  this, mode  of  adornment  and  ascribe  its 
invention  to  a  modern  illustrious  lady,  may  not  be  aware 
that  it  is  some  three  thousand  years  old,  which  confirms 
once  more  the  truth  of  the  adage,  that  "  there  is  nothing 
new  under  the  sun." 


y  ii^u^h.^  t^^^^^k^^^j^k^ 


"  In  this  pleasant  roil 
His  far  more  pleasant  garden  God  ordained, 
Out  of  the  Fertile  ground  he  caused  to  prow 
All  trees  of  noblest  kind  for  sight,  smell,  taste." 

Melton's  Pabadisk  Lost. 

HE  strip  of  land 
running  between 
those  two  mighty 
rivers,  the  Tigris 
and  the  Euphra- 
tes)   which    was 
called     Mesopo- 
tamia by  the  an- 
cients,    and      is 
named  KUezireli 
by  its  modern  in- 
al.itants,    is    supposed 
>  have  been  the  site  of 
Etrthly  Paradise.    Sonic 
Scripture  commentators,  it  is 
true,  entertain  the  opinion  that 
it  was  placed  in  Armenia  ;  but 
ml  of  the  four  riven  mentioned 
in  Genesis  a.  flowing  through  it.  two  being  evidently 


•  : 


60 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


R^ 


the  Tigris  and  the  Euphrates,  it  seems  more  natural 
to  suppose  that  Mesopotamia  was  the  scene  of  that  mag- 
nificent garden  of  Eden  so  beautifully  described  by 
Milton  in  his  noble  poem  : — 

"  It  was  a  place 
Chosen  by  the  immortal  Planter,  when  he  framed 
All  things  to  man's  delightful  use :  the  roof 
Of  thickest  covert  was  inwoven  shade, 
Laurel  and  myrtle,  and  what  higher  grew 
Of  firm  and  fragrant  leaf;  on  either  side 
Acanthus,  and  each  odorous  bushy  shrub, 
Fenced  up  the  verdant  wall ;  each  beauteous  flower, 
Iris  all  hues,  roses  and  jessamine, 

Rear'd  high  their  flourished  heads  between,  and  wrought 
Mosaic ;  under  foot  the  violet, 
Crocus,  and  hyacinth,  with  rich  inlay 
Broider'd  the  ground,  more  colour'd  than  with  stone 
Of  costliest  emblem." ' 

That  this  favoured  spot  has  preserved  its  natural 
beauties  to  the  present  day  we  may  judge  by  Layard's 
description  of  the  environs  of  the  ancient  city  of  Nini- 
roud : — 

"  Flowers  of  every  hue  enamelled  the  meadows ;  not 
thinly  scattered  over  the  grass  as  in  northern  climes, 
but  in  such  thick  and  gathering  clusters,  that  the  whole 
plain  seemed  a  patchwork  of  many  colours."  - 

Such  an  attractive  region  could  not  fail  to  be  chosen 
by  man  at  an  early  period  for  a  dwelling-place ;  nor  is 
it  to  be  wondered  at  that  it  tempted  more  than  once 
the  ambitious  invader  to  overrun  its  fertile  plains  and 
settle  with  his  hordes  in  this  desirable  spot.  It  would 
be,  however,  quite  out  of  my  province  to  trace  the  his- 


;  -V 


\t 


tory  of  the  great  Eastern  empire  from  its  foundation  by 
Ashur,  the  son  of  Shem,  and  Nimrod,  "  tlie  mighty 
lmnter,"  to  its  oonqneet  by  Cyrus.  I  shall  confine  my- 
Belf  to  what  strictly  appertains  to  my  subject,  and  en- 
deavour to  delineate  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
Assyrians,  the  Modes,  the  Persians,  the  Chaldeans,  and 
other  ancient  Asiatic  nations. 

Besides  the  frequent  reference  to  the  Assyrians  and 
Chaldeans  which  we  find  in  the  Bible,  Herodotus, 
Xcnophon,  Diodorus  Siculus,  and  other  authors  have 
transmitted  to  ns,  some  curious  and  valuable  informa- 
tion, respecting  the  mode  of  life  of  those  luxurious 
people,  which  has  been  full}'  confiimcd  by  modern 
discoveries. 

For  many  centuries,  Nineveh  and  Babylon,  once  the 
wonders  of  the  universe,  lived  but  in  the  memories  of 
men.  Their  sites  were  scarcely  known  ;  and  it  was 
thought  that  every  trace  of  them  had  disappeared  from 
the  face  of  the  earth,  when,  some  fifty  years  since, 
an  English  scholar  and  a  French  savant,  Bich  and 
Niebuhr,  after  long  and  patient  researches,  succeeded  in 
lifting  a  corner  of  the  shroud  of  sand  and  ruin  which 
had  so  long  covered  the  dead  cities,  and  revealed  to  tin 
astonishment  of  the  world  the  splendours  of  Assyrian 
architecture.  These  pioneers  of  exploration  were  fol- 
lowed by  Botta,  Bonomi,  Layard,  and  other  ardent 
investigators,  who,  by  dint  of  untiring  perseverance  and 
energy,  rescued  many  valuable  treasures  from  the  mounds 
>it  rubbish  which  the  present  occupiers  of  the  soil  had 
allowed,  in  their  careless  ignorance,  to  accumulate  over 


TS^» 


l&\r<t 


^feyi^Sf^  ■'■■ 


THE    HOOK    <)!•■    PERFUMES 


them.  These  interesting-  relics  now  enrich  our  museums ; 
and  in  their  graphic  illustrations  we  may  read,  as  in  a 
written  book,  the  manners  and  customs  of  a  nation  which 
rivalled  Egypt  in  the  arts  of  peace  and  war. 

The  Assyrians  wor- 
shipped many  deities. 
the  principal  of  which 
were  the  sun,  the  moon, 
and  the  constellations. 
Baal,  or  Belus,  the 
Egyptian  Osiris,  typi- 
fied the  sun,  and  was  the  most  highly  venerated  of 
them  all.  Next  came  Astarte,  or  Mylitta,  the  Assyrian 
Venus,  who,  like  Isis  in  Egypt,  was  honoured  under  the 
shape  of  the  moon, 
which  accounts  for 
her  being  generally 
represented  with  a 
crescent  on  her  head. 
Dagon,  or  the  fish- 
god,  was  principally 
revered  by  the  Phoe- 
nicians, to  whom  he 
was  said  to  have 
taught  the  art  of 
navigation. 

On  all  the  altars 
erected  to  these  gods,  incense  and  aromatic  gums  were 
burnt  in  great  profusion,  for  Ave  read  in  the  Holy  Writ 
of  the  "  idolatrous  priests  that  burn  incense  unto  Baal, 


Astarte.  the  Assvr.an  Venus. 


1  *^g  /^^^.•-^^_i-x.-^^fe 


1  111.     \\(  11  \  I      \s|  \  I  !''    N  ITION8. 


68 


i- 


to  the  sun  and  the  moon,  and  to  the  planets,  and  to  all 
the  host  of  heaven."  ' 

Herodotus  describee  a1   (treat  length  the  magnificenl 


Dagou,  or  the  Fish-god.  I         iKhoraabad). 

temple  erected  in  Babylon  in  honour  of  Baal,  or  Belus, 

which    consisted  in   a    series   of   eight    huge    towers 

raised  one  over  the  other,  and 

thought  by  some  to  have  been 

identical   with    the   Tower   of 

BabeL     In  the  interior  was  a 

golden  statue  of  the  god,  said 

to  have  weighed  eight  hundred 

talents  (which  made  it   worth 

about    three    millions   of    our 

money),  and  on  the  altar,  which 

was    also    made    of    massive 

gold,  they  burned  every  year 

one  thousand  talents  of  pure  Z 

incense. - 

Besides  these  deities  the  As- 
syrians also  worshipped   their  ancient   sovereigns,  BUch 
1  2  Kings  xxiii.  6.  •'  ETerodotoa,  boot  i 


r.rod'a  Statue  Mid  Altar. 


J£t 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEKFVMES. 


m 


w 


w 


as  Nimrod,  under  whose  statue  an  altar  was  found  in 
one  of  the  excavated  monuments  ;  and  Semiramis,  their 
great  queen,  who  had  raised  Babylon  to  its  greatest  state 
of  splendour,  and  who  was  supposed  to  have  been  trans- 
formed into  a  dove,  under  which  shape  she  was  adored. 

Their  altars  were  not 


tf 


always  placed  in  the 
temples  ;  they  were 
sometimes  raised  on 
high  places,  a  custom 
frequently  alluded  to 
in  the  Bible,  and  fur- 
ther illustrated  by  mo- 
dern discoveries.  The 
Aita7onaH^hH^r       "  priests   represented    in 

the  sculptures  by  the  sides  of  the  altar  generally  have 

in  their  hand  a  small  square  basket  of  wicker-work,  the 

destination  of  which  has  greatly  puzzled  the  savans.     It 

may  probably  have  been  used 

to   carry    the    aromatic   gums 

and  woods  to  be  burned  in  the 

sacrifice.    The  consumption  of 

these    precious   drugs   was   so 

large   that,    besides  what    the 

country    produced,    additional 

supplies   were    obtained    from 

neighbouring     nations.       The 

Arabians   alone,    according   to 

Herodotus,  had  to  furnish  a  yearly  tribute  of  one  thou- 
sand talents  of  frankincense. 


Assyrian  Altar  and  Priests 
(Khorsabad). 


IU 


i*. 


!§AJ 


&-<* 


JHB 


r      ■    -  ... 


THE    ANCIENT     \M  \  I  I<     NATIONS. 


Zoroaster,  daring  the  reign  of  Darius  Hystaspes,  nn- 
dertooh  to  reform  the  religion  of  the  Persians,  and  sub- 
Btituted  the  worship  of  fire  for  that  of  their  various 
idols.  Five  times  a  day  did  his  priests  burn  perfumes 
mi  the  altar,  and  it  was  thoir  duty  to  watch  by  turns  so 
that  the  holy  flame  might  not  be  extinguished. 

Th  -  following  origin  was  ascribed  to  the  sacred  fire: 
An  astrologer  once  predicted  at  Babylon  the  birth  of 
a  child  who  would  dethrone  the  king.  The  reigning 
monarch  gave  orders  thereupon  to  have  all  women  who 
wore  in  a  state  of  pregnancy  put  to  death ;  but  one  of 
them,  whose  appearance  had  not  betrayed  her,  gave 
secretly  birth  to  the  future  prophet.  The  king  having 
heard  of  it  a  short  time  after,  sent  for  the  child  and 
tried  to  kill  him  with  his  own  hand,  but  his  arm  was 
withered  on  the  spot.  He  then  had  him  placed  on  a 
lighted  stake,  but  the  burning  pile  changed  into  a  bed 
of  roses,  on  which  the  child  quietly  slept.  Some  per- 
sons present  saved  a  portion  of  the  fire,  which  was  kept 
up  to  the  present  day,  in  memory  of  this  great  miracle. 
The  king  made  two  other  attempts  to  destroy  Zoroaster, 
but  received  punishment  for  his  w  iekedness  in  the  shape 
of  a  gnat  which  entered  his  ear  and  caused  his  death.' 

Zoroaster's  doctrines  were  adopted  and  upheld  by  the 
kings  of  the  Sassanide  dynasty,  one  of  whom  is  repre- 
sented on  thcaccompanyin.irmedal.havingon  theobverse 
a  pyreum,  or  holy  altar-fire.  "When  Persia  was  invaded 
by  the  Turks,  his  sectaries  flew  from  the  persecutions 
to  which  they  were  subjected  by  the  Mahometans,  and 

'  Tnvprnior,  Voyage  en  PtfM, 


rHE    HOOK   OF    PERFUMES. 


took  refuge  on  ilic  western  coast  of  India,  where  they 
continue  to  exercise  their  religion  under  the  name  of 
Parsees,  or  Gliehers.     They   still  keep  up  the  sacred 


Sassamde  Medal. 

fires  on  brazen  altars,  upon  which  they  throw  aromatic 
gums  in  their  ceremonies. 

The  luxurious  and  refined  habits  of  the  Assyrians  in 
~  ■  -..  private  life  naturally  in- 

,  volved  the  use  of  per- 

fumes and  cosmetics. 
Their  last  monarch,  Sar- 
danapalus,  whom  Col. 
Rawlinson  calls  Assar- 
adan-pal,  carried  this 
passion  to  such  an  ex- 
tent, that  he  dressed  and 
painted  like  his  women ; 
and,  when  driven  to  the  last  extremity  by  the  rapid 
advance  of  the  conqueror,  he  chose  a  death  worthy  of 
an  Eastern  voluptuary  by  causing  a  pile  of  fragrant 
woods  to  be  lighted,  and,  placing  himself  on  it  with 
his  wives  and  treasures,  was  sweetly  suffocated  by 
aromatic  smoke.  Duris,  however,  and  other  historians 
quoted  by  Athenanis,  give  another  version  of  his  death. 


Vft 


v. 


0 


tHE    wur.vr    \M  mc    N  \Tin\s. 


6i 


They  say  thai  Arbaces,  one  of  his  generals,  having  gone 
to  v^it  Sardanapalus,  found  him  painted  with  vermilion 
and  clad  in  female  garb.     He  was  just  in  the  act  of 

pencilling  his  eyebrows  when  Arbaces  entered,  and  the 
general  was  so  indignant  at  the  effeminacy  of  the  monarch 
thai  he  stabbed  him  on  the  spot. 

Great  as  was  the  magnificence  of  Nineveh,  it  was 
scarcely  equal  to  that  of  Babylon,  which,  according  to 
ancient  records,  had  a  circumference  of  sixty  miles,  and 
contained  the  most  gorgeous  buildings  and  immense 
riches.  Foremost  among  all  these  marvels  were  the 
celebrated  hanging  gardens  which  Nebuchadnezzar 
erected  to  please  his  wifeAxnytes,  daughter  of  Astyanax, 
king  of  the  Medea,  and  which  were  classed  among  the 
wonders  of  the  world. 

"  'Within  the  walls  was  raised  a  lofty  mound 
When  flowers  and  aromatic  ahruhi  adorned 
Tin'  pensile  garden.  Fur  Xel.a.-sir's  qui  i  a 
Fatigued  with  Babylonia's  level  plains, 

i  for  her  Median  home,  where  Nature's  hand 
Had  scoopi  .I  the  vales  and  clothed  the  mountain  side 
With  many  a  verdant  wood;  not  long  sin  pined 
Till  that  uxorious  monarch  called  on  Art 

To  rival   N.I  i  ;,  ty. 

Forthwith  two  hundred  thousand  slaves  upriar'd 
This  hill— egregious  work,  rich  fruits  o'erhang 
The  sloping  vales,  and  odorous  shrubs  entwine 
Their  undulating  branches." 

Then  by  the  side  of  the  lofty  o  dar  gp  w  the  mourn- 
ful cypress  and  the  elegant  mimosa;  but  the  favourite 
resort  of  the  Queen  was  the  bower  where  bloomed  the 
rose  and  the  lily,  vying  with  each  other  in  beauty  and 
fragrance. 


"3  -  V 


,- 


We  can  easily  conceive  that  people  who  professed 
such  admiration  for  fragrant  flowers  had  an  adequate 
esteem  for  perfumes,  and  that  when  the  season  of  the 


w% 


THE    JiOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

Anil  the  jessamine  faint,  and  the  sweet  tuberose, 
The  sweetest  flower  for  scent  that  blows, 
And  all  rare  blossoms  from  every  clime  ! " 


Assyrian  Ointment  Boxe3 


former  was  past  they  had  recourse  to  the  latter  to  per- 
petuate their  enjoyment  of  "sweet  smells."  Babylon 
was,  in  fine,  the  chief  mart  for  perfumes  in  the  East, 
and  Babylonian  scents  were  celebrated  far  and  wide. 


Till-;      \\l   II A  I      A-l  MM       N  \.  IONS. 

with  cuneiform  inscriptions  were  bund  by  Mr.  Layard 
in  thf  excavations  at  Nimroud. 

The  Babylonians  themselves  were  great  consumers  of 
aroinatics,  tor  Herodotus  tills  us  that  they  used  to  per- 
fume their  whole  bodies  witli  the  costliest  Mints,  and 
at  their  magnificent  banquets  fragrant  cassolettes  irere 
kept  constantly  burning. 

Cosmetics  were  also  in  much  request  among  those 
luxurious  people.  .Stibium,  a  preparation  of  antimony 
similar  to  the  Egyptian  kohl,  they  applied  to  the  lids 
and  corners  of  the  eyes  to  make  them  appear  larger  and 
more  brilliant.  They  used,  besides,  white  and  red  paint 
for  the  face,  and  they  rubbed  their  skin  with  pumice- 
stone  to  make  it  .smooth. 

Nieolaus  of  Damascus  narrates  the  following  curious 
anecdote,  which  illustrates  the  manners  of  the  Babylon- 
ians. In  the  reign  of  Artocus,  king  of  the  Medes,  one 
of  his  favourites,  named  Par  sondes,  a  man  renowned  for 
his  courage  and  strength,  having  observed  that  Nanarus, 
the  governor  of  Babylon,  was  very  effeminate  in  his 
person,  shaving  himself  and  using  -various  cosmetics,  he 
asked  the  king  to  transfer  his  post  to  him.  Arta  us  n  - 
fused,  and  Nanarus,  having  heard  what  had  occurred, 
swore  to  be  revenged  on  Parsondes.  He  caused  him  to 
be  sei/ed  whilst  he  was  hunting  near  Babylon,  and 
having  had  him  brought  before  him,  inquin  d  for  what 
reason  he  had  tried  to  supplant  him.  "  Because,"  an- 
swered Paraondee,  "I  thought  myself  more  worthy  of 
the   honour,    for   I    am   more   manly  and  more  useful  to 

tin-  king  than  you,  who  an-  shaven,  ami  have  your  eyi  a 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

underlined  with  stibium,  and  your  face  painted  with 
white  lead."  Nanarus,  on  hearing  this,  delivered  his 
enemy  into  the  hands  of  a  slave,  to  whom  he  gave  strict 
orders  to  shave  him,  rub  him  with  pumice-stone,  bathe 
him  twice  a-day,  anoint  him,  paint  his  eyes,  and  plait 
his  hair  like  a  woman's.     This  mode  of  treatment  soon 


rendered  Parsondes  as  effeminate  as  his  rival ;  and,  some 
time  after,  Artasus  having  sent  one  of  his  officers  to 
Babylon  to  claim  his  favourite,  Nanarus  had  him  brought 
among  one  hundred  and  fifty  female  musicians  before 
the  ambassador,  who  could  not  recognise  him,  and  took 
him  for  a  woman. 

The  Medea  were  no  less  expert  in  the  ail  of  inipart- 


t 


As] 


&•* 


'•  s 


"CrQv 


1  III.     \M  !!■.  N  I      \M  \\  l:       N  \l  IONS 


Jl 


bag  artificial  charms  to  their  persona.  Xenophon,  in 
bia  Cyropedia,1  relates  thai  when  Cyrus,  at  the  age  of 
twelve  yean,  went  with  his  mother  to  \i-it  his  grand- 
father, Astyages,  King  of  the  Modes,  he  found  him 
adorned  with  paint  round  his  eyes,  colour  on  hia  tare, 
and  a  magnificent  wig  of  flowing  ringlets.  The  boy, 
thinking  all  this  was  real,  turned  round  to  his  mother, 
and  exclaimed,  in  his  naive  admiration,  "Oh,  mother, 
how  handsome  my  grandfather  ial" 

The  Persians  borrowed  from  the  Medes  their  taste 
for  perfumes  and  eosmeties.  Their  kings  usually  spent 
their  Bummers  at  Echatana,  and  their  winters  at  Bubo  ; 
the  latter  place  was  celebrated  tor  its  beautiful  flowers, 
and  especially  the  lily,  which,  being  tailed  Sousoh  in 
the  Persian  language,  gave  its  name  to  the  town.  Such 
w;ls  their  predilection  for  perfumes  that  they  usually 
wore  on  their  heads  erowns  made,  according  to  Dinon, 
of  myrrh  and  a  sweet-smelling  plant  called  lahyzus. 
In  the  palaces  of  lnonarchs  and  individuals  of  rank. 
aromatics  were  constantly  burning  in  richly-wroughl 
vessels,  a  custom  of  which  we  find  an  illustration  in 

the  annexed  engraving,   taken    from   the  sculptures  at 

Persepolis. 

When  Darius  was  vanquished  by  Alexander  at  the 
battle  of  Arhela,  he  left  behind  him  in  his  tent,  among 

other  treasures,  a  caskel  tilled  with  precious  aromatics. 
Alexander,  who  at  that  time  professed  to  despise  such 

luxuries,  had  them  thrown  out,  and  replaced  them  with 

the  works  of  Homer,  who,  by-the-bye,  does  ool  appear 
1  Xi  nophon,  Cjrop.  b.  i.  c  3. 


held  some  games  at   Daphne,  where  Mints   played  a 

most  important  part. 

In  one  of  tho  processions  that  took  place  there  were 
two  bandied  women  sprinkling  every  one  with  perfumes 

out  of  golden  watering-pots.  In  another,  marched 
boys  in  purple  tunics,  bearing  frankincense,  and  myrrh. 
and  saffron,  on  golden  dishes,  and  after  them  came  two 
incense-burners  made  of  ivy- wood,  covered  with  gold, 
six  cubits  in  height,  and  a  large  square  golden  altar 
in  the  middle  of  them.  Every  one  who  entered  the 
gymnasium  was  anointed  with  some  perfume  contained 
in  gold  dishes.  There  were  fifteen  of  these  dishes,  each 
holding  different  scents,  such  as  saffron,  cinnamon, 
spikenard,  fenugreek,  amaracus,  lilies,  etc.  Thousands 
of  guests  were  invited,  and  after  being  richly  feasted 
were  st  nt  away  with  crowns  of  myrrh  and  frank- 
incense. 

The  same  king  was  once  bathing  in  the  public  baths, 
when  some  private  person,  attracted  by  the  fragrant 
odour  which  he  shed  around  him,  accosted  him,  saying, 
"You  are  a  happy  man,  <»  king:  you  smell  in  a  most 
costly  manner."  Antiochus,  being  much  pleased  with 
the  remark,  replied,  "  I  will  give  you  as  much  as  you  can 
deflire  of  this  perfume."  The  king  then  ordered  a  large 
ewer  of  thick  unguent  to  be  poured  over  his  head,  and 
a  multitude  of  poor  people  soon  collected  around  him  to 
gather  what  was  spilled.  This  caused  the  king  infinite 
amusement,  but  it  made  the  place  so  greasy  that  he 
slipped  and  fell  on  his  royal  hack  in  a  most  undignified 
manner,  which  put  an  end  to  his  merriment) 


^yft'—T     » 


^^M*fc. 


a 


All  other  Asiatic  nations  made  great  use  of  perfumes, 
and  paid  great  attention  to  their  toilet ;  but  none,  per- 
haps, exceeded  in  that  taste  the  Lydians,  who  were 
most  effeminate,  and  whom  Xenophanes  describes  as 

"  Boasting  of  hair  luxuriously  dress'd, 
Dripping  with  costly  and  sweet-smelling  oils. 

The  Egyptian  custom  of  embalming  docs  not  appear 
to  have  been  practised  in  the  same  manner  by  the 
Assyrians  or  Babylonians.  Herodotus  says  that  the 
latter  preserved  the  bodies  of  their  dead  with  honey, 
but  this  woidd  not  have  been  sufficient  without  the 
admixture  of  some  aromatic  substances.  M.  Botta 
found  a  great  number  of  funereal  urns  at  Nineveh, 
which  only  contained  fragments  of  bones,  the  bodies 
having  been  transformed  into  clay. 

Xo  ancient  nation  devoted  such  care  to  the  hair  and 
beard  as  the  Assyrians.  The  mass  of  luxuriant  curls 
falling  over  the  shoulders  and  the  elaborately  plaited 
beard  are  so  familiar  to  those  who  have  visited  our 
museums  that  I  need  not  give  any  enlarged  description 
of  this  fashion.  The  kings  usually  had 
gold  thread  interwoven  with  their  beard, 
which,  contrasting  with  its  dark  hue,  had 
a  most  brilliant  effect.  Their  head-dress 
was  of  a  semi-conical  form,  and  enriched 
with  pearls  and  jewels.  Cyrus  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  to  wear  the  tiara, 
but  he  is  represented  on  a  monument  at 
Persepolis  with  a  most  peculiar  head- 
dress, which,  if  ornamental,  must  have  been  somewhat 


ffii 


£ 


King's  Head-dress. 


J*. 


sf^ 


Cyrus'  Head-dress. 

(Peisepohs.; 


Far-rings 


1 


THE   ancii.m    ASIATIC   Nation's.  7/> 

iiiron  \  iniciit ,  .is  tlic  reader  may  judge  from  the  annexed 
engraving,  which  would  not  form  a  bad 
design  for  a  candelabrum. 

Ladies  wore   their   hair    flowing  in 
long  ringlets  over  their  .shoulders,  and 

simply  confined  by  a  hand  round  the 

head,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying 

illustration.     They  wore  massive  ear- 
rings  and  a    profusion  of  jewels,  and 

m  re  mostly  pretty.     Those,  however, 

who  had  not  been  favoured  with  Nature's  gifts  did  not 
on  that  account  remain  -111- 
^2»  f^S  (35^2^  s'i>;  ,or>  by  a  very  curious 
custom  established  at  Ba- 
bylon, all  marriageable 
girls  were  assembled  to- 
gether at  a  certain  time, 

and  the  rich  suitors  selected  first  the  handsomest  brides, 

and   paid    down    a   dowry, 

which    was     given    to    the 

Others,    who    by    means    of 

this  easily  found   husbands 

turning  the  young  men  who 

cared  more  for  money  than 

beauty. 

All  the  Asiatic  people  at- 
tached   the    greatest    value 

to  their  hair;    and  well   did 

HLausolus,    king    ot    (  ai  La, 

turn  this  loudness  to  account  when  he  resorted  to  th 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFVMES 


following  stratagem  to  replenish  his  impoverished 
exchequer.  Having  first  had  a  quantity  of  wigs 
manufactured  and  carefully  stored  in  the  royal  ware- 
houses, he  published  an  edict  compelling  all  his  sub- 
jects to  have  their  heads  shaved.  The  unfortunates  had 
to  submit ;  and  when,  a  few  days  after,  the  monarch's 
agents  went  round  offering  them  the  perukes  destined 
to  cover  their  denuded  polls  they  were  glad  to  buy 
them  at  anv  price.  !No  wonder  that  Artemisia  could 
not  console  herself  for  the  loss  of  such  a  clever  hus- 
band ;  and  that,  not  satisfied  with  drinking  his  ashes 
every  day  mixed  with  her  wine,  she  exhausted  the 
treasures  of  the  state  in  erecting  to  his  manes  a  splendid 
monument,  which  was  reckoned  one  of  the  wonders  of 
the  world. 


. 


THE    HOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

that  purpose.  No  Greek  commenced  a  journey  or  any 
other  enterprise  of  greater  or  lesser  moment 
without  having  first  sought  to  propitiate  the 
god  whose  protection  he  thought  he  might  re- 
quire in  his  undertaking,  by  sacrificing  the 
animal  consecrated  to  that  particular  deity. 
Thus  an  ox  was  offered  to  Jupiter,  a  dog  to 
Hecate,  a  dove  to  Venus,  a  sow  to  Ceres,  and  a 
fish  to  Neptune.  The  victim  was  laid  on  the  altar 
decked  with  garlands  of  fragrant  herbs  or  flowers,  and 


burned  with  frankincense,  accompanied  with  libations  of 

wine  out  of  a  flat  vessel  called  patera.    This  formed  the 

complete  oblation  described  by  Hesiod. 

"  Let  the  rich  fumes  of  od'rous  incense  fly, 
A  grateful  savour  to  the  powers  on  high ; 
The  due  libation  nor  neglect  to  nay, 
"When  evening  closes,  or  when  dawns  the  day."1 

In  the  more  ordinary  sorts  of  sacrifices,  incense  alone 
was  burned  on  the  i/iyterion,  or  incense  altar,  as  re- 
presented in  the  accompanying  engraving.  At  all  the 
numerous  religious  festivals  held  in  Greece,  aromatics 
were  consumed  in  large  quantities.  The  principal  of 
these  fStes  were  the  Panathensea,  in  honour  of  Minerva; 
the  Eleutheria,  celebrated  at  Plataea,  in  the  temple  of 
Jupiter ;  and  the  Dyonisia,  of  which  Bacchus  was  the 
1  Hesiod,  Oper.  i.  334. 


£, 


wt«o^-* Q>\ 


-; 


-' 


Incense  Altar. 


Tin:   OBBBKS.  7!) 

hero;  bat  none  equalled  in  magnificence  the  Eleusiniai] 

mysteries,  instituted  in  honour  of  Ceres.       The  latter 
festival   hated  nine  days,   (luring 
which    the   myste),    or   initiates, 
were    gradually   subjected    to   a 

series  of  terrifying  trials  to  test 

their  fortitude.     Those  who  had 

succeeded   in  braving    the    most 

hideous    apparitions,     the     most 

ferocious  monsters,  and  the  most 

appalling    dangers,    were    iutro- 

duoed  on  the  ninth  day  into  the 

temple  of  the  goddess,  where  her  statue,  covered  with 

gold    and   precious   stones,    shone   amidst   a    thousand 

lights.  The  altar,  smoking  with  the  purest  incense, 
"as  surrounded  by  a  crowd 
of  priests  clad  in  purple,  and 
Crowned  with  myrtle;  and 
above  them,  on  a  splendid 
throne,  sat  the  Hierophant, 
or  high  priest,  who  expounded 
to  the  adepts  the  mysteries 
of  the  goddess,  and  described 
to  them  thejoyswhieh  awaited 
them  in  return  for  their  cour- 
age. In  the  midst  of  the 
Elysian  fields  theywere  to  find 

a  golden  city  with  emerald  ramparts,  ivorv  pavement, 
and  cinnamon  gates.  Around  the  walls  flowed  a  river  of 
perfumes  one  hundred  cubits  in  width,  and  deep  enough 


I 


! . 


Sk/ 


to  swim  in.  From  this  river  rose  an  odorous  mist, 
which  enveloped  the  whole  place  and  shed  a  refreshing 
and  fragrant  dew.  There  were  to  be,  besides,  in  this 
fortunate  city,  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  fountains 
of  honey  and  five  hundred  of  the  sweetest  essences. 
This  description,  taken  from  a  Greek  author,  bears  a 
singular  resemblance  to  that  of  the  marvels  of  Ma- 
homet's paradise,  promised  to  the  Mussulmans  in  the 
Koran,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  and  shows  the  pas- 
sionate fondness  of  both  people  for  perfumes. 

The  Greeks,  with  their  lively  imagination,  constantly 
mixing  up  fable  with  reality,  ascribed  a  divine  origin 
to  perfumes,  which  they  numbered  among  the  attri- 
butes of  their  deities.  Thus,  as  I  have  remarked  before 
in  the  first  chapter,  the  early  poets  never  mention  the 
appariiion  of  a  goddess  without  speaking  of  the  am- 
brosial fragrance  which  she  shed  around  her.  The  gods 
who  revelled  in  nectar  and  ambrosia,  food  unknown  to 
mortals,  indulged  also  in  delicious  perfumes  specially 
reserved  to  their  use.  Homer  thus  describes  Juno's 
toilet  operations  when  she  repairs  to  her  bower  before 
meeting  Venus  :  — 

••  Here  first  she  bathes,  and  round  her  body  pours 
Soft  oils  of  fragrance,  and  ambrosial  showers. 
The  'winds,  perfumed,  the  balmy  gale  conveys 
Through  heaven,  through  earth,  and  all  th'  aerial  ways. 
Spirit  divine  !  whose  exhalation  greets 
The  sense  of  gods  with  more  than  mortal  sweets." ' 

Sometimes  good-natured  deities  condescended  to  be- 
stow some  of  these  exquisite  aromatics  upon  their  own 


1   Iliad,  viv. 


'&W 


81 


prott'ijcs  as  a  mark  of  special  favour.  Tims,  when  Pene- 
lope prepares  to  receive  her  suitors,  Eurynome  advises 

her  to  dispel  her  grief,  and  diffuse  "  the  grace  of  unction 
over  her  cheeks."  The  virtuous  matron  refuses  in  the 
following  terms  : — 

"  Persuade  not  me,  though  studious  of  my  good, 

Eurynome  !  to  bathe  or  to  anoint 

Mj  lace  with  oil;  for  when  Ulysses  sail'd, 

On  that  same  day,  the  lWrs  of  Ileav'n  deform'd 

And  withrr'd  all  my  hi  antic-." 

Pallas,  however,  visits  her  during  her  slumbers,  and 

sheds  over  her  some  wonderful  perfume,  which  was  pro- 

bably  called  in  ihose  times  "The  Venus  Pouquet." 

"The  glorious  goddess  clothed  her  as  she  lay 
With  beauty  of  the  skies ;  her  lovely  face 
With  such  ambrosia]  unguent  Hist  she  bathed 
As  Cytherca,  chaplct-erowned,  employ  s 
Hi  1-1  It',  when  in  the  sight-entangling  dance 
She  joins  the  Graces."  ' 

Phaon,  the  Lesbian  pilot,  having  once  conveyed  in 
ln's  vessel  to  Cyprus  a  mysterious  passenger,  whom  he 
discovers  to  be  Venus,  receives  from  the  goddess,  as  a 
parting  gift,  a  divine  essence,  which  changes  his  coarse 
Wirr  into  the  most  beautiful  features.  Poor  Sappho, 
who  sees  him  after  his  transformation,  becomes  smitten 
with  his  charms,  hut,  finding  her  love  unrequited,  is 
driven  to  seek  a  watery  grave.  This  miracle  certainly 
beats  all  the  vaunted  achievements  of  modern  perfumery, 
even  including  the  "patent  enamelling  process,"  which, 
if  applied  to  gentlemen,  would  not,  I  am  afraid,  attract 
many  "  Sapphos." 

The  persons  skilled  in  preparing  perfumes — and  they 
1  Odiseev,  rriii.  „ 


C   : 


THE    BOOK   OF    FLRFl  M     - 

were  mostly  women — were  deemed  by  the  Greeks,  with 
their  love  of  the  marvellous,  to  be  magicians.  Thus  we 
hare  Circe  detaining  Ulysses  in  her  isle  by  means  of 
spells,  which  were  chiefly  sweet  fumigations :  and  Medea 
boiling  old  Eson  in  an  aromatic  bath,  and  turning  him 
(.put  a  perfect  juvenile — an  operation,  by-the-bye,  which 
:'  our  old  beaux  would  submit  to,  whatever  may  be 
their  wish  to  become  young  again. 

The  nymph  (Enone  was  supposed  to  have  imparted 
to  Paris  some  of  the  secrets  of  Tenus's  toilet,  and  it  was 
bv  means  of  these  cosmetics  that  the  fair  Helen  acquired 
that  transcendent  beauty  which  was  so  fatal  to  both 
Greeks  and  Trojans.  These  secrets  she  revealed  to  her 
countrywomen  on  her  return  from  Troy,  and  thus  we 
have  the  perfection  of  Greek  perfumery  accounted  for. 

In  those  ancient  times,  besides  the  fragrant  gums 
burned  as  sacrifices,  the  only  perfumes  known  appear 
to  have  been  in  the  shape  of  oils  scented  with  flowers, 
and  principally  the  rose.  Homer  generally  designates 
them  under  the  name  of  e\awv,  claion  (oil i ,  adding 
sometimes  the  epithet  of  "  rosy"  or  "  ambrosial."  At  a 
later  period  the  Ionians  introduced  a  greater  variety  of 
neea  chiefly  borrowed  from  Asiatic  nations,  who 
were  then  more  versed  in  the  art. 

Their  use  became  so  prevalent  at  one  time,  that  Solon 
issued  an  edict  prohibiting  the  sale  of  perfumes ;  but, 
like  all  sumptuary  law?,  it  was  "  more  honoured  in  the 
breach  than  the  observance,'"  for  perfumers'  shops  still 
continued  to  be  the  resort  of  loungers,  as  modern 
are  in  the  south  of  Europe.     Even  the  tattered  cynic, 


W 


p  "-v 


• 


THE   QBEBES.  g'-j 

Diogenes,  did  not  disdain  to  enter  them  now  and  then, 
fearing  his  tub  at  the  door;  but,  with  a  praiseworthy 
spirit  of  economy,  he  always  applied  the  ointments  he 
bought  to  hie/arf;  for,  as  he  justly  observed  to  the 
young  sparks  who  were  mocking  him  for  his  eccen- 
tricity, "when  you  anoint  your  head  with  perfume  it 
Hies  away  into  the  air,  and  the  birds  only  get  the  benefit 
of  it;  whilst  if  I  rob  j,  on  I11V  ]lW(T  ]imbs  it  C]m,ln]irs 
my  whole  body,  and  gratefully  ascends  to  my  nose." 

The  general  name  for  perfumes  was  pvpov  (mi/rou), 
which,  according  to  Chrymppus,  was  derived  from  the 
word  moron  (trouble),  "owing  to  the  vain  and  unprofitable 
labour  of  compounding  it."  I  put  this  down,  however 
as  the  detestable  pun  of  a  man  who  had  <<  no  perfume  in 
his  soul,"  and  am  more  inclined  to  believe  it  came  from 
the  word  myrrh,  as  being  the  best  known  of  aromatics. 
The  Greeks  in  the  time  of  their  splendour  used  a 
great  variety  of  scents  and  unguents,  the 
principal  of  which  are  thus  described  at  full 
length  by  Apollonius  of  Herophila,  in  his 
"Treatise  on  Perfumes,"  quoted  by  Athe- 
naBue : '  — 

"Tlie  iris  is  best  in  Elis  and  at  t'vzicus ;  Sc*laba3ter 
the  perfume  made  from  roses  is  most  excellent  at  Pha-" 
selis,  and  that  made  at  Naples  and  Capua  is  also  very 
fine.  That  made  from  crocus  (saffron)  is  i„  the  highest 
perfection  at  Soli  in  Cilieia,  and  at  Rhodes.  The  essence 
of  spikenard  is  best  at  Tarsus,  and  the  extract  of  rine- 

fesvtt    is   made    beet    at    Cyprus   and   at    Adramy.tium. 
1  DeijHHaophuts,  b.  it.  d,  38. 


L- 


I 


^£?pr  ' 


THE    HOOK   OF    PERFUMES 


84 


The  best  perfume  from  marjoram  and  from  apples  comes 
from  Cos.  Egypt  bears  the  palm  for  its  essence  of 
Cypirus,  and  the  next  best  is  the  Cyprian  and  Phoeni- 
cian, and  after  them  comes  the  Sidonian.  The  perfume 
called  Panathenaicum  is  made  at  Athens,  and  those 
called  Metopian  and  Mendcsian  are  prepared  with  the 
greatest  skill  in  Egypt.  But  the  Metopian  is  made 
from  oil  which  is  extracted  from  bitter  almonds.  Still, 
the  superior  excellence  of  each  perfume  is  owing  to  the 
purveyors,  und  the  materials,  and  the  artist,  and  not  to 
the  place  itself,  for  Ephesus  formerly,  as  men  say,  had 
a  high  reputation  for  the  excellence  of  its  perfumery, 
and  especially  of  its  megallium,  but  now  it  has  none. 
At  one  time,  too,  the  unguents  made  in  Alexandria  were 
brought  to  high  perfection  on  account  of  the  wealth  of 
the  city  and  the  attention  that  Arsinoe  and  Berenice 
paid  to  such  matters ;  and  the  finest  extract  of  roses  in 
the  world  was  made  at  Cyrene  while  the  great  Berenice 
was  alive.  Again,  in  ancient  times  the  extract  of  vine- 
leaves  made  at  Adranvyttium  was  but  poor ;  but  after- 
wards it  became  first-rate,  owing  to  Stratonice,  the  wife 
of  Eumenes.  Formerly,  too,  Syria  used  to  make  every 
sort  of  unguent  admirably,  especially  that  extracted  from 
fenugreek,  but  the  case  is  quite  altered  now.  And  long 
ago  there  used  to  be  a  most  delicious  unguent  extracted 
from  frankincense  at  Pergamus,  owing  to  the  invention 
of  a  certain  perfumer  of  that  city,  for  no  one  else  had 
ever  made  it  before  him  ;  but  now  none  is  made  there." 
Thcophrastus  also  wrote  a  book  on  scents,  in  which 
lie  says  that,  some  perfumes  are  made  of  flowers,  as,  for 


[£b 


ifess^fc-.      md 


THE    CiKEKKS. 


8D 


instance,    from    roses,    white    violets,    and    lilies — some 
from  stalks  0T  leaves,  and  some  from  roots. 

The  name  of  the  perfumes  generally  indicated  the 
ingredients  from  which  they  were  prepared,  hut  others 

were  called  after  their  inventor.     Thus  the  Mcgallium 

was  made  by  a  perfumer  named  Megallus — 

"An]  say  you  are  bringing  her  such  nngni  nta 
As  old  Megallus  never  did  compound."  ' 

Peron  was  also  a  celebrated  Athenian  perfumer,  often 

quoted  by  ancient  authors  : — 

••  1  Lit  the  man  in  Peron's  Bbopjnst  now 
Dealing  lot  ointment ;  when  he  baa  agreed, 
He'll  bring  you  cinnamon  and  spikenard  essence."' 

Baocaris  and  Psagdas,  or  Psagdes,  were  two  perfumes 
much  in  vogue  : — 

"I  then  my  DOM  with  bacearil  anointed. 

lit 'ilolellt  of  crocus."1 

"  Come,  let  me  see  what  unguent  I  can  give  you  : 

Do  you  like  psagdes  }" ' 
"She  thrice  anointed  with  Egyptian  psagdas."" 

The  most  luxurious  applied  a  different   perfume   to 
each  part  of  their  body,  as  we  find  in  Antiphanes: — 

"  lie  really  bathes 

In  a  large  gilded  tub,  and  Bteeps  Lis  feet 
and  legs  in  rich  Egyptian  unguents; 

His  jaws  and  breasts  he  rubs  with  thick  palm  oil, 
And  both  his  arms  with  extract  sweet  of  mint  ; 
II i~  eyebrows  and  his  hair  with  marjoram, 
His  knees  and  neck  with  essence  of  ground  thyme." 

The  greatest   consumption  of  aromatic.-,   however,  took 

place   in   their   entertainments.      Already    in    Homeric 

times  it  was  customary  to  oner  co  the  guests  a  hath 

ttia,  Ifedea.  -  Antiphases,  Ante*.  '  Hipponax. 

'  Arist. .ph.  Daitalaa.  '  Kuhulus. 


dU 


followed  by  sweet  unctions  before  sitting  to  table.  Thus 
when  Telemachus  and  Pisistratus  are  received  by  Mene- 
laus  they  descend  to  the  baths — 

"  "Where  a  bright  damsel  train  attends  the  guests 
With  liquid  odours  and  embroider'd  vests  ; 
Refreshed  they  wait  them  to  the  bower  of  state, 
Where  circled  with  his  peers  Atrides  sate." ' 

At  a  later  period  perfumes  were  not  only  used  for 
ablutions  prior  to  the  entertainment,  but  were  also 
brought  in,  during  the  feast,  in  alabaster  or  gold  bottles, 
with  flower  garlands  to  crown  the  guests.8  Philoxenus, 
in  his  play  called  "  The  Banquet,"  says — 

"And  then  the  slaves  brought  water  for  the  hands, 
And  soap3  well  mix'd  with  oily  juice  of  lilies, 
And  pour'd  o'er  the  hands  as  much  warm  water 
As  the  guest  wish'd.     And  then  they  gave  them  towels 
Of  finest  linen,  beautifully  wrought, 
And  fragrant  ointments  of  ambrosial  smell, 
And  garlands  of  the  flow'ring  violet." 

Xenophanes  gives  a  still  more  ample  description  of  a 
Grecian  entertainment : — 

"The  ground  is  swept,  and  the  triclinium  clear, 
The  hands  are  puri6ed,  the  goblets,  too. 
Well  rinsed ;  each  guest  upon  his  forehead  bears 
A  wreath'd  flow'ry  crown ;  from  slender  vase 
A  willing  youth  presents  to  each  in  turn 
A  sweet  and  costly  perfume  ;  while  the  bowl, 
Emblem  of  joy  and  social  mirth,  stands  by, 
FiU'd  to  the  brim  ;  another  pours  out  wine 
01'  most  delicious  flavour,  breathing  round 
Fragrance  of  flowers,  and  honey  newly  made, 
So  grateful  to  the  sense,  that  none  refuse ; 
While  odoriferous  gums  till  all  the  room. 

1  Odyssey,  iv.  a  Athenaeus,  Dcipuos.,  b.  xv.,  c.  36. 

3  Although  the  original  Greek  word  oi±riy pa  \amtgmi)  is  usually  trans- 
lated "soap,"  I  believe  it  only  meant  a  kind  of  scented  clay,  still  used  in 
the  East,  for  the  Greeks  were  unacquainted  with  soap. 


t 


sJsj 


II 


M^ 


W 


THi:   QBXEKS. 

Water  is  served,  too,  Cold,  and  fresh,  and  i  liar , 
Bnad,  saffron  tinged,  that  looks  1  i U •  l»  ami  of  gold. 
The  board  is  gaily  spread  with  honey  pure 
Ami  savoury  cheese.     Tin-  altar,  too,  which  Stands 
Full  in  the  centre,  crown'd  with  Bow'ry  wreaths; 
The  house  resounds  with  mode  and  with  song." 

Although  the  preceding  details  indicate  a  high  state 
of  luxury  in  Grecian  entertainments,  sonic  voluptuaries 
were  not  even  satisfied  with  those  means  of  enjoyment, 
but  sought  to  increase  them  by  resorting  to  all  sorts 
of  ingenious  devices,  such  as  that  mentioned  in  the 
"Settler  of  Alexis": — 

••  Nor  fell 
His  perfumes  from  a  bos  of  alali aster  j 
That  we'  Hi. 'j,  and  had  savour'd 

0'  the  elder  time — but  ever  and  anon 
Heslipp'd  four  doves,  whose  wings  were  saturate 
With  scents,  all  different  in  kind  — each  bird 
Bearing  its  own  appropriate  s«, , its—  these  doves 
Wheeling  in  circles  round,  let  fall  upon  us 
A  shower  of  sweet  perfumery,  drenching,  bathing 
Both  clothes  and  furniture,  and  lordlings  all. 
I  deprecate  your  envy  when  I  add 
That  on  myself  fell  Hoods  of  violet  odours." 

This  mode  of  using  perfumes  during  their  banquets 
was  not  only  adopted  on  account  of  the  pleasure  they 
created,  but  because  a  beneficial  effect  was  ascribed  to 
them,  especially  when  rubbed  on  the  head  : — 

"  The  best  recipe  for  health  >jf  J 

Is  to  apply  sweet  scents  unto  the  brain." 

Anacreon  also  recommends  the  breast  to  be  anointed 
with  unguents,  as  being  the  seat  of  the  heart,  and  con- 
sidering it   an  admitted    point    that    it    was  soothed   by 

fragrant  smells.     Another  virtue  the  Greeks  attributed 

to   perfumes,    and    nut     the    least     in    the    sight    of   the 


t?*. 


w 


^ 


Epicureans,  was,  that  it  enabled  them  to  drink  more 
wine  without  feeling  any  ill  effects  from  it.  This  be- 
lief, however  justified  it  might  have  been,  is  alluded  to 
by  many  authors.  The  most  refined  votaries  of  Bac- 
chus were  not  satisfied  with  the  external  use  of  aro- 
matics  :  they  also  applied  them  to  improve  the  taste  of 
their  wine.  Some  of  these  were  prepared  with  odorous 
resins,  such  as  the  myrrhine,  which  was  flavoured  with 
myrrh  ;  others  had  simple  honey  or  fragrant  flowers 
infused  in  them. 

If  scents  were  in  favour  with  the  wealthy  and  luxu- 
rious Athenians,  they  were  not  so  with  the  philosophers, 
who  condemned  their  use  as  effeminate.  Xenophon 
relates  that  Socrates,  being  once  entertained  by  Callias, 
was  offered  some  perfumes,  but  he  declined  them,  saying 
they  were  only  fit  for  women,  and  that  -for  men  he 
preferred  the  smell  of  the  oil  used  in  the  gymnasia. 
"For,"  added  he,  "if  a  slave  and  a  freeman  be  anointed 
with  perfumes,  they  both  smell  alike ;  but  the  smell 
derived  from  free  labours  and  manly  exercise  ought  to 
be  the  characteristic  of  the  freeman."  I  am  bound  to 
add,  as  a  faithful  historian,  even  at  the  risk  of  damaging 
Socrates  in  the  eyes  of  my  fair  readers,  that  he  equally 
disapproved  of  baths,  considering  cleanliness  no  essen- 
tial part  of  wisdom. 

Although  the  elaborate  Egyptian  system  of  bathing 
had  been  parti}-  adopted  by  the  Greeks,  they  never 
gave  it  that  development  which  it  acquired  afterwards 
with  the  Romans.  They  were  generally  satisfied  with 
more    limited    ablutions,  performed  in  a  marble  basin 


h^Jt^S  S^.MMr^ 


-' 


situated  in  some  public  place,  whilst  the  ladies  attended 

at  homo  to  the  duties  of  the  toilet.  The  engravings 
given  hen  are  taken  from  antique  sculptures,  or  from 
specimens  in  the  British  Museum. 

Perfumes,  as  I  have  said  before,  were  generally  sup- 
posed to  possess  medicinal  properties,  and  the  reeipes  of 
the  most  celebrated  essences  and  cosmetics  were  in- 
scribed on  marble  tablets  both  in  the  temples  of  Escula- 
pius  and  of  Venus.  The  priestesses  of  various  deities  suc- 
ceeded the  ancient  magicians,  and  dispensed  their  pre- 
parations, which  were  supposed  to  be  endowed  witli  par- 


Public  Washirii'  Hj3in. 


Ladies'  1 


tictilar  virtues,  and  competed  successfully  for  a  long  time 
with  the  less  divine  productions  of  ordinary  perfumers. 
Milto,  a  fair  young  maiden,  the  daughter  of  an 
humble  artisan,  was  in  the  habit  of  depositing  every 
morning  garlands  of  fresh  flowers  in  the  temple  of 
Venus,  her  poverty  preventing  her  from  indulging  in 
richer  offerings.  Her  splendid  beauty  was  once  nearly 
destroyed  by  a  tumour  which  grew  on  her  chin,  hut 
-lie  saw  in  a  dream  the  goddess,  who  told  her  to  apply 
to  it  some  of  the  roses  from  her  altar.  She  did  so,  and 
recovered  her  charms  so  completely  that  she  eventually 

sat  on  the  Persian  throne  as  the  favourite  wife  of  Cyrus. 

Since  that  time  the  reputation  of  the  rose  was  esta- 
blished as  a  flower  no  less  beneficial  than  beautiful,  and 


IS 


it  formed  the  basis  of  many  lotions,  both  useful  and 
ornamental,  for  as  Anacreon  says — 

"  The  rose  distils  a  healing  halm, 
The  heating  pulse  of  pain  to  calm." 

Even  to  the  present  day  the  queen  of  flowers  has  preserved 

tea 


Greek  Ladies  at  their  Toilet. 

its  double  fame,  and  is  to  be  found  equally  on  the  shelves 
of  the  apothecary  and  in  the  laboratory  of  the  perfumer. 
All  the  Grecian  cosmetics, 
however,  were  not  so  innocent 
as  the  rose.  The  sedentary  life 
of  women  deprived  them  of  a 
great  part  of  their  natural  fresh- 
ness and  beauty,  and  they  sought 
to  repair  their  loss  by  artificial 
means.  They  painted  their  face 
with  white  lead,  and  their  cheeks 
and  lips  with  vermilion  or  a  root 
called  pcederos,  which  was  similar  to  alkanet-root.    This 


} 


nn;   SBBEKS. 

was  applied  with  the  finger,  or  with  a  small  brush,  as 
represented  in  the  annexed  engraving,  taken  from  an 
antique  gem.  They  also  used  Egyptian  kohl,  for 
darkening  the  eyebrows  and  eyelids,  and  various  other 
preparations  for  the  complexion,  which  will  be  more 
amply  described  in  the  next  chapter,  as  they  were 
nearly  all  afterwards  adopted  by  the  Romans. 

Hair  dye  was  often  employed  by  those  who  wished 
to  emulate  old  Eson's  renovation  without  having  re- 
course to  the  boiling  process.  Lai's,  who  was  as  cele- 
brated for  her  wit  as  for  her  beauty,  having  once 
repulsed  the  sculptor  31  iron,  who  at  the  age  of  Seventy 
fell  desperately  in  Live  with  her,  the  discomfited  suitor 
attributed  bis  rejection  to  his  white  locks ;  he  therefore 
bad  them  dyed  of  a  splendid  black  colour,  and  returned 
the  next  day  hoping  for  better  success.  But  he  was 
doomed  to  disappointment,  for  Lais  replied,  laughing, 
to  his  demands,  "  Kow  can  I  grant  thee  to-day  what  I 
refused  to  thy  father  yesterday?" 

From  the  earliest  times  perfumes  were  used  by  the 

(■rocks  in  their  funeral  rites.    Homer  represents  Achilles 

with  his  attendants  paying  thus  the  last  honours  to  his 

friend  Patroclus  : — 

"The  body  then  they  bathe  with  predion!  li.il, 
I    il.ilm  the  wounds,  anoint  the  limba  with  oil."1 

Even  to  an  enemy  it  was  considered  a  duty  to  pay  this 

last  tribute;  and  we  find  Achilles  having  the  body  of 

Sector  anointed  and  perfumed  before  lie  returns  it   t(. 

Priam.1 

1    Hi.id,  \iii.  =  Mad,  \\h. 


\ 


*\ 


ar\?  9 


92 


THE    BOOK    OK    PERIL. ME> 


Funereal  Urns. 


A  pile  was  usually  raised  to  burn  the  bodies  of  the 
dead,  and  the  friends  of  the  deceased  stood  by  during 
^Bpr  YT  *ne  operation,  throwing 

J     I  Will  incense  on  the  fire,  and 

^=-,  ^Sifcl^      pouring      libations      of 

wine.  The  bones  and 
ashes  were  afterwards 
collected,  washed  with 
wine,  and,  after  mix- 
ing them  with  precious 
ointments,  inclosed  in 
funereal  urns,  such  as 
the  annexed  specimens 
taken  from  the  British  Museum.  Agamemnon  is  de- 
scribed by  Homer  in  the  "Odyssey,"  informing  Achilles 
how  this  ceremony  had  been  performed  upon  him  : — 

"  But  when  the  flames  your  body  had  consumed, 
With  oils  and  odours  we  your  bones  perfumed, 

And  wash'd  with  unmix'd  wine."  l  . 

It  was  also  customary  to  strew  fragrant  flowers  and 
shed  sweet  perfumes  over  the  tombs  of  the  dead ;  and 
Alexander  is  said  to  have  paid  this  mark  of  respect  to 
Achilles,  whose  monument  he  anointed  and  crowned 
with  garlands  when  he  visited  Troy. 

Perfumes  were  thought   such   an    essential   part  of 

funeral  ceremonies   that  scent-bottles  were  painted  on 

the  coffins  of  the  poorer  class  of  people  as  a  sort  of  empty 

consolation  for  the  absence  of  the  genuine  article.2 

Anacreon,  as  a  true  voluptuary,  preferred  enjoying 

1  Odyssey,  xxiv.  2  Aristophanes,  Eccles. 


BHfe. 


\d 


perfumes  and  flowers  in  his  lifetime  to  having  them 

offered  to  his  manes  after  his  death.     He  exclaims  in 

one  of  his  odes — 

"  Why  do  we  shed  the  rose's  bloom 
Upon  the  eohl  insensate  tomb? 
Can  flowery  hreeze  or  odour's  breath 
Ail>  i !  tin-  slumbering  chill  of  death  ? 
No,  no ;  I  ask  no  balm  to  steep 
With  fragrant  tears  my  bed  of  sleep; 
But  now  while  every  pulse  is  glowing, 
Now  let  me  breathe  the  balsam  fkra 
Now  let  tin  rose,  with  blush  of  fire, 
U^on  my  brow  its  scent  expire."  ' 

The  cares  and  duties  of  the  toilctle  were  deemed  of 
such  importance  that  a  tribunal  was  instituted  at  Athens 
to  decide  on  all  matters  of  dress,  and  a  woman  whose 
pep/on,  or  mantle,  was  not  of  correct  cut,  or  whose 
head-dress  was  neglected,  was  liable  to  a  fine,  which 
varied  according  to  the  gravity  of  the  oifence,  and 
sometimes  reached  the  high  sum  of  a  thousand 
drachmas.  I  must  say,  however,  that  Grecian  ladies 
do  not  seem  to  have  required  such  a  law  to  make  them 
study  their  personal  appearance  ;  their  own  coquetry 
acted,  no  doubt,  as  a  still  more  powerful  stimulant, 
and  the  antique  specimens  we  have  left  would  tend  to 
show  that  they  possessed  excellent  taste,  especially  in 
their  modes  of  dressing  the  hair. 

In  ancient  times  the  hair  of  both  sexes  was  rolled  up 
into  a  kind  of  knot  on  the  crown  of  the  head,  which 
mode  was  called  /crobylos  for  the  men,  and  horymbos  for 
tlic  women.     The  greatest  luxury  of  the  latter  at  that 

1  Anaereon.  Ode  \txii. 


IB  \> 


THK    BOOK    Of    PEKFl  MES. 


period  was  to  ornament  that  knot  with  a  golden  clasp 
in  the  shape  of  a  grasshopper.  This  simple  ornament 
was  however  discarded  in  later  times,  and  many  diffe- 
rent fashions  were  adopted,  among  which  the  most  pre- 


Mitra  Bead-dresses. 


valent  were  the  Iiekryphalos,  the  sakkos,  and  the  mitra. 
The  first  was  a  caul  of  network,  which  we  have  already 
found  among  the  Jews,  and  which  we  shall  find  again 
in  many  other  epochs  and  nations;  a  fact  which,  by- 
the-bye,  somewhat  impairs  its  claims  to  novelty  put 
forth  a  verv  short  time  since.     The  sakkos  was  a  close 


Fakkos  Head-dress.  Korjmbos  Head-dress. 

hag,  made  generally  of  silk  or  wool;  and  the  mitra, 
which  was  of  Asiatic  origin,  was  a  band  of  cloth  dyed 
of  the  richest  colours  and  bound  in  various  ways  round 
the  head.  There  were  many  other  modes  of  wearing 
the  hair,  such  as  the  strophos,  the  nimbo,  the  hredemnon, 
the  tholia,  etc.,  of  which  the  annexed  illustrations  will 


% 


«s 


Hi;    (.KF.KKS. 


96 

convey  a  better  idea  than  a  written  description,  and  my     ^  ($, 
fair  readers  will  no  doubt  find  among  them  some  which 


^^^^W 


Strophos  Head-dressGs. 

would  be  almost  a  la  mode  in  a  drawing-room  of  the 
present  day. 

The  men  used  to  cut  off  their  hair  when  thev  attained 


Kimbo  Head-dresses. 


the  age  of  puberty,  and  dedicate  it  to  some  deity.    The- 
seus is  said  to  have  repaired  to  Delphi  to  perform  this 


rr% 


l'HK    BOOK    OF    l'EKFl  Ml>. 


S 


4 


After  this  they  allowed  their  hair  to  grow  long  again, 
and  only  cut  it  off  as  a  sign  of  mourning.  Thus,  at 
the  funeral  of  Patroclus,  the  friends  of  Achilles  cut  off 
their  hair,  and 

"O'er  the  corse  their  scatter' c]  locks  they  threw."  ' 

In  some  parts  of  Greece,  however,  where  it  was  cus- 
tomary to  wear  the  hair  short,  they  allowed  it  to  grow 
long  when  in  mourning  — 

"  Neglected  hair  shall  now  luxurious  grow, 
And  by  its  length  their  hitter  passion  show."2 

Another  striking  proof  that  external  marks  of  grief  are 
only  matters  of  convention,  and  that  the  white  garb  of 
the  Chinese  mourner  may  be  coupled  with  as  much 
real  sorrow  as  our  sable  habiliments. 


;^v 


X 


1  Iliad,  xxiii. 


:  Cassandr.  973. 


Discite,  qua;  faciem  commendet  oura,  paella, 

Et  quo  ^it  robis  forma  taenda  modo.  Ovid. 


Its  inhabitants, 
constantly  at  war 
with  their  neigh- 
l)ours,  cared  nol  for  the  arte  of  peace  ;  and  their  unshorn 
locks  and  Bhaggy  beards  were  more  calculated  to  strike 
terror  into  their  enemies  than  to  captivate  the  eyes  <>f 
the  fair  box.  The  only  perfume  they  indulged  in  at 
that  time  was  perhaps  a  bunch  of  verbena  or  other 
fragrant  plant,  which  they  plucked  in  the  field 


THE    BOOK   OF   PEKFUMJE8. 

hung  over  their  door  to  keep  away  the  evil  eye,  il  maloc- 
cliio,  still  so  dreaded  by  their  modem  descendants.  Even 
their  gods  did  not  then  fare  much  better,  and  the  sacri- 
fices offered  to  them  were,  as  Ovid  says,  of  the  plainest 
description:1 

'•  In  former  times  the  gods  were  cheaply  pleased, 
A  Hale  corn  and  salt  their  wrath  appeased, 
Ere  stranger  ships  hail  brought  from  distant  shores 
Of  spicy  trees  the  aromatic  stores ; 
From  India  or  Euphrates  had  not  come 
The  fragrant  incense  or  the  costly  gum: 
The  simple  savin  on  the  altars  smoked, 
A  laurel  sprig  the  easy  gods  invoked, 
And  rich  was  he  whose  votive  wreath  pnssess'd 
The  lovely  violet  with  sweet  wild  flowers  dress'd." 

As,  however,  the  Romans  extended  their  conquests 
towards  the  provinces  of  Southern  Italy  colonized  by 
the  Greeks,  which  had  received  the  name  of  Magna 
GrsBcia,   they  gradually  adopted  the  manners  of  the 
countries  they  had  vanquished,  and  became  initiated  in 
all  the  refinements  of  luxury.    They  imitated,  likewise, 
their  religious  ceremonies ;  and  in  the  va- 
rious implements  and  paintings  found  at 
Herculanemn  and  Pompeii,  the  Grecian 
origin  is  easily  discernible.     To  describe 
the  Roman  modes  of  worship  would,  there- 
fore, be  a  repetition  of  the  last  chapter  : 
we  should  find  precisely  the  same  things 
under  different  names.     Thus  the  incense 
casket  used  for  sacrifices,  and  called  by 
the  Greeks  XifiavooTpfc  (libaiiotrix),  became  the  "acerra;" 


f 


[*& 


-  .J**? 


hAJ  $  S 


1HB    Ko.maxs.  99  \V     ' 


'  «>  i 


the  Ovri'ipiop  {thytirion),  or  altar,  was  changed  into  "ara      b 
tuncrema  ;"  and  the  Ghreciaii  Ov/iiarr/piop  (thurmatirion) 
became  the  Roman  "turibulum." 
The  accompanying  illustrations  will  give  some  idea 


Incense  Casket. 
A  ura.) 


(Tunbulum). 


of  the  usual  forma  of  these  various  implements.     The 

incense  caaket   is  taken   from  a  basso-relievo  b  the 

Capitol    Mas,  uui,    the    altars    from 

ancient  paintings,   and   the  o  oser 

in 'in  an  original  in  bronze  found  at 

Pompeii.     The  chariot  represented 

on  the  next  page  was  also  discovered 

in  si nue  exea vations,  and  was  used 

in  the  temples  to  carry  incense  to 

the  various  altars. 

Funeral  rites  are  so  much  grafted 
on    religions   ideas,   thai    we  must 

naturally   expeet    to    find    the    same 

n  semblance  between  the  Greek  and 
the  Roman  ceremonies.    In  the  early 

times  n t' Koine,  the  dead  were  buried; 

but   when   Greek   manners  were  adopted,  they  were 

burnt  in   the  way  already  described,  and   the   bonM 


Roman  Altar. 


ra 


m 


gathered  in  a  funereal  urn,  with  perfumes  more  or  less 
costly,  according  to  the  fortune  of  the  deceased,  or  the 
extent  of  gratitude  of  his  heirs.  Rich  people  usually 
had  sepulchral  chambers  built,  like  the  one  represented 
here,  where  they  placed  the 


funereal  urns  of  all  mem- 
bers of  their  family. 

Although  in  private  life 
Greek  customs  were  like- 
wise imitated,  those  of  the 
Romans  assumed  peculiar 
features  which  it  may  be 


Sepulchral  Chamber. 

interesting  to  study.  A  Sicilian  named  Ticinus  Menas,  in 
the  year  454,  brought  into  Rome  the  mode  of  shaving  the 
board,  and  sent  to  his  country  for  a  troop  of  clever  bar- 
bers, who  established  their  shops  under  the  porticos  of 
Minucius,  near  the  temple  of  Hercules.  Scipio  Africanus 
and  the  elite  of  the  patricians  adopted  the  new  fashion, 
and  in  a  short  time  smooth  chins,  and  hair  redolent 
with  ointments,  became  the  rage,  beards  being  left  to 
slaves  and  common  people. 

The  use  of  perfumes  in  Rome  may  be  dated  from 
that  period,  and  be- 
came   soon   so    pre-    « 


Incense  Chariot. 

umvirs,  and  having  taken  refuge  at  Salernum,  was 
betrayed  in  his  hiding-place  by  the  smell  of  his  un- 
guents, and  put  to  death.    After  the  defeat  of  Antiochus 


y 


& 


THE    ROM  INS 


m 


and  the  conquest  of  Asia,  the  abuse  became  still  greater; 
and  in  the  year  565,  wishing  to  put  a  Btop  to  it,  the 
consuls,  [acinus  Grassus  ami  Julius  Cesar,  published  a 
law  forbidding  the  sale  of  "exotics,"  meaning  thereby 
all  sorts  of  perfumes  which  then  came  from  abroad. 
'1'his  edict,  however,  was  no  better  observed  than  Solon's 
had  been  at  Athens,  and  did  not  in  any  way  diminish 
the  consumption  of  aromatics,  which  reached  it>  greatest 
height  under  the  reign  of  the  emperors. 

Among  the  latter,  Otho  was  one  oi'  the  most  ardent 
votaries  of  the  perfumer's  art,  for  Suetonius1  tells  us 
that,  even  when  going  on  a  military  Campaign,  lie 
carried   with    him  a  complete   arsenal    of  essences    and 

cosmetics  to  adorn  his  person  and  preserve  his  com- 
plexion. Juvenal,  in  one  of  his  satires,  thus  ridicules 
him  for  his  effeminacy  : — 

"Oh!  noble  subject  for  Den  annals  tit, 
In  musty  Fame's  report  unmentioned  yet, 
A  looking-glass  most  lo.nl  tir  Imperial  car, 
The  most  important  carriage  of  tin--  war; 
Galba  to  kill  he  thought  a  general's  port ; 
But  as  a  courtii  r  nsed  the  nioi  it  art 
To  keep  his  akin  from  tan  ;  before  the  fight 
Would  paint  and  sei  hi-  Boil'd  complexion  right."  J 

Caligula  spent  enormous  sums  tin-  perfumes,  and 
plunged  his  body,  enervated  by  excesses,  in  odoriferous 

baths.3  Nero  was  also  a  great  admirer  of  bw<  el  scents  ; 
atid  at  1'oppaa's  funeral  he  consumed  more  incense  than 
Arabia  could  produce  in  ten  years.  In  his  golden 
palace  tin-  dining-rooms  were  lined  with  movable  ivory 


W> 


Sucton.,  b.  wit. 


•iiiu  oal,  Sat  i. 


»  Su.t..  b.  iv. 


.\ 


4 


THE    BOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

plates,  concealing  silver  pipes,  which  were  made  to  throw 
on  the  guests  a  sweet  rain  of  odoriferous  essences.1 

The  Romans  had  borrowed  from  the  Egyptians  the 
use  of  the  public  bath,  to  which  they  resorted  almost 
daily — a  very  necessary  measure  to  insure  health  and 
cleanliness,  when  we  consider  that  they  wore  neither 
linen  nor  stockings.     Their  baths,  or  thcrmw,  were  very 


^^ 


t 


|  HYFO   \M    CAUS    U'J  I     T 


Poman  Baths. 


magnificent  buildings,  as  we  may  judge  from  the  ruins 
still  extant.  The  principal  establishments  of  that  kind 
had  been  built  at  various  times  by  the  Emperors,  and 
bore  their  names.  The  largest  were  those  of  Agrippa, 
Nero,  Titus,  Domitian,  Antoninus,  Caracalla,  and  Dio- 
cletian. Tiny  were  open  to  the  public  at  first  on  the 
payment  of  a  quadrant,  or  a  little  less  than  a  farthing  of 
our  money.  Agrippa  bequeathed  his  garden  and  baths 
'  Suet.,  b.  vi. 


%M 


mm 


to  the  Roman  people,  and  assigned  particular  estates  to 
tin  ir  support,  that  they  migh1  enjoy  them  gratuitously. 
The  plan  of  those  baths  was  so  well  devised   that    it 
deserves  a  particular  description.     On  entering  them, 
the  bathers  first  proceeded  to  undress,  and  gave  their 
clothes  to  guard  to  persons  called  eapsirii,  who  were 
hired    for    the    purpose.       They   went     then    into    the 
unetuarium,  or  eleoihesium — a  room  marked  at  t lie  hack 
of  our  engraving — where  all   the    perfumes  and  oint- 
ments were  kept   in  large  jars,   making  it  somewhat 
resemble  a  modern  apothecary's  simp.     There  they  re- 
ceived a   preliminary  unction  of  cheap  oils,  and  next 
proceeded  to  the  J'ritjitlitriiiui,  or  cold   hath,  where  they 
went  through  the  first  course  of  ablution.     Thehcethey 
passed  into  the  tcpidariam,  or  tepid  hath,  and  alter  that 
they  entered  the  caldarium,  or  hot  bath,  where 
the  temperature  was  maintained  at  a  high  de- 
gree by  means  of  a  furnace  placed  underneath, 
called  hypocauslniii.    There,  whilst  undergoing 
profuse     perspiration,    they    scruhhed    their 
skin  with  a  sort  of  bronze  curry-comb  called 
ttngil — somewhat  in  the  same  fashion  as  mo- 
dern grooms  treat  their  horses — and  dropped 
on  their  body  at  the  same  time  a  little  scented 
oil  out  of  u  small  hot  tie  named  ampulla.   Those 
who  could  afford  it  had  this  operation  performed  upon 
them  by  the  hath  att  aidants,  called  alipte*,  or  by  their 

OWS    sla\es,   whom    they   brought    with    them    tor    that 

purpose. 

There  is  ;i  stmy  told  of  the  Emperor  Hadrian,  who, 


!trigil  and 
Ampulla. 


y> 


<n 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

one  day  bathing  with  the  common  people,  and  seeing  an 
old  soldier,  whom  he  had  known  among  the  Roman 
troops,  rubbing  his  back  against  the  marble  wall,  asked 
him  why  he  did  so.  The  veteran  answered  that  he  had 
no  slave  to  attend  on  him.  TThereupon  the  Emperor 
presented  him  with  two  slaves  and  enough  money  to 
maintain  them.  A  few  days  afterwards,  two  old  men, 
enticed  by  the  good  fortune  of  the  veteran,  began  to  rub 


Tepidarium  at  Pompe-.i. 

themselves  also  against  the  wall,  in  the  hope  of  attract- 
ing the  Emperor's  attention  ;  whereupon  Hadrian,  per- 
ceiving their  drift,  told  them  that  if  they  had  no  slaves 
they  had  better  rub  their  backs  against  each  other. 

The  accompanying  engraving  represents  the  fepida- 
rium  of  the  baths  at  Pompeii,  with  the  three  bronze 
benches  on  the  sides,  and  the  stone  at  the  end.  such  as 
they  were  actually  found.  The  compartments  above 
were  probably  used  to  keep  unguents  and  perfumes,  and 


£» 


THE    BOM  \NS- 


it  is  supposed  that,  as  these  Laths  were  of  small  dimen- 
sions, this  rooTii  was  also  used  as  an  ckotliesium  lor  (he 
rubbing  and  anointing  process. 

There  are  no  modern  buildings  which  can  convey  an 
idea  of  the  extent  and  magnificence  of  these  Roman 


PLAN   OB  CABACALLA'S   BATHS. 


A  Colonnade  facing  the  street. 

B  Pi  [i  iu  bath  rooms. 

c  Prineipal  ■  utr.inces. 

1)  Internal  oorridora. 

K  Seals  for  bathers. 

r"  Sain. ins  for  conversation. 

i  walks. 
II  iiiriilinm,  or  amphithi ■aire. 

I  Water  reservoir. 


n    Bwrmmbig  bath. 

O      Calittirittm,  or  lint-water  hath. 

I'  Laeomtt  tun,  or  vapour  bath. 

Q  Suppl* 

B  Covered  balls. 

8  Cold-water  bath. 

T  Room  for  sweet  unctions. 

I"     OooUlM  room. 

i,  -'.   I.  I     Private  rooms. 
5,  6    Ltibra,  or  public  basins. 


Thermce,  which  were  aol  only  devoted  to  the  purposes 
of  bathing,  but  also  comprised  saloons  for  conversation 


106 


THE   BOOK   OF   PEBFUMES. 


or  discussion,  galleries  of  pictures  and  sculpture,  libra- 
ries, walks  planted  with  shady  trees,  porticos  for  gym- 
nastic exercises,  and,  in  fine,  all  that  could  contribute 
to  the  material  and  intellectual  pleasure  of  a  rich  and 
luxurious  people.  The  largest  were  those  of  Caracalla, 
situated  near  Mount  Avcntine,  which  measured  about 
675  yards  in  length,  by  540  in  width.  They  contained 
1,000  seats  of  polished  marble,  and  accommodation  for 
no  less  than  2,300  bathers.  On  one  side  stood  the 
temples  of  Apollo  and  Esculapius,  the  protectors  of 
health  ;  and,  on  the  other,  those  of  Hercules  and  Bac- 
chus, tutelary  gods  of  the  Antoninus  family.  They 
are  still  in  a  sufficient  state  of  preservation  to  have 
enabled  Fardini,  the  learned  Italian  architect,  to  make 
a  plan  of  them,  the  foregoing  copy  of  which  may  not 
prove  uninteresting  to  my  readers. 

Although  in  all  the  baths  there  was  a  part  set  aside 
for  ladies,  it  was  not  so  generally 
frequented  as  that  used  by  the 
men,  and  the  rich  patrician  ma- 
trons preferred  attending  to  the 
duties  of  the  toilet  in  their  own 
houses.  Indeed,  this  was  no  small 
matter  for  them,  and  with  many 
it  was  the  sole  occupation ;  hence 
the  various  implements  apper- 
taining to  the  toilet  were  styled 
mtnidus  maliebris,  or  a  woman's 
world. 
Surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  young  slaves  (called  cosmcta) 


Tire  Wonian. 
(Ornatrix.) 


'-■■4r     fy&k 


N;v, 


THE    KoM  INS. 


107 


* 


belonging  to  various  nations,  from  the  dark  Nubian  1" 
the  fair  Gaul,  who  had  each  their 
particular  department,  and  were 
marshalled  by  the  ornatrix,  or 
grand  mistress  of  the  toilet,  the 

Roman   lady   sat    in    stale,   and 

made   all    tremble    around    her. 

Woe  1"'  to  the  unfortunate  maid 

whose  awkward  fingers  had  not 

given  a  sufficiently  graceful  turn 

to  her  mistress's  lucks,  or  had 

not    applied   the  paint   to   her 

cheek  in  its  proper  place.     A 

pinch  on  the  arm,  a  prick  of  a 

pin,  or  a  heavy  metal  mirror  hurled  at  her  head,  soon 

apprised   her  of   the  lady's  displeasure.     Juvenal,   the 

bitter  satirist  of  Roman  manners,  thus  describes  one 

of  these  scenes  : — 

"She  hurries  all  her  handmaids  to  the  task  . 
Her  head  alone  will  twenty  dressers  task  ; 
Pseoaa,  the  ehiet  with  neck  and  ahonldi  rs  hare. 
Trembling,  conridi  rsen  tj  aacred  hair. 
If  any  straggler  from  his  rank  be  bond, 
A  pineh  must  foi  the  mortal  sin  compound. 

PSOCU  is  not  in  fault  ;  but,  in  the  .  I 
The  dame's  offended  at  her  own  ill  I 
The  maid  is  baniah'd,  ami  anothi  r  girl, 
More  dexfrous,  manages  to  comb  and  mrl . 
The  real  are  smnmon'd  on  a  point  -■  nioe, 
And  first  the  grave  old  w. .111:111  girt*  adtice; 
The  next  is  e.illM,  and  ao  the  turn  goes  round, 
As  each  for  age  or  wisdom  is  ranown'd. 
Buch  eonna  I,  1  ne  tbej  t  .k. . 

Aa  if  hiT  lit'-    nd  bonoai  lag  al  staki  , 


^ 


WF^ 


THE    BOOK    ()!•'    PERFUMES. 


Roman  Comb. 


With  curls  on  curls  they  build  ber  bead  before, 
And  mount  it  with  a  formidable  tow'r  : 
A  giantess  she  seems,  but  look  behind, 
And  then  she  dwindles  to  the  pigmy  kind." 

There  were  three  kinds  of  perfumes  principally  used 
by  the  Romans — the  hedysmata,  or  solid  unguents ;  the 
stymmata,  or  liquid  ungu- 
ents, having  an  oily  basis  ; 
and  the  diapasmata,  or  pow- 
dered perfumes.  The  un- 
guents formed  a  numerous 
class,  and  their  names  were 
borrowed,  some  from  the  ingredients  which  entered  into 
their  composition,  some  from  the  original  place  of  their 
production,  and  others,  again,  from  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances under  which  they  were  first  made.  Like  our 
present  preparations,  they  succeeded  each  other  in  public 
favour,  and  novelty  was  as  great  an  attraction  to  the 
Roman  belles  as  it  is  to  our  own  modern  ladies.  There 
were  the  simple  unguents, 
flavoured  with  one  aroma, 
such  as  the  rhodium,  made 
from  roses ;  the  melinum,  from 
quince  blossoms ;  the  nicto- 
•pium,  from  bitter  almonds; 
the  nareissinum,  from  narcissus  flowers ;  the  malobatttrum, 
prepared  from  a  tree  called  so  by  Pliny,  and  supposed  by 
some  to  be  the  /aunts  cassia;  and  many  others  too  nume- 
rous to  mention.  The  compound  unguents  were  pre- 
pared by  combining  several  ingredients.  The  most 
celebrated  were  the  susinuni,  a  fluid  unguent,  made  of 


Roman  Mirrors 


?'; 


s^a 


■'■- 


THE    KOMANS. 


Bliee,  oil  of  ben,  calamus,  honey,  cinnamon,  sail'nm,  and 
myrrh  ;  the  nardinum,  made  of  oil  of  ben,  sweet  rush, 
ooatus,  spikenard,  amomum,  myrrh,  and  balm;  and, 
above  all.  Pliny  praises  the  regal  unguent,  which  was 
originally  prepared  for  the  king  of  tbc  Partisans,  and 
which  consisted  of  no  less  than  twenty-seven  ingre- 
dients.1 Borne  of  these  preparations  were  very  costly, 
and  Bold  for  as  much  as  lour  hundred  denarii  per  pound, 
OZ  about  £14.  The  Romans  not  only  applied  them  to 
the  hair,  but  to  the  whole  of  the  body,  even  to  the  soles 
of  their  feet.  The  most  refined,  indeed,  adopted,  as  did 
the  Grecian  epicures,  a  different  perfume  for  each  part 
of  their  person  Besides  this,  their  baths,  their  cloths, 
their  beds,  the  walls  of  their  houses,  and  even  their 
military  Bags,  were  impregnated  with  sweet  odours. 
Bome  carried  this  taste  so  far  as  to  rub  their  horses  and 
dogs  with  scented  ointment. 

Saffron  was  one  of  the  perfumes  most  in  favour  with 
the  Romans.  They  not  only  had  their  apartments  and 
banqueting-halls  strewed  with  this  plant,  but  they  also 
composed  with  it  unguents  and  essences  which  wee 
highly  prized.  Some  of  the  latter  were  often  made  to  flow 
in  small  streams  at  their  entertainments,  or  to  descend  in 
odorous  dews  over  the  public  from  the  relarium  forming 
the  roof  of  the  amphitheatre.  Lucan,  in  his  "Pharsa- 
lia."-'  describing  how  the  blood  runs  out  of  the  veins  of 
a  person  bitten  by  a  serpent,  says  that  it  spouts  out  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  SWeet-Smelling  essence  of  saliion 
issues  from  the  limbs  of  a  statue. 

i  Ilui;->  Ntt.  Jli-.,  b.  Liiichftp.2.      '  1  <"■"',  I'l>  i-'l.,  b.  u.  v.  809. 


i 


jp\, 


THE    BOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

Perfumes  were  usually  inclosed  in  bottles  (uiigiicitf- 
aria  >  made  of  alabaster,  onyx,  or  glass,  of  the  shapes 
copied  below  from  specimens  in  the  Naples  Museum. 
When  required  for  the  bath,  they  were  carried 
in  a  round  ivory  box,  called  narthecium,  like 
this  engraving,  copied  from  one  found  at 
Pompeii.  Common  perfumes  were  sold  in 
little  gilt  shells,1  or  vessels,  made  of  clay. 
The  Roman  perfumers  (called  unguenlarii) 
(.  artheaua.)  ^^g  Ycry  numerous,  and  occupied  a  part  of 
the  town  named  ricus  thuraricus  in  the  Velabrum.  The 
most  celebrated  in  Martial's  time  was  Cosmus,  whom  he 
frequently  mentions  in  his  Epigrams.2     In  Capua,  a  city 


& 


F.oatan  rerfurce  Bottles  (Ucgueutaria). 

noted  for  its  luxury,  the  perfume  vendors  occupied  a 
whole  street  of  the  town,  called  Seplasia.  They  ex- 
tracted some  of  their  essences  from  flowers  grown  in 
Italy,  but  most  of  their  ingredients  were  imported  from 
Egypt  and  Arabia ;  and  some  of  them  were  so  costly, 
that  the  slaves  who  worked  in  their  laboratories  were 
stripped  before  they  went  home,  to  see  that  they  had 
none  concealed  about  them. 

1  Martial,  b.  3.  lnxii  '  Ibid.,  b.  1,  Ixxxrfi. ;  b.  3,  lv. 


T^- 


^ 


Till'.    ROMANS 


Tho  custom  of  using  perfumes  in  the  triclinium,  or 


diiiiii'r-njoiii,  IkkI  been  <3 
transmitted  by  the  Greeks  ■afw 
to  the  Romans  ;  Mini  the 
latter  carried  it,  perhaps, 
to  a  still  greater  extent, 
I'm-  no  banquet  was  con- 
sidered complete  Without 
them,  and  they  formed  an 
indispensable  item  in  the 
••bill  of  fare."  Catullus, 
1       when  inviting  Fabullus  to 

Supper,  after  enumerating 

store  for  him,  adds — 

"  And  I  cuii  _■  CO  rare 

That  Lores  and  Graces  gave  my  fair; 

So  sweet  its  odour  Bowa, 
Thou'lt  pray  the  gods  '  May  touch  an  I 
Be  quite  in  smell  alone  effaced, 

Aud  I  become  all  nose.'  " 

Martial  does  not  appear  tu  have  enjoyed  the  happy 
state  preconised  by  <  latullus,  of  being  "all  nose ; "  For,  in 

one  of  his  epigrams,  he  complains  to  his  host  for  giving 

him  more  perfumes  than  viands,  thus  reducing  him  to 

the  state  of  a  living  mummy  : — 

"  Faith  '■  your  east  di  e  w  is  •  xcelling, 
Hut  you  gars  us  nought  to  eat ; 
Nothing  tasting,  ling, 

I.-,  Fabullua,  w  arce  a  treat 
••  !.t  in.  see  a  fowl  unjointi  d 

Whan  your  table  next  is  spread  . 
Who  is  anointed, 

1  w  -  lik.  nothing  but  thi  di 


The  witty  critic  was  evidently  not  one  of  Cosmus's  best 
customers,  for  he  often  ridicules  the  use  of  perfumes, 

saying  that 

"  lie  that  smells  always  well  does  never  so."  ' 
And  addressing  Polla,  an  old  coquette  who  sought  by 
artifice  to  conceal  the  ravages  of  time,  he  exclaims — 

"  Leave  off  thy  paint,  perfumes,  and  youthful  dress, 
And  nature's  failing  honestly  confess. 
Double  we  see  those  faults  which  art  would  mend  ; 
Plain  downright  ugliness  would  less  offend."3 

The  following  picture  of  a  "bean"  of  the  period  shows 

that  ladies  were  not  alone  addicted  to  an  extravagant 

use  of  perfumes  : — 

"A  beau  is  one  who  with  the  nicest  care 
In  parted  locks  divides  his  curling  hair; 
One  who  with  balm  and  cinnamon  smells  sweet, 
Whose  humming-lips  some  Spanish  air  repeat ; 
'Whose  naked  arms  are  smoothed  with  pumice-stone, 
And  toss'd  about  with  graces  all  his  own."3 

In  addition  to  the  liquid  essences  and  unguents,  the 
Romans  made  use  of  an  immense  variety  of  cosmetics 
for  improving  and  preserving  the  complexion.  Pliny, 
in  his  "  Natural  History,"  gives  a  description  of  these 
preparations,  some  of  which  consisted  of  pea-flour,  bar- 
ley-meal, eggs,  wine-lees,  hartshorn,  bulbs  of  narcissus, 
and  honey  ;  others  simply  of  corn-flour,  or  crumb  of 
bread  soaked  in  milk.  They  made  with  these  pastes 
a  sort  of  poultice,  which  they  kept  on  the  face  all  night 
and  part  of  the  day.  Some,  indeed,  only  removed  them 
for  the  purpose  of  going  out,  and  Juvenal  tells  us,  in 
one  of  his  satires,  that  a  Roman  husband  of  his  time 


SM 


I 


1  Martial,  b.  1,  xii. 


Ibid.,  b.  3,  xlii. 


3  Ibid.,  b.  3,  lxiii. 


'S^'-'-,1 


d 


M 


seldom  sees  his  wife's  I'are  at  home,  hut  when  she  sallies 

forth— 

••'I'll'  eclipse  thin  ranishee  ;  ami  all  her  boa 
1  and  restored  to  ererj  _ 

The  ornst  rejnoTed,  her  cheeks  u  bi th  as  silk 

Are  polish'd  with  a  wash  ofaasea'  milk  ; 
And  should  shi'  to  the  farthest  North  be  not, 
A  train  "f  tin-so  attend  her  banishment."  ' 

The  last  lines  allude  to  Poppaa,  the  wife  of  Xero,  who 
need  to  bathfl  in  asses'  milk  every  day,  and  when  she 
was  exiled  from  Rome,  obtained  permission  to  take  with 
her  fifty  asses  to  enable  her  to  continue  her  favourite 
ablutions. 

Ovid,  the  poet  of  love,  wrote  a  hook  on  cosmetics,2  of 
which,  unfortunately,  but  a  fragment  came  down  to  us. 
I  shall  <jive  one  or  two  extracts  from  it,  if  only  to 
afford  ladies  who  may  be  curious  in  these  matters  an 
opportunity  of  testing  the  virtues  of  the  recipes  given 

by    the    poet. 

"  Learn  from  me  the  art  of  imparting  to  your  com- 
plexion a  dazzling  whiteness,  when  your  delicate  limhs 
shake  oil'  the  trammels  of  sleep.      Divesl    from  its  husk 

the  barley  brought    by  our  vessels   from  the  Libyan 

ti.lds.  Take  two  pounds  of  this  barley  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  bean-Hour,  and  mix  them  with  ten  eggs. 
When  these  ingredients  hare  been  dried  in  the  air, 
have  them  ground,  and  add  the  sixth  part  of  a  pound 

of  hartshorn,  of  that  which  falls  in  the  spring.  Win  n 
the    whole    has    been    reduced    to    a    fine    flour,    |(i-    it 

through  a  sieve,  and  complete  the  preparations  with 

twelve  DarcisSUS  bulbs  pounded  in  a  mortar,  two  ounces 

1  Juvi  n  il.  Bel  :  Mi  i 


i*. 


ZKU, 


in 


THE    HOOK    OF    PEKFfMES. 


;•••' 


of  (mm,  as  much  of  Tuscan  seed,  and  eighteen  ounces 
of  honor.  Every  woman  who  spreads  this  paste  on  her 
face  will  render  it  smoother  and  more  brilliant  than 
her  mirror." 

Another  recipe  he  gives  for  removing  blotches  from 
the  complexion  consists  in  a  mixture  of  roasted  lupines, 
beans,  white  lead,  red  nitre,  and  orris-root,  made  into  a 
paste  with  Attic  honey. 

Frankincense  he  also  recommends  as  an  excellent 
cosmetic,  saying  that  if  it  is  agreeable  to  gods,  it  is  no 
less  useful  to  mortals.  Mixed  with  nitre,  fennel,  myrrh, 
rose-leaves,  and  sal  ammoniac,  he  gives  it  as  an  excel- 
lent preparation  for  toilet  purposes. 

Besides  these,  the  Romans  also  used  psilotrum,  a  sort 
of  depilatory,  white  lead  or  chalk  for  the  face,  fucus,  a 
kind  of  rouge  for  the  cheeks,  Egyptian  kohl  for  the  eyes, 
barley-floor  kneaded  with  fresh  butter  to  cure  pimples, 
calcined  pumice-stone  to  whiten  the  teeth,  and  various 
sorts  of  hair  dyes.  Of  the  latter,  the  most  curious 
was  a  liquid  for  turning  the  hair 
black,  prepared  from  leeches 
which  had  been  left  to  putrefy 
during  sixty  days  in  an  earthen 
vessel  with  wine  and  vinegar. 
As,  however,  blondes  were  very 
scarce  among  the  Roman  ladies, 
the  most  fashionable  dye  was 
Roman  laay  applying  Tucus.  one  which  changed  their  natu- 
rally dark  hair  to  a  sandy  or  fair  colour.  This  was 
principally    accomplished   by    means    of    a    soap    from 


<rfM 


fflr 


Tin:    ROMANS. 

Gaul  or  Germany,  called  sapo  (from  the  old  German 
sepe),  and  composed  of  goafs  fat  and  ashes.  It  is 
rather  remarkable  that  this  was  the  first  introduc- 
tion of  soap  we  find  mentioned,  ami  that  it  was  then 
solely  applied  to  the  purpose  of  dyeing  the  hair.  .Martial 
designates  this  dye  under  the  name  of  Mattiac  balls,1 
because  they  came  from  Mattium.  a  town  of  Germany, 
supposed  to  he  Marpurg,  ami  sarcastically  sends  them 
to  an  octogenarian,  who  is  completely  bald,  to  change 
the  colour  of  his  hair. 

There  is  no  douht  that  some  of  these  preparations 
were  very  injurious  to  the  hair;  for  Ovid,  in  one  of  his 
elegies,1  reproaches  Ins  mistress  with  having  destroyed 

her   flowing  locks   by  means  of  dyes.       "Did  I   Hot    tell 

you  to  leave  off  dyeing  your  hair?    Now  you  have  no 

hair  left  to  dye.  And  yet  nothing  was  handsomer  than 
your  locks.  They  came  down  to  your  knees,  and  were 
so  tine  that  you  were  afraid  to  COmh  them."  Then  he 
adds,  a  little  further,  "Your  own  hand  has  been  the 
cause  of  the  loss  you  deplore;  you  poured  the  poison 
on  your  own  head.  Now  Germany  will  send  you  slave's 
hair;  a  vanquished  nation  will  supply  your  ornament 
How  many  times,  when  you  hear  people  praising  the 
beauty  of  your  hair,  you  will  blush  and  Bay  to  yourself. 
'  It  is  a  bought  ornament  to  which  I  owe  my  beauty, 
and  I  know  not  what  Bicamber  virgin  they  are  admiring 
in  me!  And  yet  there  was  a  time  when  I  deserved  all 
these  compliments.' " 

Tn  such   cases,  as  will   be  seen  from   the  preceding 

'..  b.  1  I.  wvii.  |      y,  jJt, 


Nr^_^-^> 


TIIK    HOOK    OK    PERFUMES. 


extract,  false  liair  was  resorted  to;  but  baldness  was 
not  always  the  excuse  for  wearing  such  an  appendage. 
The  rage  for  blonde  hair  was  so  great  at  one  time,  that 
when  ladies  did  not  succeed  in  imparting  the  desired 
shade  to  their  naturally  raven  tresses,  they  cut  them 
off,  to  replace  them  with  flaxen  wigs.  This  was  pro- 
bably what  had  been  done  by  the  lady  referred  to  by 
Martial  : — 

"  The  golden  hair  that  Galla  wears 

Is  hers  :  who  would  have  thought  it  ? 
She  swears  'tis  hers,  and  true  she  swears, 
For  I  know  where  she  bought  it." 


^L'--  -* 


m 


em-.anr.ra. 


That  false  hair  was  in  fashion  with  ladies  may  be  judged 
from  the  fact  that  even  busts  like  that  of  Julia  Semi- 
amira,  mother  of  Hebogabalus,  repre- 
sented here,  were  made  with  wigs  of  a 
different  coloured  marble,  which  could 
be  removed  at  pleasure. 

Ladies  were  not,  however,  the  only 
ones  who  tampered  with  their  locks. 
The  sterner  sex  did  not  disdain  to  practise  this  deceit; 
and  Martial,  apostrophizing  one  of  these  chameleons  in 
human  garb,  a-ks  him  how  it  is  that  he  who  was  a 
'•  .-wan  before,  has  now  become  a  crow." 

The  Roman  matrons  were  not  less  expert  and  tastefid 
than  the  Greek  ladies  in  their  modes  of  dressing  the 
hair ;  but  their  coiffures,  like  their  perfumes,  were 
principally  borrowed  from  the  latter.  Thus  we  find 
the  Grecian  stropfios  adopted  by  the  Romans  under 
the  name    of  Ditto.      This    pretty    head-dress,    which 


m 


I  Si 

THE    BOHAKS.  117 

has  hrm  lately  revived  unionist  us,  consisted  oi' 
simple  bands  wound  round  die  Lair.  Ii  was  con- 
fined  to  young  maids,    and   was  strictly    forbidden    to 

persons  of  bad  character,   who  usually  wore  the   mitru 
Koman  Head-dicsscs. 


mentioned  in  the  last  chapter.  The  net  was  again  pa- 
tronised under  the  name  oi  reticulum ',  and  the  only  two 
head-dresBes  of  strictly  Roman  creation  were  perhaps 
the  tutuhu  and  the  nimbus,  both  of  which 

are  represented  here.  Some  simply  wore  a 
long  pin  (acus),  to  hold  the  hair  at  the  back 
of  the  head. 

When  a  man  attained  his  majority  and 
assumed  the  toga,  he  shaved  his  beard  and 
offered  it  to  some  god.  Nero  presented  his  in  a  golden 
bo\  gel  with  pearls  to  Jupiter  Capitolinua  Shaving 
continued  in  fashion  until  tin'  time  of  Emperor  Hadrian, 

who,  to  cover  some  excrescences  on  his  chin,  revived  the 
custom  of  letting  the  beard  grow,  which  his  courtiers 
naturally  hastened  to  adopt.  How  many  modern 
fashions  can  thus  be  traced  to  the  caprice  or  con- 
venience of  some  influential  person  ! 

False  hair  was  worn  bv  men  a>  well  as  1>\  women  . 


i 


R 


t3*. 


HVs_ 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


and  if  we  are  to  credit  Suetonius,  the  Roman  pcrruquicrs 
had  attained  some  proficiency  in  the  art ;  for  he  tells 
us  that  Otho's  wig  was  so  cleverly  made  that  it  looked 
perfectly  natural.  These  appendages,  however,  were 
very  costly  at  that  time,  and  a  certain  Phoebus,  who 
had  probably  more  imagination  than  ready  cash,  and 
could  not  afford  to  treat  himself  to  an  "invisible  peruke," 
had  drawn  on  his  bald  pate  imaginary  locks  by  means 
of  a  dark  pomatum,  whereupon  Martial  thus  apostro- 
phises him  in  his  usual  sarcastic  style  : — 


CHAPTER    VII. 

TlIK   Oiurvi  U ,8. 

Know  \r  tin'  land  of  the  cedar  and  vino, 
w  i,,,,  the  Sowen  Brer  blossom,  the  beams  ever  shine; 
Where  the  light  wings  of  Zephyr,  oppressed  with  perfume, 
\\,1X  t'.uiii  o'er  the  gardens  of  Qdl  in  her  bloom! 

i  oitron  and  olive  are  fairest  of  fruit, 
\,:,l  the  i  ii«  of  the  nightingale  never  is  mute. 

'Xis  the  din t (he  East ;  'tis  the  land  of  the  Bun.      Bybok. 

rxriMKS  are  only 
sought  and  enjoyed 
by  people  living  in 
a  high  state  of  re- 
finement.      When 
the  Roman  Empire 
of  the  Weal  crum- 
bled beneath  the  at- 
tacks of  a  horde  of 
barbarians,  who  in- 
vaded    its     fertile 
plains  and  laid  waste  its  magnifi- 
cent cities,  the  arts  of  civilization, 
which  they  were  unable  to  appre- 
,.;.,,,,,  ,,„,],  refuge  in  the   Eastern 
metropolis   where  they  had   been 
cultivated  since  the  days  of  Con- 
Among  these  arts  perfumery  was 


/•,4L, 


sa 


- 


g^fpe 


.w\      4 


l~l»  THE    BOOK    OF    PERFVMES. 

ranked,  and  the  Greek  emperors  and  their  court  showed 
for  aromaties  a  fondness  at  least  equal  to  that  which 
had  been  displayed  by  their  Western  predecessors. 
Having'  at  their  command  all  the  fragrant  treasures 
of  the  East,  they  made  a  lavish  use  of  them  in  private 
life,  and  in  all  public  festivals  perfumes  were  made  to 
play  an  important  part.  Xor  were  they  confined  to 
profane  purposes,  for  the  Oriental  Church  had  likewise 
introduced  them  into  all  their  religious  ceremonies,  and 
their  consumption  was  so  large  at  one  time  that  the 
priests  purchased  in  Syria  a  piece  of  ground  ten  square 
miles  in  extent,  and  planted  it  with  frankincense- trees 
for  their  own  special  requirements. 

After  several  centuries  of  glory  and  splendour,  the 
Eastern  Empire,  torn  by  religious  dissensions,  was 
doomed  in  its  turn  to  fall  under  the  aggressions  of  its 
enemies,  and  although  it  struggled  many  years  against 
the  followers  of  Mahomet,  the  Crescent  succeeded  at 
last  in  replacing  the  Cross  on  the  proud  domes  of  Con- 
stantinople. In  this  instance,  however,  the  conquerors 
were  nearly  as  polished  as  the  vanquished.  If  their 
religion,  by  forbidding  them  to  delineate  the  form  of 
man  in  any  way,  had  checked  their  progress  in  art,  it 
offered  no  impediment  to  the  pursuit  of  science,  and 
they  had  already  attained  considerable  proficiency  in 
many  of  its  most  important  branches.  To  the  Arabs, 
indeed,  we  are  indebted  ibr  many  valuable  discoveries 
in  the  field  of  knowledge,  and  these  children  of  the 
desert  may  well  be  called  the  connecting  link  between 
ancient  and  modern  civilisation. 


1  in:   OKIES  l  u  S. 


1J1 


Avicenna,  an  Arabian  doctor  who  flourished  in  the 
tenth  century,  was  the  first  to  study  and  apply  tin 
principles  <>t'  chemistry,  which  was  but  imperfectly 
known  to  the  ancients.  This  extraordinary  man,  who 
in  a  wandering  life  of  fifty-eight  years  found  time  to 
write  nearly  one  hundred  volumes  (twenty  of  which 
were  a  General  Encyclopaedia),  is  said  to  have  invented 

the  art  of  extracting  the  aromatic  or  medicinal  prin- 
ciples of  plants  and  flowers  by  means  of  distillation.1 
Perfumes  bad  for  many  years  been  known  and  used  by 
his  countrymen,  and  long  before  Mahomet's  time,  Musa, 
one  of  the  chief  cities  in  Arabia  Felix,  was  a  celebrated 
emporium  for  frankincense,  myrrh,  and  other  aromatic 
gums;  but  hitherto  the  far-famed  "perfumes  of  Araby 
the  blest"  had  merely  consisted   in   Scented   resins  and 

spices.  The  floral  world,  so  rich  and  fragrant  in  those 
favoured  climes,  had  not  y.'t  been  made  to  yield  its 
sweet  but  evanescent  treasures.  To  Avicenna  belongs 
the  merit  of  saving  their  volatile  aroma  from  destruc- 
tion and  rendering  it  permanent  by  means  of  distilla- 
tion. 

The  Orientals  always  exhibited  for  the  rose  a  par- 
tiality almost  equal  to  that  of  the  nightingale,  who  is 
said   to   dwell   constantly   ai Ig   its  sweet    bowers.      It 

was,  therefore,  on  that  flower  that  Avicenna  made  his 
first  experiments,  selecting  tin-  most  fragrant  of  the 
species,  the  Rosa  c< nti/oHa,  called  by  the  Arabs,  Qui 
sad  berk. 

1  The  word  al-embic,  which  «M  former!]  Mad   in   England  ami  a  -'ill 

II-  I  in  l'i  ,':  ■  in  designate  a  aim,  dearly  ahowa  its  Arabian  c>rii;iM. 


,-> 


m 


J/   G 


"  The  floweret  of  a  hundred  leaves, 
Expanding  while  the  dew-fall  flows, 
And  every  leaf  its  balm  receives."  ' 

He  succeeded  by  bis  skilful  operations  in  producing 
the  delicious  liquid  known  as  rose-water,  the  formula 
for  which  is  to  be  found  in  bis  works  and  in  those  of 
the  succeeding  Arabian  writers  on  chemistry.  It  soon 
came  into  general  use,  and  appears  to  have  been  manu- 
factured in  large  quantities,  if  we  are  to  believe  the 
historians,  who  tell  us  that  when  Saladin  entered  Jeru- 
salem in  1187,  he  had  the  floor  and  walls  of  Omar's 
mosque  entirely  washed  with  it. 

Rose-water  is  still  held  in  high  repute  in  the  East, 
and  when  a  stranger  enters  a  house  the  most  grateful 
token  of  ■welcome  which  can  be  offered  to  him  is  to 
sprinkle  him  over  with  rose-water,  which  is  done  by 
means  of  a  vessel  with  a  narrow  spout,  called  gulabdan. 
It  is  to  this  custom  that  Byron  alludes  in  "  The  Bride 
of  Abydos,"  when  he  says — 

"  She  snatched  the  urn  wherein  was  mix'd 
The  Persian  Atar-gul's  perfume, 
And  sprinkled  all  its  odours  o'er 
The  pictured  roof  and  marbled  floor. 
The  drops  that  through  his  glitt'ring  vest 
The  playful  girl's  appeal  address' d, 
Unheeded  o'er  his  bosom  flew, 
As  if  that  breast  was  marble  too." 

Niebuhr,  in  his  "  Description  of  Arabia,"  mentions 
likewise  this  habit  of  throwing  rose-water  on  visitors  as 
a  mark  of  honour,  and  says  it  is  somewhat  amusing  to 
witness  the  discomfited  and  even  angry  looks  with 
which  foreigners  are  wont  to  receive  these  unexpected 
1  Moore's  Lalla  Rookh. 


=8* 


Ri 


?Mm^ 


THE    ORIEN  I  \l  - 


aspersions.  The  censer  is  also  generally  brought  in 
afterwards,  and  its  fragrant  smoke  directed  towards  the 
beards  and  garments  of  the  visitors,  this  ceremony  be- 
ing considered  as  a  gentle  hint  that  it  is  time  to  bring 

tin-  visit  to  an  end.1 

According  to  the  same  authority,  Arabian  censers  arc 
made  of  wood  (probably  lined  with  metal)  and  covered 
with  plaited  cane,  like  the   specimen  represented  here. 


.Krabian  Ccns-  t 


The  gulabdan,  or  "  casting  bottle,"  as  it  was  called  in  this 
country  two  or  three  centuries  back,  is  either  of  glass  01 
earthenware  in  ordinary  houses,  but  among  rich  people 
both  these  implements  are  of  gold  or  silver  richly  chased 
or  ornamented.  The  engraving  on  next  page  illustrates 
this  important  feature  in  Oriental  customs.  The  female 
servant  carrying  the  perfume-burner  and  sprinkling- 
vase  is  taken  from  La  Mot t rave's  print  of  a  Turkish 
harem,  and  the  man  from  a  picture  in  the  late  Lord 
Baltimore's  collection  representing  the  reception  of  a 
French   ambassador   by    the   (irand   Vizier.     The    per- 

'    Niibuhr,  Description  do  FAl 


-■  iyy 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFl'MLS. 

fumes  used  in  the  censer  combine  all  the  fragrant 
woods  and  gums  of  the  East,  among  which  the  aioe, 
mentioned  in  Chapter  III.,  stands  prominent : 

"  The  aloes-wood,  from  which  no  fragrance  came, 
If  placed  on  fire,  its  inodorous  state 
Will  change,  more  sweet  than  amhergris." l 


Mahomet,  who  was  a  keen  observer  of  human  nature, 
founded  his  religion  on  the  enjoyment  of  all  material 


Turkish  Servants  bearing  l'erfumes. 

pleasures,  well  knowing  that  it  was  the  best  means  of 
securing  the  adhesion  of  his  sensual  countrymen.  lie  had 
forbidden,  it  is  true,  the  use  of  wine,  but  simply  because  he 
feared  the  dangerous  excesses  to  which  it  gave  rise  :  the 
indulgence  in  perfumes  was  one,  on  the  contrary,  he  liked 
to  encourage,  for  they  assisted  in  producing  in  his  adepts 
a  state  of  religious  ecstasy  favourable  to  his  cause.     He 

1  Sadl's  Gulistan,  chap.  i.  st.  18. 


il 


^# 


THE    OIMIA  IMS. 


125 


<§8 


professed  himself  a  great  fondness  for  them,  Baying  that 
what  his  heart  enjoyed  most  in  this  world  were  children, 
women,  and  perfumes,  and  among  the  many  delights 
promised  to  the  true  believers  in  the  Djennet  Firdous, 
or  Garden  of  Paradise,  perfumes  formed  a  conspicuous 
part,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  description, 
taken  from  the  Koran: — 

When  the  day  of  judgment  comes,  all  men  will  have 
to  cross  a  bridge  called  Al  Sirat,  which  is  liner  than  a 
hair,  and  sharper  than  the  edge  of  a  Damascus  blade. 
This  bridge  is  laid  over  the  infernal  regions,  and  how- 
ever dangerous  and  difficult  this  transit  may  appear, 
the  righteous,  upheld  and  guided  by  the  prophet,  will 
easily  accomplish  it  ;  but  the  wicked,  deprived  of  such 
assistance,  will  slip  and  fall  into  the  abyss  below,  which 
is  gaping  to  receive  them. 

After  having  passed  this  first  stage,  the  "right-hand 
men,''  as  the  Koran  calls  them,  will  refresh  themselves 
by  drinking  at  the  pond  of  Al  Cawthar,  the  waters  of 
which  are  whiter  than  milk  or  silver,  and  more  odori- 
ferous than  musk.  They  will  find  there  as  many  drink- 
ing-cups  as  there  are  stars  in  the  firmament,  and  their 
thirst  will  be  quenched  for  ever. 

They  at  last  will  penetrate  into  Paradise,  which  is 
situated  in  tile  seventh  hea\en,  under  the  throne  of 
( led.  The  ground  of  this  enchant  ing  place  is  composed 
of  pure  wheaten  flour  mixed  with  musk  and  saffron ;  its 
stones  are  pearls  and  hyacinth-,  and  its  palace-  built  of 
gold  and  silver.  In  the  centre  stands  the  marvellous 
tree  called  t  "'■■!,  which  is  so  large  that  a  man  mounted 


^4Mii  'mate^S^Ag 


T» 


THE    HOOK   OK   PERFUMES. 

on  the  fleetest  horse  could  not  ride  round  its  branches 
in  one  hundred  years.  This  tree  not  only  affords  the 
most  grateful  shade  over  the  whole  extent  of  Paradise, 
but  its  boughs  are  loaded  with  delicious  fruit  of  a  size 
and  taste  unknown  to  mortals,  and  bend  themselves  at 
the  wish  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  happy  abode. 

As  an  abundance  of  water  is  one  of  the  greatest 
desiderata  in  the  East,  the  Koran  often  speaks  of  the 
rivers  of  Paradise  as  one  of  its  chief  ornaments.  All 
those  rivers  take  their  rise  from  the  tree  tuba :  some 
flow  with  water,  some  with  milk,  some  with  honey,  and 
others  even  with  wine,  this  liquor  not  being  forbidden 
to  the  blessed. 

Of  all  the  attractions,  however,  of  these  realms  of 
bliss,  none  will  equal  their  fair  inhabitants — the  black- 
eyed  houris1 — who  will  welcome  the  brave  to  their 
bowers,  waving  perfumed  scarves  before  them,2  and 
repaying  with  smiles  and  blandishments  all  their  toils 
and  fatigues.  These  beauteous  nymphs  will  be  per- 
fection itself  in  every  sense :  they  will  not  be  created 
of  our  own  mortal  clay,  but  of  pure  »u<sk. 

I  doubt  very  much  if  the  prospect  of  inhabiting  a 
place  with  a  soil  of  musk,  peopled  with  ladies  composed 
of  the  same  material,  would  prove  a  great  allurement  to 
our  Europeans,  with  their  nervous  tendencies  ;  the  bare 
notion  of  such  a  possibility  woidd  be  sufficient  to  give  a 

1  "Houri"  comes  from  the  words  hiir  al  oyoun,  "the  black-eyed." 
2  "  Waving  enibroider'd  scarves  whose  motion  gave 
Perfume  forth,  like  those  the  Houris  wave 
When  beckoning  to  their  bowers  the  Immortal  Brave." 

Moore's  l.nlla  Rookh. 


S 


fc> 


.- 


headache  to  some  of  the  more  sensitive.  But  in  the 
East  tastes  an  different ;  and  it  is  a  singular  fact  thai 
the  warmer  a  country  is,  the  greater  is  the  taste  for 
Strang  perfumes,  although  one  would  suppose  that  the 
heat,  developing  to  the  utmost  .such  powerful  aromas, 
would  render  them  actually  unbearable. 

As  an  instance  of  the  fondness  which  the  Orientals 
exhibit  for  musk,  Evlia  Effendi  relates  that  in  Kara 
Anicd,  the  capital  of  Diarbekr,  there  is  a  mosque  called 
Iparic,  built  by  a  merchant,  and  so  called  because  there 
were  mixed  with  the  mortar  used  in  its  construction 
seventy  juks  of  musk,  which  constantly  perfume  the 
temple.  The  same  author  describes  the  mosque  of  Zo- 
baide,  at  Tauris,  as  being  constructed  in  a  similar  way  : 
and  as  musk  is  the  most  durable  of  all  perfumes,  tin 
walls  still  continue  giving  out  the  most  powerful  scent, 
especially  when  the  rays  of  the  sun  strike  upon  them. 

Many  of  Mahomet's  prescriptions  were  of  a  sanitary 
nature,  and  in  order  to  insure  their  observance  by  his 
superstitious  followers,  he  gave  them,  like  Moses,  the 
form  of  religious  laws.  Such  were  the  ablutions  and 
purifications  ordained  by  the  Koran.1  All  true  believers 
are  strictly  enjoined  to  wash  their  heads,  their  hands  as 
far  as  the  elbows,  and  their  feet  as  far  as  the  kin  .  -,  be- 
fore Baying  their  prayers  ;  and  when  water  is  not  to  be 
procured,  tine  Band  is  to  !»■  used  as  a  substitute. 

When  the  Turks  settled  themselves  in  the  Greek 
Empire,  they  did  not  rest  satisfied  with  these  limited 
ablutions,    but    soon    adopted    the    luxurious    system    of 

'    K..r-n    i     s,  0. 


-vV  ififer      ' 


THE    HOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

baths  which  they  found  already  established  in  the  con- 
quered cities.  These  baths  have  been  fully  described 
in  the  last  chapter;  they  have,  moreover,  been  lately 
introduced  into  London  ;  and  although  what  we  are 
offered  is  but  a  pale  copy  of  the  magnificence  of  the 
palaces  devoted  to  that  purpose  in  the  East,  it  might  be 


Turkish  Bath 

thought  superfluous  to  dwell  any  longer  on  this  subject. 
The  above  illustration  will  suffice  to  convey  an  idea  of 
the  style  of  these  buildings. 

Soap  is  sometimes  used  in  these  establishments,  but 
they  more  frequently  employ  a  sort  of  saponaceous  clay 
scented  with  the  sweetest  odours,  which  is,  no  doubt,  a 
lineal  descendant  of  that  smegma  mentioned  in  the  Greek 
chapter  as  being  in  great  favour  among  the  Athenians. 
It  is  to  that  preparation  that  SadI,  the  celebrated  Per- 


mgt>  ^ 


THE   ORIENTALS. 


12!) 


t 


sian  poet,  alludes  in  the  following  beautiful  apologue, 
whereby  he  illustrates  the  benefit  of  good  society  : — 

"'Twai  in  the  bath,  a  piece  of  perfumed  clay 
Came  from  my  loved  one's  hand  to  mine,  one  daj 

•Art  tlimi,  then,  musk  or  ambergris?'    I  said  , 

'  That  by  thy  scent  my  soul  is  ravished  ? ' 

'Not bo,'  it  answered,  'worthless  earth  was  I, 

But  long  I  kept  the  rose's  company  ; 

Thus  near,  its  perfect  fragrance  to  me 

Eke  I'm  bat  earth,  the  worthless  and  the  same,'"1 

The  rose,  as  I  said  before,  is  the  favourite  flower 
of  the  Orientals.  The  beauty  of  its  aspect  and  the 
sweetness  of  its  perfume  are  favourite  themes  for  their 
poets.  The  finest  poem  that  ever  was  written  in  the 
Persian  language,  the  "Gulistan,"  from  which  the 
above  is  extracted,  means  the  garden  of  roses,  and  S&di, 
its  author,  with  the  naive  conceit  of  Eastern  writers, 
thus  explains  his  motives  for  giving  that  name  to  his 
work  : — 

"On  the  first  day  of  the  month  of  Urdabihisht  (May), 
T  resolved  with  a  friend  to  pass  the  aighi  in  my  garden. 
The  ground  was  enamelled  with  flowers,  the  skv  was 
lighted  with  brilliant  stars;  the  nightingale  sting  its 
sweet  melodies  perched  on  the  highest  branches  ;  the 
dew-drops  hung  on  the  rose  like  tents  on  the  cheek  of 
an  angry  beauty  ;  the  parterre  was  covered  with  hya- 
cinths of  a  thousand  hues,  among  which  meandered  a 
Limpid  stream.  When  morning  came  my  friend  gathered 
roses,  basilisks,  and  hyacinths,  and  placed  them  in  the 
folds  of  his  garments  ;  but  I  said  to  him,  'Throw  these 

i  BldTs  OnlietSn,  Pre) 


vn 


%\ 


v 


'-mm 


THE    BOOK   OF    PERFUMES. 

away,  for  I  am  going  to  compose  a  Gulistan  (garden  of 
roses),  which  will  last  for  eternity,  whilst  your  flowers 
will  live  but  a  clay.'  " 

Ilafiz,  another  renowned  Persian  poet,  was  also  a 
groat  admirer  of  flowers  and  perfumes,  which  arc  con- 
stantly recurring  in  his  verses,  and  furnish  him  with  the 
most  charming  similes.  Addressing  his  mistress  in  one 
of  his  Guzels,  he  exclaims — 

"  Like  the  bloom  of  the  rose,  when  fresh  pluck'd  and  full  blown, 
Sweetly  soft  is  thy  nature  and  air  : 
Like  the  beautiful  cypress  in  Paradise  grown, 
Thou  art  ev'ry  way  charming  and  fair. 

"  When  my  mind  dwells  on  thee,  what  a  lustre  assume 
All  the  objects  which  fancy  presents  ! 
On  my  memory  thy  locks  leave  a  grateful  perfume, 
Far  more  fragrant  than  jasmine's  sweet  scents."  ' 


Hafiz  seems,  like  Anacreon,  to  have  particularly  wor- 
shipped the  rose ;  and,  as  his  Grecian  predecessor,  he 
always  couples  in  his  odes  the  praise  of  wine  with  that 
of  the  queen  of  flowers  :— 

"  In  the  mirth-enliven'd  bower, 
Wine,  convivial  songsters,  pour : 
See  the  garden's  flowery  guest 
Comes  in  happiness  full  dress'd ; 
Joy  round  us  sweet  perfume  throws. 
Offspring  of  the  blooming  rose. 


Hail !  sweet  flower,  thy  blossom  spread, 
Here  thy  welcome  fragrance  shed  ; 
Let  us  witli  our  friends  be  gay, 
Mindful  of  thy  transient  stay  : 
1'ass  the  goblet  round  ;  who  knows 
When  we  lose  the  blooming  rose? 

Haflz,  Gazel  si. 


THE   OBIENTALS  131 

Hafiz  lorea,  likr  Philomel, 

Willi  the  darling  iw  to  dwell 
Let  liis  heart  a  grateful  lay 
To  her  guardian  '  humbly  p  13 , 
i'  with  homage  close, 
To  the  guardian  of  the  rose."  - 

Thai  perform  -  have  been  in  ase  in  the  East,  to  please 
the  living  and  honour  the  dead,  since  a  very  remote 

period,  we  find  a  proof  in  the  following  story,  extracted 
from  a  Persian  writer,  relating  the  deatli  of  Yezdijird, 
the  last  of  the  Kaiiinian  race  of  kings,  in  the  year  652. 
That  unfortunate  monarch  having  fled  from  his  do- 
minions and  taken  refuge  in  the  territory  of  Merv,  its 
inhabitants  were  anxious  to  apprehend  and  destroy  him  ; 

they  accordingly  sent  a  message  to  Tanjtakh,  king  of 

Tartary,  offering  to  place  themselves  under  his  protec- 
tion, and  to  deliver  the  fugitive  into  his  hands.  Tanj- 
takh accepted  their  proposal  and  inarched  against  Merv 
With  a  large  army;  hearing  which.  Yezdijird  left  the 
caravanserai  where  he  had  alight*  d.  and  wandered  about 
unattended  in  quest  of  a  hiding-place.  Heat  last  came 
to  a  mill,  where  he  begged  for  a  eight's  shelter.  The 
miller  promised  him  that  he  should  be  unmolested  ;  but 

his  attendants  having  remarked  that  he  was  richly 
clad,  murdered  him  in  his  sleep,  and  divided  the  spoil 
among  themselves. 

The  next  day  Tanjtakh  arrived  at  Merv,  and  caused 

Yezdijird  to  be  sought  in  every  direction.     Some  of  the 

emissaries  came  to  the  mill,  and  having  remarked  that 

one  of  the  servants  smelt  strongly  of  perfume,  they  tore 

'  Tin'  ni'.'liti  i  Halls,  Oaxel  ii. 


qg<  >  ^  ■  ,  - 


I  HI-:    ORIENTALS. 


133 


means.  It  is  principally  cultivated  among  ladies  who, 
caring  little  or  nothing  tor  mental  acquirements,  and  de- 
barred from  tlu'  pleasures  of  society ,  are  driven  to  resort 

to  Bach  sensual  enjoyments  as  their  seeluded  mode  of  life 
will  afford.  They  love  to  be  in  an  atmosphere  redolent 
with  fragrant  odours  that  keep  them  in  a  state  of 
dreamy  languor  which  is  lor  them  the  nearest  approach 
to  happiness.  The  sole  aim  of  their  existence  being  to 
please  their  lords  and  masters,  the  duties  of  the  toilet 
are  their  principal  and  favourite  occupation.  Many  are 
the  cosmetics  brought  into  request  to  enhance  their 
charms,  and  numerous  are  the  slaves  who  lend  their 
assistance  to  perform  that  important  task,  s ■  correct- 
ing with  a  whitening  paste  the  over-warm  tint  of  the 
skin,  some  replacing  with  an  artificial  bloom  the  failed 
roses  of  the  complexion. 

'•  "Wliile  some  bring  leaves  of  henna,  to  imbue 

't'hc  tiiiL-ii-'  i  nil-  with  a  bri'.'l  I 

S"  bright  that  in  the  mirror's  depth  thej  Beetn 

Like  tips  of  coral  branches  in  the  »tri  un  ; 

And  others  mix  the  kohol'e  jettj  dye 

To  give  that  long  dark  languish  to  the  eye 

Which  makes  the  maid-  whom  longs  are  proud  to  cull 

Fr"in  fair  Cireassia's  Tall  I  80  beautiful." ' 

Although,  according  to  our  European  notions,  red- 
tipped    fingers  and   darkened   eyelids  are  not  calculated 

to  increase  female  loveliness,  this  may  be  looked  upon 
as  a  mere  conventional  matter,  and  it  may  be  fairly 
presumed  that  the  constant  can-  which  tlie  Eastern 
ladies  bestow  on  themselves  have  the  effect  of  increas- 

1   Moore's  I.alla  Rookh. 


ing  and  preserving  their  beauty.  This  is  confirmed 
by  most  travellers,  and,  among  others,  Sonnini  in  his 
Travels  in  Egypt  thus  expresses  himself  on  that 
subject : — 

"There  is  no  part  of  the  world  where  the  women 
pay  a  more  rigid  attention  to  cleanliness  than  in  those 
Oriental  countries.  The  frequent  use  of  the  bath,  of 
perfumes,  and  of  everything  tending  to  soften  and 
beautify  the  skin  and  to  preserve  all  their  charms,  em- 
ploys their  constant  attention.  Nothing,  in  short,  is 
neglected,  and  the  most  minute  details  succeed  each 
other  with  scrupulous  exactness.  So  much  care  is  not 
thrown  away ;  nowhere  are  the  women  more  uniformly 
beautiful,  nowhere  do  they  possess  more  the  talent  of 
assisting  natnre,  nowhere,  in  a  word,  are  they  better 
skilled  or  more  practised  in  the  art  of  arresting  or 
repairing  the  ravages  of  time,  an  art  which  has 
its  principles  and  a  great  variety  of  practical  re- 
cipes." ' 

As  it  may  interest  some  of  my  fair  readers  to  know 
the  composition  of  those  far-farmed  Oriental  cosmetics, 
I  shall  transcribe  hero  the  recipes  of  some  of  those  pre- 
parations, for  the  authenticity  of  which  I  can  vouch, 
having  received  them  from  one  of  my  correspondents  at 
Tunis,3  to  whom  they  were  given  by  a  native  Arabian 
perfumer.  If  not  useful,  they  will  no  doubt  be  found 
amusing. 

The  kohl,  or  kheul,  which  we  have  seen  in  use  for 


1   Sonnini's  Travels  in  Upper  and  Lower  Egypt,  p.  18 
!  M.  A.  Chapclie. 


M 


Is 


i  • 


THE   OKI  ini  \i>. 


135 


darkening  the  eyelids  .since  (lie  time  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  is  made  by  them  in  the  following  way  : — 
They  remove  the  inside  of  a  lemon,  till  it  np  with 
plumbago  and  burnt  copper,  and  place  it  on  the  tire 
until  it  becomes  carbonised ;  then  they  pound  it  in  a 
mortar  with  coral,  sandal-wood,  pearls,  ambergris,  the 
winp  of  a  bat,  and  part  of  the  body  of  a  chameleon, 
the  whole  having  been  previously  burnt  to  a  cinder 
and  moistened  with  rose-water  while  hot. 

A  complexion-powder  called  batikha,  which  is  used 
in  all  the  harems  for  whitening  the  skin,  is  made  in 
the  following  manner  :— They  pound  in  a  mortar  some 
cowrie-shells,  borax,  rice,  white  marble,  crystal,  tomata, 
lemons,  eggs,  and  helbas  (a  bitter  seed  gathered  in 
Egypt);  mix  them  with  the  meal  of  beans,  chick-peas, 
and  lentils,  and  place  the  whole  inside  a  melon,  mixing 
with  it  its  pulp  and  seeds ;  it  is  then  exposed  to  the  sun 
until  its  complete  desiccation,  and  reduced  to  a  fine 
powder. 

The  preparation  of  a  dye  used  for  the  hair  and  beard 
is  no  less  carious.  It  is  composed  of  gall-nuts  fried  in 
oil  and  rolled  in  salt,  to  which  are  added  cloves,  burnt 

copper,  minium,  aromatic  herbs,  pomegranate  flowers, 

gum-arabic,   litharge,  and  henna.      The  whole  of  these 

ingredients  are  pulverised  and  dilated  in  the  oil  used 
for  frying  the  nuts.  This  gives  it  a  jet-black  colour, 
but  those  who  wish  to  impart  a  golden  tint  to  their 
hair  employ  simply  henna  for  that  purpose. 

That  hair-dyes  have  been  used  in  the  Kast  formally 
centuries   appears   from   the    following   lines,   in   which 


sVvS'. 


f \ -.-  lt = ---  i  V»v-V/  * '  — £    -^  r  ■■=■  - 


136 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


•^\M 


Sadi  ridicules  the  habit  with  a  sarcastic  spirit  worthy 
of  Martial : — 

••An  aged  dame  had  dyed  her  locks  of  gray  ; 
'Granted.'  I  said,  'thy  hair  -with  silTer  Mail 
M..v  cheat  m  ami ;  ytt,  little  mother  I  aj, 

::iou  make  straight  thy  back,  which  time  has  bent.-  "  ' 

To  conclude  the  Hst  of  Oriental  cosmetics,  I  may 
mention  an  almond  paste,  called  hemsia,  which  is  used 
as  a  substitute  for  soap ;  a  tooth-powder  named  souek, 
made  from  the  bark  of  the  walnut-tree  ;  pastilles  of 
musk  and  amber  paste  (kourss),  for  burning  and  also 
for  forming  chaplets  of  beads,  which  the  fair  odalisques 
roll  for  hours  in  their  hands,  thus  combining  a  reli- 
gious duty  with  a  pleasant  pastime ;  a  depilatory  called 
•■tennentina,"'  which  is  nothing  more  than  turpentine 
thickened  into  a  paste ;  and  last,  not  least,  the  cele- 
brated sduiouda,  a  perfectly  white  cream,  composed  of 
jasmine  pomade  and  benzoin,  by  means  of  which  a  very 
natural  but  transient  bloom  is  imparted  to  the  cheeks. 

The  far-famed  Balm  of  Mecca  is  still  greatly  esteemed 
amongst  the  Orientals,  and  some  even  pretend  that  the 
limited  quantity  of  the  genuine  article  produced  vearlv 
is  reserved  for  the  Grand  Seignior's  special  use.  Lady 
Mary  "Wortley  Montagu  does  not  appear  to  have  shared 
their  admiration  for  it,  for  she  relates  in  her  letters 
that  having  had  a  small  quantity  presented  to  her, 
applied  it  to  her  face,  expecting  some  wonderful  im- 
provement from  it,  instead  of  which  it  made  it  red  and 
swollen  for  three  davs.2 


B  Gulistin.  chap.  vi.  st.  5 


Lady  Montagu's  Letters,  ixxrii. 


"TX5*s 


m 


¥ 


THE   ORIENTALS. 


137 


The  same  authority  furnishes  us  with  a  very  aceurate 
description  of  the  Eastern  mode  of  wearing  the  hair; 
and,  as  fashions  are  not  so  liable  to  change  there  as 
they  are  here,  we  may  assume  it  as  applicable  to  the 
present  period.  "  The  head-dress,"  says  Lady  Mon- 
tague,1 "  is  composed  of  a  cap  called  la/pock,  which  is, 
in  winter,  of  fine  velvet,  embroidered  with  pearls  or 
diamonds,  and  in  summer  of  a  light  shining  silver  stuff. 
This  is  fixed  on  one  side  of  the  head,  hanging  a  little 
way  down  with  a  gold  tassel,  and  bound  on  either  with 
a  circle  of  diamonds  or  a  rich  embroidered  handkerchief. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  head  the  hair  is  laid  flat,  and 
here  the  ladies  are  at  liberty  to  show  their  fancies, 
some  putting  flowers,  others  a  plume  of  heron's  feathers, 
Hiid,  ill  short)  what  they  please;  but  the  most  general 
fashion  is  a  large  bouquet  of  jewels  made  like  natural 
flowers — that  is,  the  buds  of  pearl,  the  roses  of  different 
coloured  rubies,  the  jessamines  of  diamonds,  the  jon- 
quils of  topazes,  etc.,  so  well  set  and  enamelled,  'tis  hard 
to  imagine  anything  of  that  kind  so  beautiful.  The 
hair  hangs  at  its  full  length  behind,  divided  into  tresses 
braided  with  pearl  and  ribbon,  which  is  always  in  great 
quantity." 

The  Turks  shave  their  heads,  leaving  a  single  tuft  of 
hair  on  the  tup,  by  which  they  expect  Azracl,  the  angel 
of  death,  to  seize  them  when  conveying  them  to  their 
last  abode.  They  preserve  their  beard  with  the  greatest 
Care,  and  make  it  a  point  of  religion  to  let  it  grow,  be- 
cause Mahomet  never  cut  off  his.  No  greater  insult  can 
1  Lady  Montague's  Letters,  xxix. 


k_^ 


3C4 


CIIA  I'T  E  II     VIII. 

The  Fab  East. 

••  Be  like  the  perfume-sellers,  fbi  thy  dm  ■ 
Near  them  will  share  the  odotirs  the]  possess," 

I'nrw's  Indian  Atoiooies. 

ONTINUIXG 
oui      peregri- 

nations  "  all 
round  the 
world,"  we 
now  come  to 
the  Far  East, 
i hat  fairy-land 
of  the  ancients 
which  we  more 
sober  -  minded 
moderns  sim- 
ply designate 
under  the 
n  a  m  e  B  0  f 
India,  China,  and   Japan.       litre  OUT  history  will  cease 

in  be  chronological,  fur  tin- arts  of  civilisation  have  been 
known    and   practised   by  those  nations  from  a  very 


I 


sra 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEBFCMES. 


remote  period,  and  little  if  any  would  be  the  change  or 
progress  to  be  traced  among  them  for  many  centuries. 

To  commence  with  India,  we  find  that  perfumes  have 
been  used  in  that  country  since  the  earliest  records  ;  a 
fact  easily  accounted  for  by  the  sensual  temperament 
of  its  inhabitants,  and  the  abundance  of  fragrant 
materials  placed  at  their  disposal  by  bountiful  Nature. 
Kalidasa,  a  Sanskrit  writer,  who  flourished  under  the 
reign  of  king  Yikrainaditya  I.,  some  two  thousand 
years  ago,  frequently  mentions  perfumes  in  his  poems, 
and  especially  in  the  beautiful  drama  called  "  Sakoon- 
tala ;  or,  the  Lost  Ring."  From  him  we  learn  they 
were  applied  both  to  sacred  and  private  purposes. 

Sacrifices  were  usually  offered  in  the  temples  of  the 
Indian  Trinity,  or  Tremoortee,  comprising  Brahma, 
Vishnu,  and  Siva.  According  to  the  Vedas  they  were 
to  consist  of  a  fire  of  fragrant  woods  lighted  at  each  of 
the  four  cardinal  points.  The  flames  were  fed  now  and 
then  with  a  consecrated  ointment,  and  around  the  fire 
was  scattered  a  scented  herb  called  kiisa,1  which  was 
held  sacred.  Kanwa,  the  father  of  Sakoontala,  who 
is  the  chief  of  the  hermits,  offers  one  of  these  sacrifices 
in  the  above-mentioned  drama,  and  exclaims — 

"  Holy  flames  that  gleam  around 
Every  altar's  hallowed  ground  ; 
Holy  flames,  whose  frequent  food 
Is  the  consecrated  wood, 


1  I  believe  this  to  have  been  the  herb  I  found  in  the  East  India  col  • 
lection  at  the  International  Exhibition,  under  the  name  of  rusa.  It  is 
the  Andropogon  tiardus,  or  ginger  grass  (improperly  called  Indian  gera- 
nium), from  which  an  oil  is  extracted  which  is  used  iu  perfumery. 


Jffci^&J 


} 


, 


n 


And  for  whose  encircling  bed 
Sacred  KGsa-grass  is  spread  , 
Holy  flames  thai  waft  to  heaven 
Sweet  oblations  daily  given, 
Mortal  guilt  to  purge  away  . 
Hear,  oh,  hear  me,  when  1  pray. 
Purify  111  y  child  this  clay  !"  ' 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  last  words  of  this  prayer, 
sacrifices  were  not  only  offered  by  the  Hindus  as  a 
general  mode  of  worship,  but  also  to  propitiate  the 
gods  on  particular  occasions,  as  was  done  by  the  ancient 
Greeks  and  Romans.  In  this  instance  oakoontala 
is  about  to  be  married,  and  her  father  invokes  the 
blessings  of  the  deities  upon  her.  These  ceremonies 
did  not  always  take  place  in  temples,  but  sometimes  in 
consecrated  groves.  In  this  same  drama,  King  Dush- 
yanta,  alluding  to  this  custom,  says — 

"  The  uprooting  verdure  of  the  leaves  is  dimmed 
By  dusky  wreaths  of  upward-curling  smoke 
From  burnt  oblations." 

It  was  considered  no  sin  to  apply  sacred  grass  to  pri- 
vate purposes,  for  we  find  Anasiiya,  one  of  Sakoontala's 
handmaids,  compounding  perfumes  and  unguents  with 
consecrated  paste  and  this  kiisa-grass,  to  anoint  the 
limbs  of  her  mistress,  when  attending  to  her  bridal 
toilet.2  Some  of  these  preparations  were  believed  to 
possess  medicinal  properties,  and  such  was  the  ointment 
of  I'sira-root,3  brought  to  the  Indian  beauty  by  another 
assistant  as  a  cure  for  fever. 

The  custom  of  staining  the  soles  of  the  feet  with 

1    Sakoontala,  Act  it.  >  Sakoontnlu,  Act  iv. 

5  This  root   is  probably  the  Indian  kas-kns,  01  otiurt   ( jimtAmm 
murkalum). 


T£2 


HOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


m 


m 


W 


-v 


henna  appears  to  have  been  very  ancient,  for  we  find 
it  mentioned  by  one  of  the  hermits  who  brings  bridal 
presents  for  Sakoontala,  and  thus  describes  a  mysterious 
forest  where  he  found  them  :  — 

"  Straightway  depending  from  a  neighbouring  tree 
Appeared  a  robe  of  linen  tissue,  pure 
And  spotless  as  a  moonbeam — mystic  pledge 
Of  bridal  happiness ;  another  tree 
Distilled  a  roseate  dye  wherewith  to  stain 
The  lady's  feet." 

In  an  Indian  ode  called  "  Megha-duta,"  translated  by 

Paterson,    there   occurs,    also,    the    following    passage 

alluding  to  the  same  fashion  : — 

"  The  rose  hath  humbly  bowed  to  meet 
With  glowing  lips  her  hallowed  feet, 
And  lent  them  all  its  bloom." 

According  to  Hindu  mythology  there  are  five  hea- 
vens, over  each  of  which  presides  one  of  their  superior 
gods.  That  of  Brahma,  called  Brahma-loka,  is  situated 
on  Mount  Meru  ;  those  of  Vishnu,  Siva,  Kuvera,  and 
Indra  are  on  the  summit  of  the  Himalayas.  In  all  these 
elysiums  perfumes  and  flowers  are  among  the  chief  de- 
lights.    The  principal  ornament  of  Brahma's  heaven  is 

"  That  blue  flower  which,  Brahmins  say, 
Blooms  nowhere  but  in  Paradise." 

It  is  the  blue  campac  or  champac  flower,  a  great  rarity, 
as  the  only  sort  known  on  this  earth1  has  yellow  blos- 
soms with  which  Hindu  girls  arc  wont  to  ornament 
their  raven  hair. 

In  Indra's  paradise,  called  Swarga,  is  to  be  found  the 
still  more  attractive  camalata,  whose  rosy  flowers  not 

1    Mirhflin   champacn. 


X 


£. 


t 


THE    1' Alt    EAST. 


143 


only  enchant  the  senses  of  all  those  who  have  the  happi- 
ness of  breathing  its  delicious  fragrance,  but  have  also 
the  power  of  granting  them  all  they  may  desire.  This 
Indra,  the  Jupiter  Tonana  of  the  Hindus,  appears  very 

partial  to  .scent,  for  he  is  always  represented  with  his 
breast    tinged  with  sandal-wood. 

Kama,  the  god  of  love,  or  Indian  Cupid,  is  armed 
with  a  lniw  made  of 
sugar-cane,  the  string 
of  which  consists  of 
bees.  He  has  five 
arrows,   each  tipped 

with   the    blossom  of 

a  flower,  which  pierce 

the  heart  through  the 

five    sen ms,   and    his 

favourite    dart     is 

pointed  with  the  chfi- 

ta   or   mango-flower. 

I  regret  to  add  that 

young  maidens,  with 

cruel    dispositions,  I 

hardly  to   be   expected   in    their   tender   years,  do   not 

scruple  to  furnish  the  malicious  god  with  weapons,  as 

may  be  seen  from  the  following  quotation.  A  young 
maid  plucks  a  mango-blossom  and  exclaims — ■ 

"God  of  the  bow,  who  with  spring's  choicest  Bowers 
I>'i-t  point  thy  five  unerring  shafts ;  I 
I  dedicate  thi>  blossom  ;  let  it    ■ 

To  baib  thy  traett  arrow  ;   \>,-   its  mark 

Some  _v..uthful  In  art  thai  pines  to  tx  belored." 


9 


A  sweet  little  flower,  mounted  on  a  reed,  does  not 
appear  at  first  sight  to  form  a  very  dangerous  weapon, 
yet  it  seems  to  inflict  great  pain,  if  we  are  to  credit  the 
complaints  exhaled  by  a  wounded  swain,  who  says,  in 
the  same  poem — 

"  Every  flowor-tippod  shaft 
Of  Kama,  as  it  probes  our  throbbing  hearts, 
Seems  to  be  barbed  with  hardest  adamant." 

Flowers  and  perfumes  are  still  used  in  modern  Hindu 
worship.  Incense  is  burned  in  all  ceremonies,  and  the 
temples  are  adorned  with  a  profusion  of  fresh-gathered 
blossoms.  Coloured  ointments  are  also  used  to  make 
hieratic  signs  on  the  face,  arms,  and  chest.  The  secta- 
ries of  Vishnu  have  a  red  and  yellow  line  drawn 
horizontally  on  the  forehead ;  those  of  Siva  wear  the 
same  line  vertically.  I  saw  in  the  East  Indian  collec- 
tion at  the  last  Exhibition  some  specimens  of  these 
ointments,  which  were  very  strongly  flavoured  with 
sandal-wood,  and  other  indigenous  essences.  In  a 
religious  fete  called  Mariafta  Codam,  the  devotees  rub 
themselves  over  with  an  ointment  made  of  saffron,  and 
go  round  collecting  alms,  in  return  for  which  they  dis- 
tribute scented  sticks,  partly  composed  of  sandal-wood, 
which  are  received  with  great  veneration.  At  ano- 
ther held  in  honour  of  the  goddess  Debrodee,  fakcers 
crowned  with  flowers  sprinkle  incense  on  glowing  coals, 
which  they  place  in  their  hands  without  appearing  to 
experience  any  pain  from  it.  At  the  Krishna  festival 
a  red  powder  diluted  in  rose-water  is  liberally  distri- 
buted by  means  of  syringes  over  all  passers-by,  to  the 


f 


I 


Kd 


3fc, 


JU* 


JL 


H: 


.    5    .,    y 


1K> 


utter  discomfiture  of  their  wearing  apparel.  A  some- 
wliat  similar  custom  is  observed  in  the  liirmun  Empire. 
Oil  tile  l'Jtli  of  April,  which  is  the  las)  day  of  their 
calendar,  women  throw  water  at  all  they  meet,  to  wash 
away  all  the  impurities  of  the  past  year  and  Commence 

the  new  one  free  from  sin.  Rich  people  use  rose-water 
mixed  with  sandal-wood  for  that  purpose. 

In  Tibet  incense  is  also  burned,  sometimes  in  a  censer 
but  more  frequently  in  a  gigantic  altar,  with  an  aperture 
at  the  top,  which  is  called  Sony-boom,  and  bears  some 


Song-boom,  or  Tibetan  Incense  Altar. 

resemblance  to  a  lime-kiln.1     As,  however,  the  fragranl 
gums  of  India  are  scarce   in   these  northern  regions, 

juniper  is  used  as  a  substitute.      They  also  make  me  in 

their  worship  of  a  very  singular  implement  consisting 
1  Dr.  Hooker1!  Bimalayan  Journal,  rol  i.  p.  339. 


-     - 


^y^i. 


SS  r-^:r.  -iff   : 

a'  ----- 


I  If. 


THE    JSOOK    OF    PERFUME! 


of  a  leather  cylinder,  which  contains  written  prayers, 
and  is  turned  with  a  handle.  Each  revolution  causes 
a  little  hell  to  ring,  and  this  counts  for  one  prayer. 
Some  2">eople  even  think  this  mechanical  mode  of  pray- 
ing too  fatiguing,  and  have  their  cylinders  turned,  like 
mills,  by  tcater-power.1 

In  Cochin  China,  when  fishermen  are  about  to  start 
on  a  cruise,  they  seek  to  propitiate  the  deities  of  the 
perfidious  clement  by  burning  aromatic  and  conse- 
crated woods  on  altars  formed  of  rude  stones.  The 
Javanese,  who  are  the  usual  purveyors  of  those  delicate 
birds'  nests  so  highly  prized  by  Chinese  epicures,  offer 
up  likewise  a  sacrifice  before  venturing  on  these  dange- 
rous expeditions.  They  slaughter  a  buffalo,  pronounce 
some  prayers,  anoint  themselves  with  sweet-scented  oils, 
and  smoke  with  gum  benzoin  the  entrance  of  the  caverns 
where  they  are  to  seek  the  coveted  prize.  Near  some 
of  these  caves  a  tutelar  goddess  is  worshipped,  whose 
priest  burns  incense,  and  lays  bis  protecting  hands  on 
every  person  prepared  to  descend  into  the  abyss.2 

Hindu  marriages  are  celebrated  under  a  sort  of  canopy 
called  pendal,  which,  among  wealthy  people,  is  richly 
ornamented  and  brilliantly  lighted  with  lamps.  The 
bride  and  bridegroom  sit,  or  rather  squat,  at  one  end, 
and  at  the  other  burns  the  sacred  tire  or  omai),  which 
is  constantly  kept  up  by  throwing  into  it  sandal-wood, 
incense,  scented  oils,  and  other  ingredients,  which  shed 
aromatic  fumes.     The  Brahmans.  after  having  recited 


1  Dr.  Hooker's  Himalayan  Journal,  i.  195, 
:  Lord  Macartney's  Embassy  to  China. 


2±r> 


. 


147         •]-■'■  . 

a  variety  of  prayers,  consecrate  the  anion  of  the  couple      \  '(%L: 

by  throwing  a  handful  of  saffron  mixed  with  rice  Hour       '^kj\  i 

1 


on  their  shoulders,  and  the  ceremony  ends  by  the 
husband  presenting  his  wife  with  a  little  golden  image 
called  take,  which  is  worn  round  the  neck  by  married 
women,  as  a  substitute  for  the  wedding-ring.1 


i 


ft 


Hindu  Marriage  Cc 


Scented  woods  are  also  used  in  the  funeral  piles  which 
consume  the  remains  of  the  dead,  when  the  wealth  cf 

the  deceased,  or  the  generosity  of  Ins  heirs,  admits  of 
such  expense.  "When  suttees  were  still  in  fashion,  dis- 
consolate widows  could  have  the  satisfaction  of  dying, 
like  Sardanapalus,  "ttifled    in   aromatic  smoke;"  hut 

1  T.' rndnnstan,  vol.  iii.  p  It. 


i 


r 


since  the  British  Government  has  abolished  this  custom 
they  are  Left  to  end  their  days  like  ordinary  mortals. 

There  are  few  countries  in  the  world  equal  to  India 
for  the  abundance  and  variety  of  its  floral  productions. 

"  A  hundred  flowers  there  are  beaming. 
The  verdure  smiling  and  the  hushed  waves  dreaming. 
Each  flower  is  still  a  brighter  hue  assuming. 
Each  a  far  league  the  love -sick  air  perfuming. 
The  rose  her  book  of  hundred  leaves  unfolding, 
The  tulip's  hand  a  cup  of  red  wine  holding. 
The  northern  zephyr  ambergris  round  spreading, 
Still  through  its  limits  varied  scents  is  shedding."  ' 

Whilst  the  southern  provinces  are  rich  with  the 
vegetation  of  tropical  climes,  the  northern  parts,  and 
especially  Cashmere,  teem  with  roses  and  other  Euro- 
pean flowers. 

"  Who  has  not  heard  of  the  vale  of  Cashmere, 

With  its  roses  the  brightest  that  earth  ever  gave, 
Its  temples  and  grottoes,  and  fountains  as  clear 

Afi  the  love-lighted  eyes  that  hang  over  their  wave?"  2 

Otto  of  roses  has  been  made  for  a  very  long  time  in 
India,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Polier  thus  relates  its 
origin  in  the  "Asiatic  Researches:" — "Noorjeehaa 
Begum  (Light  of  the  "World),  the  favourite  wife  of 
Jchan-Geer,  was  once  walking  in  her  garden,  through 
which  ran  a  canal  of  rose-water,  when  she  remarked 
some  oily  particles  floating  on  the  surface.  These  were 
collected,  and  their  aroma  found  to  be  so  delicious,  that 
means  were  devised  to  produce  the  precious  essence  in 
a  regular  way." 

Next  in  favour  is  the  jasmine,  which  Hindu  poets  call 


t 


Anyar-i  Suluili,  eh.  i.  st.  26. 


:  Moore's  T.alla  Rookh. 


J» 


sdHt^fefe 


^$z 


THE    1AK    BA8T. 


110 


ill.'  "  Moonlight  of  the  Grove."     There  arc  two  spi 
cultivated  for  their  perfume — the  Jasmiiium  gratidlj/onim, 
or  Tore,  and  the  Jasminum  hirxutum,  or  Sambac. 

Among  other  fragrant  flowers  we  may  mention  the 
Pandang  [Pandanm  odoratimkmn),  the  Champao  (Miche- 
lia  champaca),  the  Kuma  (Pluenix  dactili/era),  the  15oo- 
I/J  kool  (Minusopa  eleiigi),  and  last,  not  least,  the  Henna 
[Lawaonia  vnermu),  the  blossoms  of  which  have  a  deli- 
cious odour. 

From  all  these  flowers  essences  are  distilled,  and  the 
centre  of  this  manufacture  is  Qhazepore,  a  town  situated 
on  the  north  hank  of  the  Can-'  s  above  Benares.  The 
process  is  extremely  simple.  The  petals  are  placed  in 
clay  stills  with  twice  their  weight  of  water,  and  the 
produce  is  exposed  to  (he  fresh  air  for  a  night  in  open 
vessels.  The  next  morning  the  otto  is  found  congealed 
on  the  surface  and  is  carefully  skimmed  off.  These 
ess  Hi  68  would  be  very  beautiful  if  they  were  pure,  but 
the  native  distillers  being  but  little  skilled  in  their  art, 

add  Bandal-W 1  shavings  to  the  flowers  to  facilitate  the 

extraction  of  the  otto,  which  thus  becomes  tainted  with 
a  heavy  Bandal-wood  flavour.  Besides  these  essences, 
perfumed  oils  are  also  made  with  some  of  these  flowers 
in  the  following  way  : — (iingelly  oil  seeds  are  placed  in 
alternate  layers  with  fresh  flowers  in  a  covered  vessel. 
The  latter  are  renewed  several  times,  after  which  the 
seeds  are  pressed,  and  the  oil  produced  is  found  to  have 

acquired  the  smell  of  the  flowers.  Musk,  civet,  amber- 
gris, spikenard  (  Valeriana  Jatamansi),1  patchouly,  and 

1   Bm  <  h:i]>.  iii. 


w. 


ra 


. 


Wa 


¥ 


THE    BOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

kus-kus  are  also  favourite  perfumes  with  the  Indians. 
The  last  mentioned,  which  is  the  rhizome  of  the  ana- 
therum  muricatum,  is  made  into  mats  and  blinds,  which, 
being  watered  in  the  sun,  give  out  a  most  pleasant 
odour. 

Perfumes  and  flowers  play  a  great  part  in  Indian 
poetry,  and  the  following  extracts  taken  at  random  from 
"Anvar-i  Suhaili"1  will  show  to  what  happy  compari- 
sons they  are  applied  : — 

"  Like  musk  is  moral  worth  ;  from  sight  concealed 
'Tis  by  its  odour  to  the  sense  revealed." 

"  The  damsel  entered  the  king's  chamber  with  a  face 
like  a  fresh  rose-bud  which  the  morning-breeze  has 
caused  to  blow,  and  with  ringlets  like  the  twisting 
hyacinth  buried  in  an  envelope  of  the  purest  musk." 

'■  With  hyacinth  and  jessamine  her  perfumed  hair  was  bound, 
A  posy  of  sweet  violets  her  clustering  ringlets  seemed  ; 
IIYr .  vis  with  love  intoxicate,  in  witching  sleep  half  drowned, 

Her  locks  to  Indian  spikenard  like,  with  love's  enchantments  beamed." 

The  following  description  of  a  young  maiden  struck 
down  by  illness  is  exquisitely  beautiful : — 

"All  of  a  sudden  the  blighting  glance  of  unpropitious 
fortune  having  fallen  on  that  rose-cheeked  cypress,  she 
laid  her  head  on  the  pillow  of  sickness  ;  and  in  the 
flower-garden  of  her  beauty,  in  place  of  the  damask- 
rose,  sprang  up  the  branch  of  the  saffron.  Her  fresh 
jessamine,  from  the  violence  of  the  burning  illness,  lost 
its  moisture  ;  and  her  hyacinth  full  of  curls,  lost  all  its 
endurance  from  the  fever  that  consumed  her." 

Anvir-i  Suhaili,  or  the  Lights  of  Canopus,  translated  by  E.  B.  Eastwick. 


Jr 


^4;  ;;vMi&s&0 


m 


v, 


THE    FAB    E  1ST. 


151 


Her  graceful  form,  with  lengthened  Buffering 
\\';is  like  hex  perfumed  muaky  tronooe — bent.' 


spent, 


The  Hindu  perfumer  (called  gund'hee)  (lues  not  in- 
dulge, like  his  European  confreres,  in  ahowy  glass  cases 
and  brilliant  shops.     His  whole  establishment  consists 

in  a  few  sacks,  boxes,  and  trays,  containing  bis  various 

fragrant  stores,  in  the  midst  of  which  he  .sits  dispensing 
them  to  his  beauty-seeking  patrons. 


rumra . 
original  sketch.) 


The  Hindu  barber  plies  also  his  vocation  in  the 
open  air,  and  handles  with  great  dexterity  his  razor. 
mounted  on  hinges,  which  is  a  somewhat  formidahli 
looking  instrument.  The  specimen  represented  on  the 
oexl  page  is  from  an  original  in  Mr.  Berthoud's  collec- 
tion, which  is  of  gilt  metal,  chiselled,  and  studded 
with  jewels. 


I  ;:  i  ■  MM  I 


THE    BOOK   OF   PEBFUMKS. 

My  remarks  have  been  hitherto  confined  to  the  Hin- 
dus, and  although  some  of  them  will  equally  apply  to 
the  Mussulmans  inhabiting  India,  the  latter  offer  some 
peculiar  characteristics  which  may  be  briefly  described. 
In  "Qanoon-e-Islam,"  a  book  written  by  Jaffur  Shur- 
rccf,  a  native  of  the  Deccan,  is  to  be  found  some  reliable 
information  on  this  subject. 


<=»»*€ 


Hindu   Razor. 


Their  customs  naturally  offer  some  resemblance  to 
those  of  their  Arabian  ancestors,  and  their  fondness  for 
perfumes  seems  to  have  in  no  way  decreased  since  the 
time  of  the  Prophet.  In  all  their  ceremonies  they  burn 
^js.  ood,  an  incense  composed  of  benzoin,  aloe,  sandal- 
wood, patchouly,  etc.,  and  the  oodsoz,  or  censer,  is  also 
lighted  at  the  feet  of  the  dead  as  soon  as  their  eyes  have 
been  closed.     J->^»  sundul  or  sandal-wood  ointment  is 


1* 


likewise  used  for  religious  purposes  m  so  many  instances 
that  it  would  till  a  book  to  relate  them  all.  I  shall  merely 
quote  one  as  being,  perhaps,  the  most  curious,  and  that 


Magic  Figure  for  Dawut  or  Exorcism. 

is  the  datrut  or  exorcism.  Magic  circles,  squares,  and 
figures  are  drawn  on  a  plank  with  sundu/,  and  the  indi- 
vidual supposed  to  be  possessed  with  a  demon  is  rnadt 


m 


THE    I- AH    I.AM. 

As  an  example  of  the  lavish  use  of  perfumes  they 
make  in  private  life,  I  may  give  a  description  of  the 
Singardcm,  or  toilet-hag,  forming  part  of  the  presents 

which  a  bridegroom  usually  sends  to  his  bride  elect. 
This  ndceasaire  contains,  among  other  things,  a  pandan, 

or  box  to  hold  betel,  an  aromatic  mixture  fur  chewing, 
a  vial  containing  otto  of  roses,  a  goolabpash  or  bottle 
to  sprinkle  rose-water  on  visitors,  a  box  for  containing 
spices,  another  for  holding  meesce  (a  powder  made  of 
gall-nuts  ami  vitriol  for  blackcn'tny1  the  teeth),  one  for 
soorma  to  blacken  the  eyelids,  one  for  kaj'ul  to  darken 
the  eyelashes,  a  comb,  a  looking-glass,  etc. 

This  foijid  is  used  in  the  same  way  as  the  Egyptian 
kohl,  oft  in  mentioned  before,  but  the  soorma  is  applied 
inside  the  eyelids,  ami  there  is  a  very  curious  tradition 

connected  with  the  origin  of  this  custom.  They  say 
that  when  God  commanded  Moses  to  ascend  Koh-c-Toor 
(Mount  Sinai),  to  show  him  His  countenance,  He  ex- 
hibited it  through  an  opening  of  the  size  of  a  needle's 
eye.  at  the  sight  of  which  Moses  fell  into  a  trance. 
Alter  a  couple  of  hours,  on  coming  to  himself,  he  dis- 
covered the  mountain  in  a  blaze,  when  he  deso  aded 
immediately.  The  mountain  then  addles-  d  the  Al- 
mighty thus: — ""What!  hast  thou  set  me.  who  am  the 
least  of  all  mountains,  on  fireP"  Then  the  Lord  com- 
manded Moses,  Baying,  "  Henceforth  ahalt  thou  and 
thy  posterity  grind  tin'  earth  of  this  mountain,  and 
apply  it  to  your  eye>."    Since  then  this  custom  ha-  pre- 

1  Women  blacken  their  teeth  when  tin  v  marry,  ami  keep  tl 
long  .1-  their  hoabandi  arc  alive. 


&\ 


xj  \  \  ^  » 

136  THE    BOOK    OF    PBBFUMES. 

vailed,  and  the  soorma  sold  in  the  bazaars  of  Hindostan 
is  supposed  to  be  earth  coming  from  Mount  Sinai.1 

Among  other  perfumes  used  by  Indian  Mussulmans 
may  be  mentioned  Abeer,  a  scented  powder,  which  is 
rubbed  on  the  face  and  body,  or  sprinkled  on  clothes 
and  which  is  made  of  sandal-wood,  aloes,  turmeric, 
roses,  camphor,  and  civet ;  another  powder  called  Ch'tksa, 
composed  of  mustard-seed,  flour,  fenugreek,  Cyprus,  san- 
dal-wood, patchouly,  kus-kus,  aniseed,  camphor,  benzoin, 
and  all  known  spices ;  Uggur-kec-buttcc,  a  pastille  made 
of  gum-benzoin  and  other  odoriferous  substances  ;  and 
Urgujja,  a  sweet  ointment  composed  of  sandal-wood, 
aloes,  otto  of  roses,  and  essence  of  jasmine.  They  also 
use  a  tooth-powder  called  JTuiijun,  which  is  a  mixture 
of  burnt  almond- shells,  tobacco  ashes,  black  pepper, 
and  salt. 

Indian  women  pay  great  attention  to  their  hair, 
which  is  generally  of  a  beautiful  colour  and  length,  but 
rather  coarse.  They  anoint  it  with  perfumed  oil,  and 
wear  in  it  a  profusion  of  jewels,  the  poorer  class  substi- 
tuting glass  beads  for  those  costly  ornaments.  Some- 
times also  they  decorate  their  heads  with  natural  flowers, 
the  silvery  jasmine  or  the  golden  champac  setting  off 
admirably  their  raven  tresses.  The  blossoms  of  a  sort 
of  acacia,  called  Sirisha,  they  place  above  their  ears  : — 

"  Fond  maids,  the  chosen  of  their  hearts  to  please, 
Entwine  their  ears  with  sweet  Sirisha  flowers, 
Whose  fragrant  lips  attract  the  kiss  of  bees, 
That  softly  murmur  through  the  summer  hours  " 

1  Qanoon-e-Islam  Gl<>->    v. 


> 


I 


THE    FAB    BAST. 


ft 


157 


The  liair  is  worn  by  sonic  confined  in  a  net,  but  more 

generally  in  long  tresses,  which  are  united  into  one  in 

case  of  mourning.    The  nautch- 

girls,  or  bayadbres,  wear  ringlets 

in    fronl    and   plaits  at    the  back 

of  the  head.    The  accompanying 

illustration,  from  a  native  draw- 
ing, will  convey  some  idea  of  the 
appearance  of  an  Indian  beauty, 
who  mi<*-lit  lay  claim  here  to  the 
same  appellation,  were  it  not  for 
mda  Head-dress.  the  nose-ring,  which  may  be 
thought  objectionable,  and  which  must  decidedly  be 
inconvenient. 

In  the  Himalayas  the  hair  is   made  up  into   long 


Pocket  Comb  used  by  the  Mech  Tribes. 

braided  tails,  women  wearing  two.  and  men  only  one. 


=■>?. 


1 


THK    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

The  Lcpclias  have,  in  addition,  a  detached  braid,  form- 
ing an  arch  of  about  ten  inches  in  height  over  the  head 
as  represented  in  page  7.  They  pay  great  attention  to 
their  hair,  and  generally  carry  with  them  a  pocket  comb, 
curiously  carved,  like  the  accompanying  specimen  found 
amongst  the  Mech  tribes. 

^Ve  shall  now  proceed  to  the  Celestial  Empire,  where 
perfumes  have  also  been  used  since  the  earliest  times. 
A  Chinese  proverb,  attributed  to 
Confucius    (or    Kong-Foo-Tse'i , 
-ays.    ••  Incense    perfumes    bad 
smells,    and    candles     illumine 
men's  hearts."     Acting  on  that 
m  ,      a^\  v    xr        principle,  they  use  both  lavishly 
'  ^  V '  in   public    and    private,    which 

woidd  lead  the  hypercritical  to 
conclude  that  their  hearts  re- 
quire a  great  deal  of  lighting 
up.  and  that  the  natural  odours 
of  their  temples  and  dwellings 
are  none  of  the  sweetest. 

Joss-sticks  (icdn  fieang)  and 
tinsel-paper  (yucn  paou)  are  the 
forms  under  which  this  incense 
is  usually  burned,  and  the  con- 
sumption is  so  enormous  that, 
according  to  Morrison,  there  are  no  less  than  ten 
thousand  makers  in  the  province  of  Canton  alone. 
Morning  and  evening  three  sticks  of  incense  are  to  be 
offered.     They  are  usually  placed  in  stationary  censers 


•- 


* 


:-rM:^:S^Ml 


a.  *>  ca 


1111.    I'M!    BAST. 


159 


-7 


tgN 


of  an  elegant  form,  such  as  the  annexed  Bpecunen 
taken  from  a  temple  at  Tong-Choo-Foo.  Sometimes 
they  are  laid  at  the  feet  of  idols,  as  ahown  in  the 
preceding  illustration  which  represents  a  statue  of 
Providence. 

In  tlie  Ti-vang-mia-o,  or  Hall  of  ceremonies,  ai  Pekin, 
incense  is  burned  in  twelve  large  urns,  in  memory  of 

the  deceased  emperors.  When  the  man- 
darins come  and  pay  their  respects  to 
their  present  monarch,  they  also  burn 
incense  before  him;  if  he  is  away  they 
offer  the  same  homage  to  Ids  empty 
chair.    A  similar  ceremony  takes  place 

every  Year  at  the  festival  held  in  honour 
of  ( lonfucius. 

Perfumes  also  play  their  pari  at  Chi- 
nese  funerals.     The  body   is  washed, 

perfumed,  and  dressed  in  the  best  ap- 
parel of  the  deceased,  whose  portrait    is    ,    :   ,-.,   censer  it 

placed  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  above 

^a,^  the  incense-burner,  which  forms  an  indis- 
pensable item  in  their  household  furniture. 
The   persons    forming  the    procession    who 

convey    the    corpse    to    its    last    abode    burn 

perfumed  matches  all  the  way.     The  nearest 
rnvn"-      relatives  walk  on  crutches,  as  if  entirely  dis- 
abled from  grief,  whilst  the  women,  carried 
in    palanquins    closed  with    white  .silk    curtains,    utter 
loud  lamentations.' 

1  Lord  Mai  j  to  ( Una. 


I 


THE    HOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

The  catalogue  of  Chinese  perfumery  is  rather  limited. 
Besides  the  incense  sticks,  they  only  use  a  few  scented 
oils  and  essences,  which  are  more  strong  than  agreeable — 
jfc  jfk  e  heang,  a  perfume  for  the  clothes,  and  :5k  43 
heamj  isaou,  a  pomade  for  the  hair.  Musk  is  one  of 
their  favourite  perfumes,  which  is  but  natural,  con- 
sidering that  they  supply  all  the  world  with  it,  the 
animal  which  produces  it  inhabiting  the  provinces 
of  Mohan g  Mang  and  Mohang  Vinan.  They  not 
only  like  its  flavour,  but  they  believe  that  it  cures 
every  disease  under  the  sun,  even  headache,  and  in  this 
opinion  they  are  backed  by  their  principal  medical 
authorities.  Pao-po-tse  recommends  it  as  a  sure  pre- 
ventative against  the  bite  of  serpents,  and  says  that  all 
persons  travelling  in  the  mountains  should  carry  a 
small  ball  of  musk  under  the  nail  of  the  big  toe,  as  the 
musk-deer  (which  they  call  shay)  being  in  the  habit  of 
eating  serpents,  those  reptiles  are  kept  away  by  the 
odour.  Sandal-wood,  patehouly,  and  assa/aiida  com- 
plete the  list  of  Chinese  perfumery  ingredients. 

They  have  some  beautifully  fragrant  flowers,  such  as 
the  Kwei-Hwa  (Olea  frayrann),  Lien-Hwa  (Nymphma 
nelumbo),  Cha-IIwa  (Camellia  sesani/na),  and  a  sort  of 
jasmine  called  Mo-lu-Hwa,  one  blossom  of  which  is 
sufficient  to  scent  a  room.  They  possess  also  several 
species  of  odoriferous  woods,  but  they  have  not  hitherto 
availed  themselves  of  these  natural  treasures.  They 
hold,  however,  in  high  esteem  the  fruit  of  a  cedar 
which  grows  in  the  mountains  of  Tchong-te-foo,  and 
hang  it  up  in  (heir  rooms  to  perfume  them. 


^tH 


A, 


THK   FAB  BAST. 

Soap  is  not  made  or  used  by  the  Chinese.  A  natural 
alkali,  called  "keen,"  which  is  found  in  abundance  near 
IVkin,  serves  as  a  substitute  for  washing  their  clothes. 
As  to  theil  persons,  I  am  forced  to  confess  that  they  do 
not  appear  to  feel  the  want  of  a  detersive,  their  taste  for 
ablutions  being  very  limited.  If,  however,  soaps  are 
not  in  request  with  Chinese  belles,  they  have  not  the 
same  objection  to  cosmetics,  which  they  apply  very 
liberally  to  their  skin.  Those  who  have  some  regard 
for  their  complexion,  bedaub  themselves  at  night  with  a 
mixture  of  tea-oil  and  rice-flour,  which,  like  the  Roman 
dames,  they  carefully  scrape  off  in  the  morning.  They 
then  apply  a  white  powder  called  ••  Mem-Fun,"  touch 
up  with  a  little  carmine  their  checks,  their  lips,  their 
nostrils,  and  the  tip  of  their  tongue,  and  sprinkle  rice- 
powdcr  over  their  face, 
which  finishes  the  elabo- 
rate picture,  and  softens 
its  tones.  Some  of  them 
also  use  the  pulp  of  a 
fruit  called  Lung-ju-en, 
with  which  they  make  a 
sort  of  cold-cream  for  the 
skin. 

There  are  three  styles 
principally  adopted  by 
a  Chinese  hulv  fir  dress- 
ing her  hair,  which  styles 

indicate   whether   she  is  u*d- 

a   maid,    wife,    or  widow.      From   her   infancy  to  hei 


D&v 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


162 


marriage,  a  young  girl  wears  the  back  part  of  her 
hair  braided  into  a  tail,  and  the  remainder  combed 
over  her  forehead,  a  d  cut  in  the  shape  of  a  crescent. 
On  her  wedding-day,  her  head  is  decorated  with  a 
crown  covered  with  tinsel  paper,  and  on  the  next 
dav  her  hair  is  dressed,  for  the  first  time,  in  the  well- 
known  teapot  style,  of  which  the 
annexed  engraving  is  an  illustra- 
tion. On  holidays  she  ornaments 
it  with  flowers,  either  natural 
or  artificial,  according  to  the 
season.  When  she  becomes  a 
widow,  she  shaves  part  of  her 
head,  and  binds  round  it  a  fillet, 
fastened  with  numerous  bodkins, 
which  are  sometimes  very  costly. 
The  men  shave  their  heads, 
keeping  only  on  the  summit  a 
long  tuft  of  hair,  of  which  they  are  very  proud,  although 
it  was  originally  a  mark  of  their  subjection  to  the  Tar- 
tars. When  their  hair  is  thin,  they  mix  silk  or  horse- 
hair with  it,  to  give  their  tails  a  respectable  appearance. 
Sometimes  they  wind  this  appendage  round  their  necks 
when  they  are  at  work ;  but  if  they  see  a  stranger 
approaching  they  quickly  restore  it  to  its  natural  posi- 
tion, as  it  would  be  thought  unmannerly  to  receive  any 
one  in  that  state. 

Barbers  are  called  in  China  Te  tow  telh  Jin,  or 
literally  "shavers  of  the  head,"  this  being  their  prin- 
cipal occupation  ;   but  like  the  barber-surgeons  of  old 


original  sketch  by 
.  E.  Greet/.] 


\v\ 


1     ,.J       , 


2S 


■V 


164 


of  sachet  called  Xioi-bukooroo  ;  and  Hamigaki,  a  tooth- 
powder  made  of  fine  shells  found  on  the  coast,  and 
mixed  with  scented  herbs.  European  perfumes  are 
slowly  working  their  way  into  the  country,  but  not 
much  consumption  is  to  be  expected  until  paper  pocket- 
handkerchiefs  are  abolished.  Aromatics  are  used  in 
funeral  rites,  somewhat  in  the  same  manner  as  they 
were  bv  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans.  The  body  is 
placed  on  a  pile  of  fragrant  woods,  the  youngest  child 
of  the  deceased  sets  fire  to  it  with  a  torch,  and  all 
persons  present  throw  on  it  oil,  aloes,  and  odoriferous 
gums. 

Cosmetics  are  as  much  used  by  ladies  in  Japan  as  they 


Japanese  Ladies  at  their  Toilet. 
(From  the  Mirror  of  Female  Education,  published  at  Jeddo.) 

are  in  Kathay ;  and,   if  we  may  judge  by  the  above 
sketch,  the  duties  of  the  toilet  are  an  important  matter 


\.' 


"One  glance  of  h> I  I  yc 
And  you  lose  your  city  ; 
Another,  and  yon  would 
Forfeit  a  kingdom." 


with  thorn.     I  have  in  my  possession  a  Japanese  book, 
from  which  I  have  selected  the 

accompanying  portrait  of  a 
belle  in  full  dress,  one  of  those 
charming  creatures  thus  apos- 
trophised by  a  native  poet  : 


JrwrvN  fee '  "yj*s,  S*£> 


Japanese  ladies  pay  great  at- 
tention to  their  hair,  which  they 
arrange  in  all  manner  of  fan- 
tastical styles,  inserting  into 
it  an  immense  quantity  of  pins, 
made  of  tortoiseshell  or  lac- 
quered wood,  and  sometimee 
also  natural  flowers.  When  a 
woman  marries,  she  blackens 
her  teeth    and   extirpates   her 

,  --      -  ..  eyebrows 


Japanese  Head  -dress. 


Japanese  Eelle. 

The  men  shave  the 
fore-part  and  the  crown  of  their 
heads,  and  work  up  the  back 
and  side  hair  into  a  tuft  over 
the  bald  skull.  The  annexed 
engraving  represents  the  ordi- 
nary kind  of  female  head-dress, 
and  the  illustration  forming 
the  frontispiece  of  this  chapter, 
which  is  a  perfect  fac-simile  of  a 


Japanese  fashion-plate,  from  the  Hair-Dretaera'  Journal 


"3— 


*-v 


&,*£*&£&& 


®b 


THE    BOOK   OP    PERFUMES. 


at  Nagasaki,  proves  that  both  men  and  women  indulge 
in  a  great  variety  of  styles  and  ornaments.  The  lower 
part  of  the  plate  is  composed  of  ladies'  coiffures,  and  the 
upper  part  is  reserved  to  the  sterner  sex,  which  is  in- 
dicated bv  the  blue  patch  on  the  head  showing  where  it 
is  shaved. 

Thus  they  take  great  pains  to  get  rid  of  what  we  are 
so  anxious  to  preserve;  and  glory  in  a  smooth  pale, 
which  we  Europeans  endeavour  to  conceal  with  a  pe- 
ruke. So  much  for  diversity  of  tastes  in  nations.  Some 
shave  their  heads,  and  others  their  chins,  and  each  calls 
the  other  uncleanly  for  not  following  the  same  fashion ! 


:Sf 


w 


Jr 


,4-  QfegjMj^  yg " 


«8 


107 


CHAPTER  IX. 

U  k  c  i  v  1 1. 1  /.  e  d    Nations. 

"(Din  IViIcm,  ^IC  Ueifbl  Sluib  OflMr 

luntiiiiti  iit  !•>*  haul*  tj«  KtiTjijc  j»jr, 

Sctiniicfl  tit  BtitM  mil  iraQnitrn  Bcfectn,  nnt 

3>rii  £u!«  imt  tit  9rmt  mil  2J!ufrttlu  bum." 

FltEILIGItATU. 

T     was     men- 
tioned   at    the 
commencement 
of    this    hook 
that     civilized 
people     would 
not  monopolise 
I  our  whole   at- 
|  tcnl ion ;  hut 
I  that     among 
savage     tribes 
I  we   could   also 
''  find    some  cu- 
rious   fashions 
- A''     '    '">  •, *•  to       chronicle. 

In  every  ape  and  in  every  country,  nun.  oven  m  ■ 
harbarou-  state,  haw  attempted  to  enhance  artificially 
their  personal  attractions ;  and  however  indifferent  their 


■ 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


9 


m 


\i 


success  may  have  been  in  our  eyes,  it  is  only  charitable 
to  suppose  that  it  attained  its  purpose  with  them.  A 
Botocudo  dandy,  parading  about  with  a  huge  wooden 
disc  inserted  in  his  lower  lip,  thinks  no  doubt  as  much 
of  himself  as  one  of  our  fops  issuing  in  full  trim  from 
the  hands  of  his  valet ;  and  who  is  to  decide,  after  all, 
which  is  the  true  standard  of  taste  ?  Let  those  who 
think  that  ire  must  always  be  in  the  right  look  back  to 
the  fashion  plates  of  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago,  and  it  is 
highly  probable  they  will  irreverently  apply  the  name 
of  old  guys  to  their  grandfathers  and  grandmothers ; 
but  may  we  not  naturally  expect  our  grandchildren  to 
entertain  the  same  flattering  opinion  of  ourselves  in  half 
a  century? 

Before  concluding  our  history,  therefore,  and  bring- 
ing it  down  from  the  Roman  Empire  to  the  present 
time,  we  shall  devote  this  chapter  to  a  glance  into 
various  nooks  and  corners  of  the  world  where,  although 
they  know  little  or  nothing  of  civilisation,  they  still 
attempt  to  ornament  and  decorate  in  various  ways  "  the 
human  face  divine."  Of  perfumes,  properly  speaking, 
there  is  a  very  limited  use  among  these  people,  whose 
untutored  olfactories  are  sometimes  apt  to  prefer  a  strong 
rancid  smell  to  the  finest  productions  of  our  labora- 
tories ;  but  if  we  are  allowed  to  class  among  cosmetics 
the  various  pigments  used  by  them  for  painting  their 
faces  and  bodies,  we  shall  find  them  extensively  patro- 
nised. And  why  should  not  the  elaborate  and  motley 
colours  applied  by  the  lied  Indian  to  his  physiognomy, 
to  render  him  by  turns  attractive  to  his  squaws  or  tcr- 


* 


UNCIVILIZED    NATIONS. 


ty 


rible  to  his  foes,  be  placed  in  the  same  category  with 
the  patent  enamel  of  Mime  of  our  London  aspiring-  belles, 
who  confidently  believe  it  will  make  them  beautiful  for 
ecer  ?  ■  As  to  the  modes  of  dressing  the  hair,  numerous 
and  eccentric  as  may  be  our  styles  of  European  coiffures, 
they  are  left  altogether  in  the  shade,  when  compared 
with  the  extraordinary  contrivances  resorted  to  by  the 
children  of  nature  in  decking  out  the  hair  or  icool  which 
may  have  fallen  to  their  lot. 

Commencing  <mr  tour  in  Africa,  we  shall  find  the 
custom  of  anointing  as  prevalent  with  all  the  natives  as 
it  was  with  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  ap- 
plied, as  was  the  ease  then,  to  the  body  as  well  as 
to  the  hair.  The  chief  motive  lor  this  practice  is  no 
doubt  a  sanitary  one;  by  means  of  this  greasy  coating 
they  protect  their  skin  against  the  scorching  rays  oi 
the  sun,  on  the  same  principle  that  a  cook  bastes 
her  meat  well  to  prevent  it  from  burning ;  but  it  is 
also  looked  upon  by  them  as  a  great  embellishment. 
They  take  as  much  pride  in  exhibiting  a  sleek,  oily 
cuticle  as  a  Parisian  in  wearing  well-polished  boots, 
and  no  greater  compliment  can  be  paid  to  a  woman 
than  to  say  she  looks  "fat  and  shining."  They  accom- 
plish this  desirable  result  by  means  of  various  lubricat- 
ing substances,  such  as  cocoa-nut  oil,  palm-oil,  and  a 
kind  of  butter  called  ee,  produced  by  pounding  in  a 
mortar  and  boiling  in  water  the  fruit  of  a  tree  which 
grOWS  on  tin'  wist  coast  of  Africa.  These  ointments 
arc  generally  flavoured  with  aromatic  herbs  or  scented 
woods;  but  from  the  accounts  of  travellers,  their  aroma 


X 


s* 


ta 


>J  \-  \  ^  1 

THE    BOOK    OF    l'EKIl  Ml> 


is  often  "more  peculiar  than  pleasing."  That  it  is 
strong  enough  is  not  to  be  doubted,  for  Mr.  Hutchinson, 
in  his  "  Ten  Years  in  ^Ethiopia,"  speaking  of  a  parti- 
cular sort  called  Tola  pomatum,  which  is  used  in  the 


province  of  Fernando  Po,  says,  "The  first  thing  of 
which  one  is  sensible  when  approaching  a  village  is  the 
odour  of  Tola  pomatum,  wafted  by  whatever  little  breeze 
may  be  able  to  find  its  way  through  the  dense  bushes." 
The    same    traveller    gives    the    following    amusing 


i  M  l\  [LIZES    NATIONS. 


]7l 


accounf  of  the  "toilet"  of  a  Femandian  bridegroom: — 

"Outside:,  .small  hut,  belonging  to  the  mother  of  the 
bride  expectant,  I  soon  recognized  the  happy  bride- 
groom undergoing  his  toilei   from  the  hands  of  his 

I'm ure  wife's  sister.  A  profusion  of  Tshibbu  strings 
being  fastened  round  his  body,  as  well  as  bis  legs  and 
arms,  the  anointing  lady,  having  a  short  blaek  pipe  in 
her  mouth,  proceeded  to  putty  him  over  with  Tola 
paste,  lie  seemed  no<  altogether  joyous  at  the  antici- 
pation of  his  approaching  happiness,  but  turned  a  sulky 
gaze  now  and  then  to  a  kidney-shaped  pieee  of  yam 
which  he  held  in  his  hand,  and  which  had  a  parrot's 
red  feather  fixed  on  its  Convex  side.  This,  I  was 
informed,  was  called  Ntshoba,  and  is  regarded  as  a 
protection   against  evil    influence    on    the    important 

day." 

It  must  not  be  supposed  thai  this  beautifying  pro- 
cess is  confined  to  the  male  sex;  for,  speaking  a  little 
further  on  of  the  bride,  }I  r.  Hutchinson  says — "  Borne 
down   by  the  weight    of  rings  and  wreaths,  and  girdles 

of  Tshibbu,  the  Tola  pomatum  gave  her  the  appearance 

of  an  exhumed  mummy,  save  her  face,  which  was  all 
white,  not  from  excess  ofmodesty  land  here  I  may  add 
the  negro  race  are  reported  always  to  blush  blue),  but 
from  being  smeared  over  with  a  white  paste,  the  symbol 
of  purity.  As  Boon  as  she  was  outside  the  paling,  her 
bridal    attire   was    proceeded   with,   and   the  whole  body 

plaateredover  with  white  stuff."  What  a  pretty  substitute 
for  the  classical  wreath  of  orange-blossoms,  and  what  a 
charming   contrast  must   be  offered  when    the   paint 


r.  3 


V 


S^^^J, 


1  Li 


mgi 


V^f¥ 


172 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


gradually  peels  off,   and  reveals  the  sable  ground   on  &fi 
which  it  is  laid  ! 

Dr.  Livingstone,  Du  Chaillu,  and  other  African  ex-  X 

plorers  give  us   amusing   accounts   of  the    fantastical  -$,\j[ 


H^ 


^ 


-tf 


'<S> 


<^x 


tushutulompo  Read -dresses. 

modes  of  native  hair — or,  rather,  wool — dressing.     The 
Bushukulompos  work  theirs  up  into  a  cone  somewhat 
like  a  helmet,1  whilst  the  Londa  ladies2  bring  theirs  over 
in  front  and  at  the  back  of 
the  head,  in  the  shape  of  a 
cocked  hat,  with  a  carved  pin 
jauntily  stuck  in,  in  lieu  of  a 
feather.       The   Ashira   belles 
patronise   a    more    elaborate 
style,  consisting   in  multitu- 
dinous points  radiating  from 
tonda  ilea  i  dress  the   face,   and  confined  with 

an  outward  circle,  which  would  give  them  some  faint 


Dr.  Livingstone's  Africa. 


Du  Chaillu's  Travels. 


kj 


u 


^ 


\ 


^ 


I'NCIVII.I/ED    NATIONS 


o> 


Ashira  Head-dress. 


resemblance   to  a   saint    such   as  depicted   in   Catholic 
countries,    if  the   picture  con- 
tained inside  the  nimbus  wore 

a    more    angelic    expression. 

The  Makololo  women  cut  their 

hair   quite   short,  and  in  the 

(ireat    Desert    of  Sahara    the 

forehead   is  shaved  high  up, 

leaving  only  one  curl,  which 

is   braided   and   hangs  down 

over  the  lace.1     The  Hottentots,  according  to  Sir  John 

Barrow,  have  very  curious  hair ;  it  does  not  cover  the 

whole  surface  of  the  seal]),  but  grows  in  small  tufts 

separated  from  each  other,  and,  when  kept  short,  looks 

and  feels  like  a  hard  shoc-bru.<h. 

The  most  varied  and  extraordinary  coiffures,  however, 
are  to  be  found  among  the  tribes  of  the  Ounyamonczi, 
or  Mountains  of  the  Moon,  as  will  be  shown  by  the 
group,  on  the  next  page,  taken  from  Capt.  Burton's 
interesting  Voyage  to  the  Lake  Regions  of  Central 
Africa.  To  complete  their  attractions  they  have 
two  deep  scars  made  on  each  side  of  the  face  with  a 
razor  or  a  knife.  This  ornament  is  also  patronized  by 
the  fair  sex  ;  but  with  their  usual  penchant  to  coquetry, 
they  have  the  scars  dyed  of  a  bine  colour. 

In  the  island  of  Madagascar,  the  long  black  hair  of 

the  men  used  to  be  plaited  in  small  tails,  three  or  four 

inches  in  length,  with  a  knot   at   the  end;  bnl   King 

Itadama,  rinding  this  fashion  inconvenient  for  bis  troops, 

1  Hichardson's  Trarels  in  th<  Great  Desert  ••!  Sahara. 


c 


■IT 


<n 


M* 


iff 


published  an  edict  ordering  ail  his  soldiers  to  have  these 
plaits  cut  off.  This  law,  however,  met  with  great  oppo- 
sition, not  only  from  the  men — who  cherished  their 
capillar}'  ornaments  as  much  as  the  hussars  of  the  last 
century  did  their  tresses  and  queues — but  also  on  the  part 
of  their  wives,  who  prided  themselves  on  their  attention 


nead-dress  of  the  Gunyainor.ezi  Tribes. 


in  keeping  their  husbands'  hair  well  plaited  and  greased 
with  cocoa-nut  oil.  Finding  ordinary  legal  means  in- 
Bufficient,  King  Radama  resorted  to  the  force  of  example, 
and  appeared  one  day  at  a  review  with  his  hair  cropped 
quite  close.  Those  who  were  most  anxious  to  please 
their  sovereign,  did  not  now  hesitate  to  sacrifice  their 
locks;   but   some  of  the  more  obstinate  held  out,  en- 


fe5 


UNCIVILIZED   -V  \  1  ions. 

couraged  in  their  resistance  by  the  women,  who  raised 
quite  an  cmcute  about  it.  Seeing  this,  the  king 
quietly   instructed   his   guards   to   take    the  disohedient 

to  a  neighbouring  wood,  and  cut  off  their  hair  in 
such  a  icay  that  it  should  not  grow  again.  The  intelli- 
gent servants,  with  a  zeal  worthy  of  such  a  master, 
punctually  obeyed  these  orders,  for  they  cut  oft' — their 
heads ." 

The  mode  of  plaiting  the  hair  seems  the  most  pre- 
valent in  Africa  ;  for,  according  to  Consul  l'etherick, 
we  find  it  adopted,  with  a  few  exceptions,  hy  hoth  sexes 
over  all  tin-  eastern  part  of  that  continent,  from  Mount 
Sinai  to  the  White  Nile.  Respecting  the  Hassanyeh 
Arabs,  who  inhabit  the  latter  locality,  he  says — "The 
heads  of  men  and  women  are  dressed  with  equal  care, 
the  hair  of  hoth  being  plaited,  although  not  in  a  similar 
manner,  that  of  the  man  being  drawn  off' the  forehead 
towards  the  hack  of  the  head,  around  which  it  hangs  in 
numerous  plaits.  The  woman  collects  the  plaits  together 
in  hunches  at  each  side  of  her  face,  and  at  the  back  of 
her  head,  ornamenting  them  with  coral,  amber  beads, 
and  little  brass  trinkets.  Brass  thimbles,  perforated 
through  the  top,  and  strung  on  a  stout  thread,  sustained 
by  knots  at  regular  distances  above  each  other,  and 
suspended  to  the  crown  of  the  head,  hanging  down  at. 
the  back  of  it.  form  a  very  favourite  ornament,  as  also 
do.s  an  old  button  or  any  little  brass  trinket  over  the 
forehead.2 


O  9 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


W 


¥ 


i 


In  Xubia,  the  hair,  which  is  inclined  to  be  woolly,  is 
plaited  into  a  variety  of  forms,  but  generally  close  to 
the  head,  fitting  like  a  skull-cap,  and  hanging  down  in 
thick  masses  of  innumerable  small  plaits  all  round  the 
back  and  sides  of  the  head.  Another  style  is  to  plait 
only  the  part  next  to  the  head,  and  have  the  ends 
combed  out  and  stiffened  with  a  gummy  solution,  form- 
ing a  thick  bushy  circle  round  the  head.  This  is  a 
verv  elaborate  sort  of  coiffure,  which  is  only  done  once 
or  twice  a  month,  as  it  takes  a  long  time  to  budd  up ; 
and  those  who  patronise  it  are  obliged  to  sleep  with 
their  head  reclining  on  a  small  wooden  stool,  hollowed 
out  to  fit  the  neck,  so  as  not  to 
disarrange  the  precious  edifice, 
which  shows  that  victims  to  fa- 
shion are  to  be  found  even  in 
those  remote  parts.1 

Abyssinian  ladies  wear  in  their 
hair  ivory  or  wooden  pins  and 
Abyssinian  Lady.  combs,  neatly  carved  in  various 

patterns,  and  stained  with  henna.    They  also  indulge  in 
a  profusion  of  chaplets  on  their  heads  and      -^=? 
round  their  necks,  and  the  most  elegant 
carry  on  their  bosom  a  large  flat    silver 
case  containing  scented  cotton,  which  they 
consider  as  a  sort  of  amulet. 

The  Bedouin  Arabs  of  Mount  Sinai  have 
their  hair  plaited,  and  so  arranged  as  to 
form  a  protuberance  resembling  a  horn  placed  low  down 

1  Kgypt,  the  Soudan,  and  Central  Africa,  by  John  Petherick. 


(M 


<? 


; 


177 


on  the  forehead  and  projecting  two  or  three  inches. 
The   girls   wear  on    their   heads    a   wreath    of    various 
coloured    beads,    Id    whieh    are 
suspended  neatly-carved  03  Bter 
shells,    the    latter    being   con- 
sidered as  a  significant  hint  to 
the  young   men   of  the    tribe 
that  they  have  no  objection  to 
alter    their    condition.       This 
may  not  be  quite  so   poetical 
as  the  language  of  flowers,  but 
still  it  is  a  great  pity  a  similar 
custom  is  not  adopted  in  Eng- 
land, as  the  sight  of  the  oyster-  Atyninian  combs. 
shell  would  naturally  encourage  timid  young  men   to 
"  pop  the  quest  ion." 

In  Upper  Egypt,  Arab  perfumery  and  cosmetics  are 
extensively  patronised  by  those  who  can  afford  them. 
Musk,  for  scenting  the  clothes,  and  kohl,  to  darken  the 
eyelashes,  are  two  indispensable  items  in  the  list  of 
presents  sent  to  a  bride  by  her  intended  ;  and  the  latter, 
with  a  praiseworthy  regard  tor  the  future  wants  of  the 
community,  during  a  few  days  alter  the  marriage  Bquats 
on  a  mat  at  the  door  of  the  mosque,  exhibiting  his  pre- 
sents on  a  tray,  and  collecting  alms  from  the  faithful. 

Going  farther  into  the  interior,  the  principal  article 
of  perfumery  (if  if  may  be  so  called)  we  find  in  use,  is  a 
sort  of  pomatum  or  butter,  more  or  less  scented,  which 
the  natives  generally  keep  in  ostriches'  eggs,  and  use 
profusely,  the  most  stylish  thing  being  to  put  a  pat  on 


1 


K 


178 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEKFl  MEN. 


the  head,  and  let  it  melt  and  run  down  the  whole  body. 
Others  apply  this  ointment  to  their  heads  or  persons 
with  an  ostrich's  feather,  which  thev  carry  about 
in  a  case  made  of  a  buffalo-horn.  The  specimen 
of  this  singular  toilet  implement  represented  here,  I 
found  in  Mr.  S.  H.  Berthoud's  unique  collection,  and 
is,  I  believe,  the  first  that  has  been  seen  in  Europe. 


':.., 


African  Anor_ 

There  is  a  very  curious  sort  of  bath  used  in  Nubia 
which  deserves  particular  description.  Consul  Pethe- 
riek  relates  that,  having  ordered  a  lath  at  Berbera,  one 
of  the  Xubian  towns  he  visited,  he  was  much  surprised  at 
seeing  a  negro  maid  enter  bearing  a  bowl  and  a  teacup 
as  the  sole  apparatus  required.  The  bowl  contained 
dough,  and  the  cup  a  small  quantity  of  sweet  oil  scent ed 
with  aromatic  roots  ;  the  former  of  these  well  rubbed 
on  the  bare  skin  cleaned  it  thoroughly,  after  which  the 
perfumed  oil  was  applied,  to  give  elasticity  to  the  limbs. 
The  whole  operation,  which  is  called  dilka,  is  in  great 
favour  with  the  natives ;  and  Mr.  Petherick.  who  de- 
clares he  was  much  refreshed  by  it,  attributes  to  its  use 
the  entire  absence  of  cutaneous  diseases  among  these 
people,  and  says  it  enables  them  to  resist  the  cold  and 


hs^i 


¥ 


uncivilized  n  \  noys 


17!J 


•■■• 


Milting  winds  of  winter  with  no  other  protection  than 
very  lliiii  clothing. 

An  aromatic  fumigation  replaces,  in  the  Soudan,  even 
tliis  very  imperfect  mod,.  of  bathing.  In  a  hole,  dug 
in  the  ground  by  the  aide  of  the  bed,  is  placed  an  earthen 
pot,  in  which  is  burned  the  odoriferous  wood  of  the 
tulloeh.  lb*  natives  sit  over  this,  covering  themselves 
closely  with  a  thick  woollen  wrapper,  and  remain  ex- 
posed for  about  ten  minutes  to  the  cloud  of  fragrant 
smoke,  which  causes  intense  perspiration,  and  is  sup- 
posed  to  exercise  a  tonic  and  beneficial  influence  on  the 
skm.  Ladies  who  use  this  frequently  become  incrnsted 
in  time  with  an  odoriferous  enamel  which  is  highly 
prised  and  considered  vm/  fast. 

Even  in  the  remotest  wilds  of  Central  Africa  we  find 
people  endeavouring  to  assist  nature  with  art  as  far  as 
is  compatible  with  their  primitive  minds. 

The  Nam  Nam,  a  tribe  in  the  far  interior  on  the 
equator,  take  great  pains  with  their  hair,  which  they 
wear  plaited  in  thick  masses  covering  the  neck,  and 
which  they  ornament  with  long  ivory  pins  from  six 
inches  to  n  foot  in  length.  These  pins  are  carved  in 
pretty  patterns,  and  partly  dyed  with  the  decoction  of 
a  root;  they  are  inserted  at  the  hark  of  the  head, 
long  ones  alternating  with  short  ones,  and  forming  a 

semicircle,  Somewhat  similar  to  that  worn  by  the  pea- 
sant gjris  on  the  borders  of  the  Lake  of  Como,  the  only 
difference  being  that  the  Italian  decoration  is  composed 

of  steel  and  gold  pins.  This  is  certainly  a  very  curious 
coincidence. 


■k 


f 


2?    i 


■- 


^~^?^ 


1-0 


f^&^pgSf^l 


THE    LOOK    OF    l'EKFVilES. 


The  Dinkas  dye  their  hair  red,  whilst  the  Djibbas, 
who  are  a  warlike  people,  pride  themselves  in  inter- 
weaving the  hair  of  their  fallen  enemies  with  their 
own,  forming  a  thick  tail,  the  length  of  which  indicates 
the  valour  of  the  wearer. 

The  greatest  dandies,  however,  are  the  Griquas,  who 
smear  themselves  with  grease  and  red  ochre,  whilst  the 
head  is  anointed  with  a  blue  pomatum  made  of  mica. 
The  particles  of  shining  mica  falling  on  the  body  are 
thought  highly  ornamental,  and  the  mixture  of  colours 
very  attractive.1 

Taking  a  bold  stride  thence  to  the  Philippine  Islands, 
we  find  the  natives,  who  are  called  Tagals,  pay  the 
greatest  attention  to  their  hair,  which  is  long,  black, 
and  glossy.  The  women  wash  it  at  least  once  a  day 
with  a  saponaceous  grass  called  go-go,  and  anoint  it 
with  cocoa-nut  oil  scented  with  the  flowers  of  the 
alangilan  or  san-paqulta. 

Both  men  and  women  in  the  Loo-Choo  Islands  wear 
their  hair  drawn  up  towards  the  crown,  and  worked  up 
into  a  sort  of  loop,  which  is  ornamented  with  two  pins. 
The  wealthy  have  these  pins  studded  with  precious 
stones,  and  use  the  juice  of  an  aromatic  plant  to  en- 
hance the  natural  brilliancy  of  their  hair. 

Javanese  women  greatly  pride  themselves  on  the 
yellow  complexions  which  nature  has  allotted  to  them. 
It  is  the  constant  theme  of  their  poets,  who  praise  its 
golden  hue  with  as  much  fervour  as  ours  do  the  roses 
and  lilies  which  distinguish  our  belles.  Admiral  Du- 
1  Dr.  Livingstone's  Africa. 


' 


ii 


li; 


mont  d'Urvillc  says  they  have  recourse  to  yellow  cos- 
lm  ins  to  keep  ap  the  brilliancy  of  the  favourite  tint, 

in  the  same  way  as  rouge  and  white  arc  used  here.1  In 
addition  to  this  they  blacken  their  teeth,  and  greatly 
ridicule  Europeans  for  the  whiteness  of  theirs  which, 
according  to  their  opinion,  makes  them  look  like  monkeys. 

In  Australia  the  aborigines  are  worse  than  Esqui- 
maux: to  these  tribes  a  bad  smell  is  really  a  perfume, 
so  we  will  leave  them  alone.  Yet  the  country  produces 
plenty  of  sweet-scented  flowers  and  plants,  and  whole 
forests  of  trees  with  fragrant  leaves;3  and  who  knows 
but  one  day  that  fertile  market  for  our  manufactures 
may  in  its  turn  furnish  the  world  with  essences  and 
cosmetics  P  When,  in  a  few  centuries,  Lord  Macaulay's 
New  Zealandar  takes  his  stand  on  the  nuns  of  London 
Bridge,  his  handkerchief  made  of  the  fibres  of  the  for- 
minm  tcnax  will  probably  be  redolent  with  the  last  new 
scent  by  "Warranonga  of  the  Murrumhidgee  ! 

Tattooing  ranks  among  the  chief  personal  adornments 
with  the  Australian  and  Polynesian  races.  It  might 
almost  be  called  an  indelible  form  of  cosmetic,  for  it 
probably  originated  in  facial  painting;  some  savage  of 
enduring  cuticle  having  conceived  the  idea  of  rendering 
the  colour  permanent  by  driving  it  into  the  skin.  New 
Zealand  bears,  or  used  to  bear,  the  palm  in  this  art. 
There  the  chiefs  especially  prided  themselves  on  tin  ele- 
gant arabesques  which  decorated  their  physiognomies, 
and  hair  and  beard  were  willingly  sacrificed  to  afford  a 


jSL 


ToTnpc9  nutnur  du  mnmlc,  par  Pumont  DTrville,  vol.  ii.  p.  324. 
Principally  the  Eucalyptus  anil  Helalau 


m 


m 


better  ground  for  the  design.  This  operation,  called 
moho,  was  generally  performed  with  a  black  powder 
composed  of  the  burnt  resin  of  the  kauri,  which  was 
inserted  into  the  skin  by  means  of  a  small  chisel  made 
of  the  bone  of  an  albatross.  The  process  is  described  at 
full  length  by  Mr.  Taylor  in  his  interesting  work  on 
New  Zealand.  He  says  that  to  allay  the  pain  caused 
by  it  the  artist  used  to  sing  to  his  patients  songs,  of 
which  he  gives  the  following  curious  specimen  : — 

'•  He  who  pays  well  let  him  be 
Beautifully  ornamented ; 
But  he  who  forgets  the  operator 

Let  hira  be  done  carelessly  : 
Be  the  lines  wide  apart. 
0  hiki  Tangaroa ! 
Strike  that  the  chisel  as  it  cuts 

Along  may  sound : 
Men  do  not  know  the  skill  of  the  operator 
In  driving  his  chisel  along. 
0  hiki  Tangaroa!" 

The  delicate  allusion  contained  in  these  lines  shows  that 
artists  in  their  poetical  effusions  always  had  "an  eye  to 
business,"  and  thought  it  necessary  to  remind  their 
patrons  that  beauty,  like  everything  else,  must  be  paid 
for.  The  gentler  sex  had  likewise  recourse  to  this  mode 
of  embellishment,  but  the  tattooing  was  only  executed 
on  the  lips  and  chin,  with  an  arch  little  curl  at  the 
corner  of  the  eye  by  way  of  an  accrochc  ca'itr. 

Embalming  seems  also  to  have  been  practised  by  Xew 
Zealanders,  but  was  confined  to  the  heads  of  cherished 
relations,  which,  after  taking  out  the  brain,  were  stuffed 
with  flowers,  baked  in  ovens,  and  finally  dried  in  the 
sun.     These  heads  were  kept  in  baskets  carefully  made 


* 


-. 


-J^s 


m 


l  M  l\  [LIZES    NATIONS. 


18:} 


and  scented  with  oil.  They  wen  brought  out  on  grand 
occasions,  ornamented  with  leathers,  and  cried  over  by 
all  the  family. 

The  most  extraordinary  and  fantastical  coiffures  are 
perhaps  to  be  found  among  the  Feejee  Islanders.  Not 
satisfied  with  twisting  their  locks  into  every  conceivable 
shape,  th  y  vary  their  sable  appearance  by  dyeing  them 
in  sundry  colours,  such  as  blue,  white,  red,  and  yellow. 
Among  young  people  bright  crimson  and  flaxen  are  the 
favourite  hues;  but  the  most  fashionable  style  is  to 
combine  several  shades  in  the  same  head-dress.  Thus 
Some  wear  a  spherical  mass  of  jet-black  hair  with  a 
white  band  in  front  as  broad  as  the  hand;  or  a  white 
oblong  occupies  the  length  of  the  head,  the  black  hair 
passing  down  on  either  side;  whilst  others  have  a  large 
red  roll  or  a  sand}-  projection  falling  on  the  neck ;  and 
others,  again,  work  fancy  devices  on  their  hair,  dividing 
it  into  squares  or  cones  of  different  hues.  I  humbly 
submit  this  notion  to  ladies  fond  of  novelties,  and  am 
certain  that  such  a  chequered  head-dress  would  create 
quite  a  sensation  in  one  of  our  drawing-rooms.  Hair- 
dyeswe  are  well  acquainted  with;  and  that  some  of 
them  are  apt  to  produce  varied  shades,  from  a  lively 
pea-green  to  a  soft  violet,  is  no  secref  to  those  who  use 
them:  but,  with  our  anti-Feejean  prejudices,  we  have 
considered  this  circumstance  hitherto  rather  as  a  mis- 
fortune than  a  matter  of  ornament. 

The  natives  of  Duke  of  fork's  [sland  are  also  partial 
to  hair  of  divers  hues;  but  they  attain  their  purpose 
without   dyeing   it,   by  simply  inaitrHig    it   with   grease 


\!i>- 


F* 


-. 


&     -M 
.-*" 


s  n '  • 


);■ 


UNCIYILIZBD  nations. 


185 


black  locks  as  elderly  Europeans  in  blackening  their 
white  ones. 

At  Nooka-hiva,  the  principal  of  the  Marquesas  Islands, 
both  sexes  anoint  themselves  freely  with  sweetly-scented 
cocoa-nut  oil,  and  the  most  refined  use  as  a  substitute 
the  juice  of  the  papa,  which  is  supposed  to  whiten  the 
skin  and  preserve  its  smoothness.  The  women  bestow 
particular  care  on  their  hair,  which  they  ornament  with 


long  carved  pins :  they  also  wear  ear-rings,  generally 
formed  of  fish  bones.  The  accompanying  specimens  are 
from  Mr.  Berthoud's  collection,  as  well  as  the  comb 
from  the  Solomon  Islands,  which  is  made  of  the  teeth 
of  the  sea-elephant  (Tric/iec/ius). 

Last,  not  least,  we  must  mention  Tahiti,  the  Queen  of 
the  Pacific,  where  the  natives,  and  especially  the  women, 
have  always  paid  great  attention  to  their  personal  ap- 
pearance. Since  their  contact  with  Europeans  they 
have  adopted  many  of  their  customs,  and  they  are  not 


Ms* 


%r'f- 


f 


1 


V 


aa 


the  book  of  pekfijiks. 


now  the  same  as  described  by  Captain  Cook  and  as 
represented  in  the  frontispiece  to  this  chapter ;  but 
still  they  have  preserved  some  of  their  original  habits, 
which  are  worth  noticing. 

The  Tahitian  women  are  generally  tall  and  well 
made ;  they  have  fine  eyes  and  teeth,  and  beautiful 
long  hair,  to  which  they  devote  great  care.  They 
wash  it  daily,  anoint  it  with  a  pomatum  called  morw'i, 
made  of  cocoa-nut  oil,  scented  with  sandal-wood  or 
toromeo  root,  and  plait  it  in  long  braids,  which  hang 
down  their  back.  Sometimes  they  work  it  up  into  a  sort 
of  diadem,  ornamented  with  odoriferous  flowers  called 
mairi,  or  with  the  deliciously-scented  blossoms  of  the 
Tiare,  a  sort  of  jasmine.  The  rera-rew,  formed  of  cocoa- 
nut  tree  fibre,  is  another  favourite  head-dress  with 
them,  and  very  elegant  crowns  are  also  made  with  the 
arrow-root  straw  or  pia.  Specimens  of  some  of  these 
coiffures  are  exhibited  at  the  Colonial  Museum  in  Paris, 
and  are  extremely  graceful. 

Crossing  over  now  to  America,  and  commencing  with 
the  southern  extremity,  we  find  a  curious  custom  re- 
corded by  Captain  Cook  as  existing  then  in  Terra  del 
Fuego,  and  in  all  probability  the  same  is  still  in  vogue. 
The  natives  of  that  country  paint  themselves  all  over 
with  red  and  white,  the  red  forming  patches  on  the 
chest  and  shoulders,  and  the  white  long  streaks  on  the 
arms  and  legs.  With  a  little  white  round  the  eyes, 
and  a  long  bone  passed  through  the  cartilage  of  the 
nose,  their  toilet  is  considered  complete. 

The   South  American    Indians  generally  have  long 


il 


u* 


v  Hfi£ 


VM'1\  Il.I/.Kl)    N  \  I  IONS. 


L87 


black  hair,  which  they  wear  loose  on  their  shoulders. 
The  women  plait  theirs  behind  with  a  ribbon,  and  cut 
it  in  front  a  little  above  the  eyebrows  from  one  ear  to 
the  other.  The  greatest  disgrace  that  can  be  inflicted 
upon  Indians  of  either  sex  is  to  cut  off  their  hair;  they 
will  put  up  with  any  corporal  punishment  in  preference, 
and  such  a  measure  is  consequently  limited  to  the  most 
enormous  crimes.  They  are  nearly  all  very  fond  of 
perfumes,  but,  although  their  soil  abounds  in  aromatic 
materials,  tluy  generally  resort  to  our  European  pro- 
ductions. There  is,  however,  a  native  perfume  men- 
tioned by  Mr.  "Wallace  as  being  very  exquisite  and  in 
meat  repute  on  the  Rio  Negro.  It  is  called  umari,  and 
is  extracted  from  the  hummurn  floribundum  by  means 
of  a  very  singular  process;  this  consists  in  lifting  the 
bark  and  inserting  under  it  pieces  of  cotton  wool  to 
imbibe  gradually  the  scent  which  is  expressed  from 
them  at  the  end  of  a  month.1 

We  shall  now  conclude  our  long  ramble  with  the 
North  American  Indians,  and  briefly  describe  their 
mode  of  face-  paint  in  g,  an  art  in  which  they  certainly 
are  unrivalled.  From  all  accounts  of  travellers  who 
have  visited  the  Redskins,  no  dowager  of  the  aiicicn 
ri-'jimc,  rougeing  and  patching  for  the  opera  or  ball,  ever 
spent  so  much  time  at  her  toilet  as  a  Sioux  or  a  Pawnee 
getting  his  face  up  for  an  excursion  either  of  a  warlike 
or  a  peaceful  nature. 

Mr.  Murray,  speaking  of  the  son  of  B  chief  call  d  Sa- 
in-tea-rish,  says  that  he  never  saw  any  dandy  to  equal 
1  Travels  on  the  Anns  '     ro,bj  A  B  Wallace. 


A:     { 


ur 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

him  for  vanity.  He  usually  commenced  his  toilet  at 
eio-ht  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  it  was  not  concluded 
until  a  late  hour  ;  after  having  greased  his  whole  person 
with  fat  to  serve  as  a  ground  for  the  paint,  and  drawn 
a  few  streaks  on  his  head  and  body,  he  kept  looking  at 
himself  in  a  bit  of  mirror  he  carried  with  him,  and 
~Mj         altering  the  lines  until  they  happened  to  please  him. 

Some  pretend  that  there  is  a  certain  symbolism  in 
the  various  colours  they  use ;  thus,  for  instance,  red 
typifies  joy,  and  black  mourning.  In  this  latter  par- 
ticular they  exhibit  some  resemblance  to  ourselves,  the 
difference  being  that,  instead  of  assuming  a  sable  garb 
when  they  lose  a  relative,  they  rub  their  face  over  with 
charcoal.  The  subdued  tints  of  half-mourning  they  re- 
present with  a  trellis-work  of  black-lines  over  the  face, 
or  sometimes  they  paint  one-half  of  their  face  black,  as 
we  do  the  ground  of  our  family  escutcheons.  Fortu- 
nately they  are  not  addicted  to  frequent  ablutions,  or 
their  mourning  would  be  of  short  duration. 


% 


1 


n    our  own 
[.'    Europe, 
'i  and  trace 
-    I ii mi  the 
earliest 
times  the 
_  of  the  art 
vH&^&ir*  •-        -.vliicli    forms    our 
subject,  principally  in  England,  France,  and  Italy,  with 


/, 


.•-  / 


THE    HOOK    OK    PEKFl  MES. 


respect  to  which  countries  our  information  is  most 
complete. 

The  toilet  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Britain  some- 
what resembled  that  of  the  North  American  Indians, 
and  consisted  in  a  series  of  elaborate  paintings  on  the 
whole  surface  of  the  body,  which  was  no  doubt  ori- 
ginally intended  to  protect  the  skin  against  the  in- 
clemencies of  the  weather,  but  which  was  afterwards 
used  as  a  mode  of  embellishment  and  a  means  of  dis- 
tinguishing the  different  conditions  ;  for  it  was  reserved 
to  freemen,  and  strictly  forbidden  to  slaves.1  The  com- 
mon people  only  indulged  in  small  designs,  drawn  at  a 
distance  from  each  other,  whilst  the  nobility  had  the 
privilege  of  ornamenting  their  persons  with  large  figures, 
chiefly  of  animals,  which  were  subsequently  transferred 
to  their  shields  when  they  adopted  a  less  scanty  cos- 
tume. This  may  be  looked  upon  as  the  origin  of 
family  arms,  which  the  Japanese,  who  probably  com- 
menced in  the  same  way,  now  wear  embroidered  on 
their  dress. 

The  Picts  who  inhabited  the  North  of  Britain,  were 
the  most  remarkable  for  their  pictorial  decorations, 
whence  they  derived  their  name.2  The  Gauls  and  the 
Germans  dyed  their  breasts  red  before  going  to  fight, 
so  that  the  enemy  could  not  see  the  blood  flowing  from 
their  wounds.  Among  the  various  colouring  substances 
then  in  use,  Julius  Gesar  mentions  icoad  (Isatis  Tinc- 
toria),  with  which  the  Britons  gave  a  bluish  cast  to 
their  skins,  and  made  themselves  look  dreadful  in  battle. 

1  Pclautier,  "  Ilistoire  des  Celtes."  *  Ticti,  "painted." 


01i^% 


Mm 


rN 


FKOM    A.NCII'.NT  TO   MODEMS   TIMES. 


191 


Pliny  also  speaks  of  a  sort  of  plantain  called  Glastrum, 
by  means  of  which  the  Gauls  and  Britons  stained  their 
laces   and   lwdies.1 

Hair-dyes  were  already  known  even  at  that  early 
period,  for  Diodorus  Siculus  says  that  the  Britons,  who 
naturally  possessed  red  hair,  endeavoured  all  they  could 
to  make  it  redder  by  art,  which  they  accomplished  by 
washing  it  repeatedly  in  water  boiled  with  lime. 

The  Druids  left  no  written  record  of  their  customs,  but, 
from  contemporaneous  accounts,  they  do  not  appear  to 
have  used  perfumes  in  their  mode  of  worship,  which 
was  of  the  most  primitive  description.  They  knew, 
however,  and  highly  prized,  the  numerous  aromatic 
plants  indigenous  to  their  soil.  Druidesses  crowned 
their  brows  with  verbena,  and  composed  with  fragrant 
herbs  mysterious  balms,  which  cured  the  heroes'  wounds 
and  enhanced  the  charms  of  the  fair. 

The  Roman  conquest  brought  into  Gaul  and  Britain 
the  civilised  manners  of  the  conquerors.  Body  pamtmg 
and  rude  ornaments  were  laid  aside  and  exchanged 
for  graceful  costumes  and  elaborate  cosmetics,  and  the 
provinces  soon  equalled  the  metropolis  in  elegance  and 
refinement  The  various  toilet  implements  and  splendid 
baths  of  that  epoch,  discovered  by  excavations  in  Franc.' 

and  in  England,  bear  witness  fo  the  high  state  of  luxury 
which  existed  then  in  those  countries.  This,  however, 
lasted  but  a  time,  and  with  the  Roman  dominion  ended 

this  transient  gleam,  for  all  relapsed  into  darkness  with 
successive  invasions. 

1  l'liny's  Nat  Ili-t  Ism  cap  i 


I 


1 


MM 


"A 


THE    BOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

From  that  period  to  the  Crusades,  the  principal  re- 
cords of  perfumes  we  find  in  history  are  connected  with 
the  church  or  the  court,  for  they  were  then  too  costly 
to  be  used  much  in  private  life.  In  the  year  496,  when 
Clovis,  the  first  Christian  king  of  France,  was  baptised 
at  Rheims,  incense  was  burned,  and  fragrant  tapers 
were  lighted,  for  that  ceremony. 

That  incense  was  also  known  to  the  Anglo-Saxons 
appears  by  the  following  riddle  translated  from  the 
Exeter  Book  : — 

"lam  much  sweeter  than  incense  or  the  rose 
That  so  pleasantly  on  the  earth's  turf  grows ; 
More  delicate  am  I  than  the  lily, 
Though  dear  to  mankind  that  flower  may  he." l 

Hugh  the  Great,  father  of  Hugh  Capet,  having  asked 
in  marriage  the  sister  of  King  Athelstan,  sent,  among 
other  presents,  as  the  Makuesbury  Chronicles  inform 
us,  such  perfumes  as  had  never  been  seen  in  England. 
Charlemagne  was  also  a  great  lover  of  scents,  and  at 
his  brilliant  court  at  Aix-la-Chapelle  they  were  in 
constant  request. 

Carpets  were  not  known  then,  but  they  used  to  strew 
on  the  floor,  in  the  houses  of  the  great,  sweet  rushes,2 
which  spread  a  pleasant  fragrance  through  the  atmo- 
sphere. "When  William  the  Conqueror  was  born  in 
Normandy,  where  that  custom  prevaUed,  at  the  very 
moment  when  the  infant  burst  into  life  and  touched 
the  ground,  he  filled  both  hands  with  the  rushes  on  the 
floor,  firmly  grasping  what  he  had  taken  up.    This  was 

1  Exeter  Book.  p.  423.  '  Probably  the  calamut  aromatieu*. 


%~ 


"^r<> 


FROM    Wciint   TO   MODERN    TIMES. 


193 


i> 


hailed  as  a  propitious  omen,  and  the  persons  present 
declared  the  boy  would  be  a  king.1  This  custom  of 
strewing  sweet  rushes  was  still  in  vogue  in  England 
during  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  Shakspeare 
frequently  alludes  to  it  in  bis  plays. 

Embalming  was  sometimes  practised  in  those  days, 
and  in  Eadmer's  life  of  St.  Anselm  we  find  the  body 
of  the  saint  was  anointed  with  balsam  after  his  death. - 

After  the  Crusades,  perfumes  came  into  more  c 
us-'.     The  gallant  knights  brought  home  to  their  lady 
loves  some  of  the  far-famed  perfumes  of  the  East,  and 

specimens  of  the  w lerful  cosmetics  by  mi  ana  of  which 

the  beauties  of  the  harem  preserved  their  charms;  and 
among  the  costly  presents  offered  to  St.  Louis,  King  of 
France,  rare  and  precious  aromaties  formed  a  conspi- 
cuous part.  Rose-water  was  also  introduced  about  that 
time,  and  it  became  the  custom  to  offer  it  to  guests  in 
noblemen's  houses  to  wash  their  hands  with  after  meals 
— a  very  necessary  ablution,  if  we  consider  that  forks, 
which  were  invented  in  Italy  during  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, were  not  known  in  England  until  the  reign  of 
James  I.,  and  were  then  considered  a  great  piece  "I 
foppery.  Matilda,  queen  of  Henry  I.,  received  from 
Prance,  as  a  present,  a  beautiful  silver  peacock,  with  a 
tram  set  in  pearls  and  precious  steins,  which  was  in- 
tended t. >contain  rose- water  and  to  be  placed  on  the  table 
lor   tin'   above-mentioned   purpose.      Mathieu   de  Coucy 

also  relates  in  his  Chronicles,  that,  at  a  grand  banquet 

given  by  Philip  the  Good,  Duke  of   Burgundy,  there 

at  Malmesbury,  p.  299.       3  Eadmer,  Vita  8.  Aiuelmi,  p.  893. 


£-> 


'     . 


I 


^      ' 


14c — <sX_. 


THK    BOOK    OF    PEKFVMES. 

stood  on  the  sideboard  the  statue  of  a  child,  from  which 
issued  a  jet  of  rose-water. 

Perfumers  had  already  sprung  into  commercial  ex- 
istence in  France  in  the  twelfth  century,  for  Philip 
Augustus  granted  them  in  the  year  1190  a  charter, 
which  was  confirmed  by  John  in  13-37,  and  afterwards  by 
Henry  III.,  in  1582.  That  charter  was  for  the  last 
time  renewed  and  enlarged  by  Louis  XIY.  in  16-38. 
It  was  then  requisite  to  serve  tour  years  as  apprentice, 
and  three  years  as  companion,  to  be  elected  master 
perfumer,  which  shows  that  it  was  considered  a  handi- 
craft of  some  importance. 

In  a  manuscript  of  the 
thirteeenth  century,  pre- 
served in  the  British  Mu- 
seum,1 we  find  the  annexed 
illustration  of  a  lady  at  her 
toilet,  which  may  convey 
some  idea  of  the  manner  in 

A  Lady  at  her"]  .  . 

winch    those    duties    were 

performed.     Early  morn  was  the  time  chosen  for  that 

important  task  by  the  fair  of  the  period,  as  we  read  in 

the  romance  of  "  Alisaunder  :" — 

"  In  a  niorctyde-  Lit  was, 
Theo  dropes  hongyn  in  the  srras ; 
Thco  maydenes  lokyn  in  the  glas 
For  to  tyffen3  licare  f.\<." 

The  moralists  and  satirists  of  that  age  reproach  the 

ladies  with  paying  too  much  attention  to  their  personal 

1  MS.  Addit.,  Xo.  10,293,  fol.  266.  :  Morning. 

3  Adorn,  from  the  French  attiffcr. 


M 


V 


g 


^v  -    • 


' 


fo 


IKciM      \N(   UN  I      111    MOUKK.N     TIMES. 


L95 


embellishments,  and  with  deforming  their  bodies  with 
stayB,  which  were  introduced  about  that  time.  They 
are  also  accused  of  painting  their  faces,  dyeing  their 
locks,  and  plucking  out  superfluous  hair. 

Our  ancestors  were  very  fond  of  flowers,  which  they 
used  to  decorate  their  persons  as  well  as  to  ornament 
their  gardens.  Like  the  ancient  Ghreeks  and  Romans, 
they  wore  Oil  their  heads,  at  all  their  entertainments, 
wreaths  of  flowers  called  in  the  French  of  that  period, 
chapelt  or  aipirk.  In  the  Romance  of  "  Perce-Forest," 
:.  ir,  describing  a  festival,  Bays,  "avoiri  chascun 
et  ohascune  on  chapel  de  roses  sur  son  chief."1  These 
words  clearly  denote  that  even  the  dark  sex  indulged 

in   this  floral   head-gear,   which,   when  coupled  with   a 

rubicund  uose  and  a 

"  l'air  round  Wily,  with  good  capon  lined," 

must  have  produced  a  very  pretty  effect. 


'7.  ~  ■  i 


Ladies  making     Gu 

The  task  of  culling  flowers  for  garlands  was  generally 

entrusted  to    ladies,   and    the   above   engraving,   taken 
En  ry  iii.in  and  every  woman  hail  rosc-wnaths  on  their  heads. 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUME? 


from  a  manuscript  in  the  British  Museum,1  represents 
them  engaged  in  this  charming  occupation.  Thus  is 
Emelie  described  by  Chaucer  in  his  "  Knight's  Tale :" 

'•  TTire  yolwe  liter  w.u  lir  ■wdid  :  in  a  tresse, 
Byhynde  hire  bat,  a  yerde  long,  I  gesse. 
And  in  the  gardyn  at  the  sonne  upriste,5 
Sche  walketh  up  and  donn  wheer  as  hire  liste ; 
| [  trrye  whyte  and  reed, 
To  make  a  certevn  gerland  for  hire  hoede." 

■Jean  de  Dammartin,  in  "Blonde  of  Oxford,"  finds  like- 
wise his  mistress  in  a  meadow  making  flower  wreaths. 

"  A  dont  de  la  chambre  j'avance 
De  la  le  vit  en  i-prael 

U  ele  foisoit  u:i  cap: 

Perfumery  did  not  foim  then  a  separate  branch  of 
trade  in  England.  It  was  generally  sold  by  mercers, 
who  also  combined  with  that  trade  the  sale  of  a 
variety  of  toilet  implements,  such  as  combs,  mirrors, 
fillets  for  the  head,  etc.  \Ve  find  them  mentioned  in 
a  very  curious  manuscript  entitled  the  "Pilgrim,"5 
wherein  a  lady  who  keeps  a  mercery  shop  thus 
enumerates  the  different  articles  in  which  she  deals : — 

"  Qu"d 6  sche,  '  Geve :  I  schal  the  telle, 
rye  I  have  to  selle ; 
In  boystes  soote  oynemenris  8 
Therewith  to  don  allegemenris  ; 9 
I  have  knyves,  phylletys,  c.illys, 
At  rTeestes  to  hang  upon  wallys ; 
Kombes  rao  than  nyne  or  ten, 
Both  ffor  horse  and  eke  for  men ; 

-  also,  large  and  brode. 
And  ffor  the  syght  wonder  gnde."  " 

1  M.S.  Eel.  2  B.  vii.        :  Her  yellow  hair  was  braided.       s  At  sunrise. 

4  Advancing  from  the  room,  I  see  her  in  a  meado«  making  a  chaplet. 

5  MS.  Cotton.  Til.criu>  A.  vii.  I  If. 

s  In  boxes  sweet  ointments. 
"  Give  relief,  fnm  the  French  donner  alligement. 


m 


.1 


aoi 


'J 


1 


in 


FROM    \NtlI.M    TO    MODBRN    TIMES. 


L97 


The  accompanying  cut,  taken  from  the  same  manu- 
script, represents  the  mercer's  shop,  with  some  of  the 
articles  described  The  fair  trader  is  offering  to  the 
pilgrim  a  flattering  mirror,  in  which  people  Bee  them- 
selves handsomer  than  (hey  are,  but  it  is  indignantly 
rejected  by  the  pious  man. 


F 


A  Mediaeval  Forfomer's  Shop. 

Alcoholic  perfumes  do  nol  appear  to  have  been  known 
until  the  fourteenth  century,  and  the  tirst  we  find  men- 
tioned is  Hungary  water,  so  called  because  it  WB8  firsi 
prepared  in  the  year  1370  by  Queen  Elizabeth  of 
Eungary,  who  had  the  recipe  from  a  hermit,  and 
became  bo  beautiful  through  the  use  of  it,  that  her 
hand  was  asked  in  marriage  at  the  age  of  st  renty-two 
by  the  kin-;  of  Poland.  This  story,  which  is  taken 
from  an  old  hook  published  at   Frankfort  in  1689,  i> 


m 


1 


related  by  Beekmann,1  who  devotes  a  whole  chapter  to 
the  subject,  but  ends  by  doubting  its  accuracy — a  most 
ungallant  conclusion,  for  he  ought  not  to  question  the 
captivating  powers  possessed  by  ladies  of  any  age,  with 
or  without  the  aid  of  Hungary  water. 

The  fifteenth  century,  that  brilliant  cinque  cento,  of 
which  Italy  is  justly  proud,  saw  the  revival  of  the  fine 
arts  on  that  classical  ground.  The  palaces  of  its  princely 
merchants  teemed  with  luxuries  of  every  description, 
among  which  perfumery  was,  as  usual,  called  to  play 
its  part.  Venice,  from  its  early  intercourse  with  Con- 
stantinople, was  one  of  the  first  to  introduce  the  fra- 
grant treasures  of  the  East.  In  the  course  of  time 
cosmetics  were  also  adopted  by  its  patrician  dames,  who, 
not  content  with  the  charms  which  nature  had  lavished 
upon  them,  sought  to  enhance  them  by  artificial  means. 
The  first  book  on  this  subject  appeared  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  under-  the  auspices  of  Countess  Nani,3  and 
contained  many  curious  recipes,  among  which  were 
some  for  dyeing  the  hair  of  that  beautiful  shade  called 
capellifila  d'oro.3  As  my  fair  readers  may  wish  to  know 
how  this  was  accomplished,  I  shall  mention  one  of  these 
preparations,  which  consisted  of  two  pounds  of  alum, 
six  ounces  of  black  sulphur,  and  four  ounces  of  honey, 
distilled  together  with  water.  Ccsare  Ycccllio,  the 
cousin  of  Titian,  in  his  interesting  work,  Degli  habili 
antichi  e  moderni,  explains  how  this  water  was  applied. 
Ladies  repaired  to  the  terraces  on  the  tops  of  their 


w 


1 

m 


?  '; 


&   : 


n;ii\l     \MIKNT  TO   ItOEEBS   TIMES. 


199 


booses,  waked  their  hairwell  with  the  preparation,  and 
remained  sitting  there  for  hours,  to  lei  the  sun  well  fix 

the  colour  >»•  Tlu'.v  wate  ""  ,1"'ir  ,"'a,ls  a  ,:"'UM'  Mr;"v 
hat  without  a  crown,  called  solana,  to  protecl  their 
complexions,  and  allowed  their  hair  to  ban-  round  over 


r,a  che  si  (a  biondi  i 

the    rim  until   it    wae   completely   dry.      The  above 
illustration,  copied  from  hia  1 k,  will  show  how  it 

was  done.    It  is  generally  supposed  that  those  beautiful 


G 


G 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFIMES. 


golden  locks  which  arc  so  much  admired  in  the  paint- 
ings of  the  Venetian  artists  of  the  period  were  acquired 
iu  that  manner,  for  they  are  seldom  to  be  met  with 
among  the  modern  population. 

When  Catherine  de  Medicis  came  to  France  to  marry 
Henry  II.,  she  brought  with  her  a  Florentine  named 
Rene,  who  was  very  expert  in  preparing  perfumes  and 
cosmetics.  His  shop  on  Pont  au  Change  became  the 
rendezvous  for  the  beaux  and  belles  of  the  period, 
and  from  that  time  perfumery  came  into  general  use 
among  the  wealthy.  This  Rene  also  possessed  the  art 
of  preparing  subtle  poisons,  and  his  royal  mistress  is 
said  to  have  had  frequent  recourse  to  his  talents  to  get 
rid  of  her  enemies.  Among  her  victims  the  historians 
mention  Jeanne  d'Albret,  mother  of  Henry  IV.,  and 
state  that  she  was  poisoned  by  wearing  some  perfumed 
gloves  presented  to  her  by  Catherine ;  but  modern 
chemists  doubt  whether  it  was  possible  to  poison  any 
one  by  such  means. 

In  public  festivals  it  became  the  custom  to  perfume 
fountains ;  and  in  the  year  1548  the  city  of  Paris  paid 
the  sum  of  six  golden  crowns  to  Georges  Marteau 
"  pour  herbes  et  plautes  de  senteur  pour  embaumer  Ies 
eaux  des  fontaines  publiques  lors  des  derniers  csbatte- 
ments."  l 

Under  the  reign  of  that  effeminate  monarch,  Henry 
III.,  the  abuse  of  perfumes  became  so  great  that  it  was 
denounced  by  the  satirists  of  the  period ;   and,  among 

'  For  aromatic  herbs  and  plants,  to  perfume  the  waters  of  public  foun- 
tains during  the  late  rejoicings. 


m 


m 


< 


FROM     INCIENT    TO    MODERN    TIMES. 


201 


others,  Nicolas  do  JMontaut,  in  liis  "Miroir  dee  Francois" 
i  L582)  reproaclio.s  ladies  with  using  "all  sorts  of  per- 
fumes, cordial  waters,  rivet,  musk,  ambergris,  and  other 
precious  aramatios  to  perfume  their  clothes  and  linen, 
and  even  their  whole  bodies." 

The  earliest  French  perfumery  book  that  I  have  met 
with  is  entitled  "  Les  secrets  de  Maistrc  Alexys  Le 
l'iediniiiitois," '  and  contains  some  curious  recipes  for 
making  pomatum  with  apples,8  pomanders  against  the 
plague,  "oiselets  oduiilcraiits"  for  burning  in  apart- 
ments, paste  for  perfuming  gloves,  and  various  hair 
dyes  and  cosmetics.  To  give  some  idea  of  the  state  of 
the  art  at  that  period,  I  shall  quote  the  following 
formula  for  preparing  a  marvellous  water,  warranted 
to  make  ladies  "  beautiful  for  ever." 

"Take  a  young  raven  from  the  nest,  feed  it  on  hard 
eggs  for  forty  days,  kill  it,  and  distil  it  with  myrtle 
Leaves,  talc,  and  almond  oil." 

This  is  a  fair  specimen  of  the  whole,  which  strongly 
savours  of  the  still  prevalent  delusions  of  alchemy,  and 
bears  no  little  refiemblance  to  the  recipes  quoted  in 
chapter  VIII.  as  being  still  used  by  the  Arabs. 

Perfumes  did  not  come  into  general  use  in  England 
until  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  Howes,  who  con- 
tinued Btowe's  chronicle,  tells  us  that  they  could  not 
make  any  costly  wash  or  perfume   in  this  country  until 

aboui  the  fourteenth  <>r  fifteenth  year  of  the  queen, 

1  The  ~'  eon  In  of  Master  All  \i-.  thi  Pi  dmonb  » 
-  Pomatum   was  iir>t    prepared    from  apples,   whence  it  demee   in 
name. 


3 


£02 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


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^r? 


when  the  Right  Honourable  Edward  de  Vere,  Earl  of 
Oxford,  came  from  Italy  and  brought  with  him  gloves, 
sweet  bags,  a  perfumed  leather  jerkin,  and  other  pleasant 
things;  and  that  year  the  queen  had  a  pair  of  perfumed 
gloves,  trimmed  only  with  four  tufts  or  rows  of  coloured 
silk.  She  took  such  pleasure  in  these  gloves  that  she 
was  pictured  with  them  upon  her  hands,  and  for  many 
years  afterwards  it  was  called  the  "  Earl  of  Oxford's 
perfume."  On  another  occasion,  Queen  Elizabeth, 
visiting  the  University  of  Cambridge,  was  presented 
with  a  pair  of  perfumed  gloves,  and  was  so  delighted 
with  them  that  she  put  them  on  at  once.  She  also 
usually  carried  with  her  a  pomander  (or  pom  me  d'ambre), 
which  was  a  ball  composed  of  ambergris,  benzoin,  and 
other  perfumes ;  and  she  was  once  mightily  pleased 
with  the  gift  of  a  "faire  gyrdle  of  pomander,"  which 
was  a  series  of  pomanders  strung  together  and  worn 
round  the  neck.  These  pomanders  were  held  in  the 
hand,  to  smell  occasionally,  and  were  supposed  to 
be  preservatives  from  infection.  They  were  very 
generally  used,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  portraits 
of  the  period.  Their  exact  ingredients  arc  thus  de- 
scribed in  an  old  play  : — "  Your  only  way  to  make  a 
good  pomander  is  this  :  Take  an  ounce  of  the  finest 
garden  mould,  cleaned  and  steeped  seven  days  in  change 
of  rose-water ;  then  take  the  best  labdanum,  benzoin, 
both  storaxes,  ambergris,  civet,  and  musk ;  incorporate 
them  together,  and  work  them  into  what  form  you 
please.  This,  if  your  breath  be  not  too  valiant,  will 
make  vou  smell  as  sweet  as  anv  ladv's  doa-." 


$*C  "% 


FROM    \MU:.\T  TO   MODERN   TIMES. 


203 


Drayton,  in  hie  "Queen  of  Cynthia,"  also  alludes  to. 
pomanders  in  the  following  lines  : — 

"And  when  Bhe  from  (he  wain  oame, 
When  first  Bhe  touched  the  mould, 
In  balls  the  people  made  the  same 
For  pomanders,  and  sold." 
Some  of  these  pomanders  consisted  in  globular  vessels 
containing  strong  perfume,  and  perforated  with  small 
holes,  not   unlike  our  modern  pocket  cassolettes.     The 
earliest    illustration   of  this   favourite    toilet    requisite 
occurs  in  the  "  Boal  of  Foolish  Women,"'  a  series  of 
the  caricatures  published  by  Jodocus  Badius  in  1502, 

and  intended   to   flagellate   the  abuse  made  of  the  live 


The  Boat  of  Foolish  Smells. 

senses.  The  above  engraving  represents  the  "Boat 
of  Foolish  Smells,"2  in  which  are  three  ladies,  one  of 
whom  is  holding  some  flowers  she  has  gathered,  and 
smelling  at  the  same  time  a  pomander  which  her  friend 
lias  bought  from  an  itinerant  vendor  of  perfumes. 
a  Patuaram  Mulierum.  :  h«  ■  Uaetionis  -' 


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lOOK    OF    PERFUMES 


Tlie  principal  perfumes  used  in  those  times  were 
very  strong.  Musk  and  civet  were  the  basis  of  most 
preparations,  and  wc  find  them  often  mentioned  by 
Sliakspearc.  In  "  Much  Ado  About  Nothing,"  speaking 
of  Benedick,  Pedro  says,  "  Nay,  he  rubs  himself  with 
civet :  can  you  smell  him  out  by  that  ? — that's  as  much 
as  to  say  the  sweet  youth's  in  love."  In  the  "Merry 
Wives  of  Windsor,"  Mrs.  Quickly,  enumerating  to  Fal- 
staff  all  the  presents  made  to  Mrs.  Ford,  says,  "Letter 
after  letter,  gift  after  gift,  smelling  so  sweetly,  all  musk." 
With  all  due  deference  to  our  immortal  bard,  I  doubt 
very  much  if  a  modern  swain,  resorting  to  the  same 
means  to  press  his  suit,  would  find  them  succeed  with 
the  object  of  his  affections ;  for  musk  and  civet  used 
alone  are  anything  but  agreeable,  and  would  be  more 
likely  to  affect  the  head  than  the  heart. 

The  Eastern  fashion  of  sprinkling  rose-water  over 
the  clothes  seems  to  have  been  prevalent  at  that  period  ; 
for  in  one  of  Marston's  plays  a  young  gallant  enters 
with  a  casting  bottle  of  sweet  water  in  his  hand, 
sprinkling  himself;  and  in  another  part  he  says,  "As 
sweet  and  neat  as  a  barber's  casting  bottle."1  Ford,  in 
a  play  called  "The  Fairies,"  also  mentions  the  same 
toilet  implement.  One  of  his  dramatis  fiersonm  comes 
in  sprinkling  his  hair  and  face  with  a  casting  bottle, 
and  carrying  a  little  looking-glass  in  his  girdle,  setting 
his  countenance. 

The  floors  of  the  apartments  were  also  perfumed  either 
with  sweet  rushes  or  with  scented  waters.     In  "Dr. 

1  Marston :  Antonio  anil  Mallida,"  Intr. 


'^•J 


h 


FROM    AM'lliN  I      CO    MODKK.N    TIMES. 


Faustus"  an  old  play  by  Harlow,  Pride  enters,  savin-. 
"Bye,  what  a  smell  is  here  !  I'll  not  speak  another  word 
tor  a  king's  ransom,  unless  the  ground  is  perfumed." 
Even  in  churches  this  used  to  be  the  ease  ;  but  in  sum- 
mer they  generally  strewed  flowers  in  the  pews,  instead 
of  scents.  In  "ApiuS  and  Virginia,"  a  play  of  that 
period,  wc  find  the  following  illustration  of  this  habit  : 

"  Them  knave,  but  for  thee  ere  this  time  (rf  day 

My  tally's  lair  pew  bad  been  strewed  full  gay 
Willi  primroses,  cowslips,  and!  rioleti  sweet, 

With  mints,  anil  with  marygolil,  ami  marjoram  meet, 

Which  no«-  lvcth  uncleanly,  and  all  along  of  thee," 
This  custom  is  still  in   TOgue  in  Spain  and  Portugal, 
where  the  floor  of  churches  is  generally  strewn  in  sum- 
mer with  lavender  and  rosemary. 

Perfumes  were  likewise  used  to  burn  in  rooms,  and 
to  fumigate  sheets.  "  Now  are  the  lawn  sheets  fumed 
with  violets,"  says  Marston  in  "What  You  Will."  In 
"Much  Ado  About  Nothing,"  Borachio,  being  asked 
how  he  came  into  the  palace,  answers,  "  Being  enter- 
tained for  a  perfumer,  as  I  was  smoking  a  musty 
room,"  etc. ;  and  Strypc,  in  his  "Life  of  Sir  J.  Cheke," 
mentions  that  he  sent  for  a  "perfume  pan"  for  his 
apartments.1 

Burton,  in  his  "Anatomy  of  Melancholy,"  says, 
"The  smoke  of  juniper  is  in  gnat  request  with  us  to 
sweeten  our  chambers;"  and  in  Hen  Jonson  we  find, 
-lie  doth  sacrifice  twopence  in  juniper  to  her  ever] 
morning  before  she  rises,  to  sweeten  the  room  by 
burning  it." 

i  Strype'i  "  Lift  of  Sir  J.  Chake,"  p.  M.    fc*  t''1''- 


_".. 


'S=' 


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M. 


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Perfumed  bellows  were  another  device  resorted  to  for 

producing  a  fragrant  atmosphere,  andBichelieu,  who  was 

a  great  Sybarite,  made  use  of  them  in  his  apartments. 

Ford,  in  one  of  his  plays,  thus  alludes  to  this  custom  : — 

"  I'll  breathe  as  gently 
As  a  perfumed  pair  of  sucking  bellows 
In  some  sweet  lady's  chamber." 

Scented  gloves  were  then  usually  sold  by  milliners  or 
haberdashers,  and  various  fragrant  herbs  were  kept  by 
apothecaries,  who  in  London  mostly  dwelt  in  Buek- 
lersbury,  which  accounts  for  Shakspcare's  expression, 
"  Smelling  as  sweet  as  Bucklersbury  in  simpling  time." 
This  fragrant  herb  business  included  all  aromatics  then 
in  use,  such  as  rosemary,  which,  singularly  enough,  was 
used  at  weddings  as  well  as  funerals,  and  divers  woods 
for  burning,  as  Beaumont  and  Fletcher  have  it  in  "  Wit 
without  Money : " — 

"  Selling  rotten  wood  by  the  pound,  like  spices, 
Winch  gentlemen  often  burn  by  the  ounces." 

Numerous  hawkers  also  travelled  the  country,  and 
attended  country  fairs,  where  they  offered  their  sundry 
wares,  like  Autolycus  in  the  ''"Winter's  Tale:" — 

"  Gloves  as  sweet  as  damask  roses 
Masks  for  faces  and  for  noses, 
Bugle  bracelet,  necklace  amber, 
Perfume  tor  a  lady's  chamber." 

In  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  perfumes  were  exten- 
sively used  as  preservatives  from  the  plague ;  and 
among  the  various  specifics  devised  by  the  doctors  of 
that  period  a  curious  one  is  mentioned  by  Rushworth, 
which  consisted  in  eating  a  roasted  apple  stuffed  with 


'- 


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KIIOM     INI  IKK1    TO    MODERN    TIMES. 


207 


frankincense,  which  was  recommended  as  a  certain  cure. 
Whether  it  were  or  not,  I  will  not  presume  to  say;  but 
the  prophylactic  properties  of  scents  cannot  be  denoted, 

and  as  late  as  the  last  century,  medical  practitioners 
carried  on  the  top  of  their  walking-sticks  a  little  casso- 
lette tilled  with  aromatics,  which  they  held  up  to  their 
nose  when  they  had  to  visit  any  contagious  cases. 

The  art  of  facial  adornment  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  far  advanced  at  that  time.  We  may  quote  as  a 
specimen  an  extract  from  the  "  Poems  and  Fancies"  of 

the  Duchess  of  Newcastle,  who  recommends  the  teeth 

to  be  cleaned  with  "china,  brick,  or  the  Ufa,"  and  says 

it  is  customary  to  pull  up  the  edges  of  the  eyebrows  by 

the  roots,  leaving  none  but  a  thin  row,  and  to  remove 
the  first  skin  off  the  face  with  oil  of  vitriol,  that  a  new 
skin  may  come  iu  its  place — a  very  strange  way,  cer- 
tainly, of  improving  the  complexion. 

During  the  Commonwealth,  perfumery  shared  the 
Gate  of  all  articles  of  luxury,  and  was  discarded  by- 
strict  Puritans;  but  at  the  restoration  of  Charles  II., 
"  the  Merry  Monarch,"  it  wafl  again  in  favour  with  his 
brilliant  court.  It  became  then  customary  for  all  ladies 
of  fashion  to  paint  their  faces,  and  wear  patches,  which 

were  supposed  to  add  piquancy  to  the  features,  but 

which  also  served  sometime-  to  conceal  some  disfigure- 
ment, as  Pepys  in  his  Diary  represents  the  Duchess  'f 
Newcastle  "wearing  many  black  patches  because  if 
pimples  about  her  mouth."'  Seme  of  these  patches 
vcre  of  the  most  extraordinary  shapes,  such  as  sun-. 
1  Pepyt1  Diary,  26th  April,  1687. 


%il 


V 


I 


moons, 
bras:"1 


208  THE    BOOS    OF    PERFUMES. 

stars,    etc.,  as    Butler    has   it    in   his   "  Hudi- 

"  Tlie  sun  and  moon,  by  her  bright  eyffi 
Eclipsed  and  darken'd  in  the  ski.  s. 
Are  but  black  patches  that  she  wears, 

Cut  into  suns,  and  moons,  and  stars." 

The  annexed  illustration,  taken  from  an  engraving  of 
the  period,  represents  a  lady  who,  in  addition  to  the 
above,  had  adorned  her  coun- 
tenance with  a  coach  and 
/torses/  This  custom  became 
so  prevalent,  that  Grammont 
says  in  his  memoirs  that  you 
were  always  sure  to  find 
rouge  and  patches  on  a 
lady's  toilet. 

It    was    also    the    fashion 

,     then  for  both  sexes  to  blacken 

'\,    ^l|p^  a4T^    \  \    the  eyebrows,  as  we  find  in 

Shadwell's  "  Humourists  " — 

"Be  sure  if   your  eyebrows 

are  not  black,  to  black  'em  soundly.     Ab !  your  black 

eyebrow  is  your  fashionable  eyebrow.      I  hate  rogues 

that  wear  eyebrows  that  are  out  of  fashion." 

Hair-powder  was  introduced  towards  the  end  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  probably  by  some  person  who  had 
turned  prematurely  grey,  and,  like  the  fox  who  had 
lost  his  tail  in  the  trap,  wanted  others  to  assume  the 
same  appearance.  This  fashion  seems  to  have  become 
extensively  patronised,  if  we  may  judge  from  the 
2  "Hudibras,"  part  ii..  canto  1. 


THE     BOOK    OF    FKRFUMES. 

cratic  footmen.  It  certainly  imparts  a  degree  of  soft- 
ness to  the  features,  but  must  be  very  inconvenient  to 
apply,  as  may  be  judged  by  the  preceding  engraving, 
of  the  time  of  Louis  XV. 

The  following  quotation  from  the  "  Virtuoso/'  anothei 
of  Shadwell's  plays,  enumerates  the  various  articles 
which  formed  then  the  complete  stock  of  a  perfumer  : 
"I  have  choice  good  gloves,  Amber,  Orangery,  Genoa, 
Romane,  Frangipane,  Neroly,  Tuberose,  Jessamine,  and 
Marshall ;  all  manners  of  tires  for  the  head,  locks,  tours, 


m 

wsmwrnm 

iSillilBiJi 

fas 


M- 


Comb  of  the  I'Jth  centuiy.J 
[F.om  the  Saitvngeot  collection  at  the  Louvre). 

frowzes,  combs,  and  so  forth  ;  all  manner  of  washes, 
almond  water,  and  mercury  for  the  complexion ;  the 
best  pomatums  of  Europe,  but  a  rare  one  made  of  lamb's 


1  This  specimen  forms  part  of  a  series  of  combs,  which  arc  all  exquis- 
itely carved.  The  words  Per  roi  Servir  (pour  vous  servir)  engraved  on  it, 
show  it  to  be  of  foreign  workmanship. 


f 


tv, 


PROM    ANCIENT   To    MODERN    TIMES. 


■.'II 


' 


: 


caul  and  May  clew.  Also  all  manner  of  confections  of 
mercury  and  lw(fs  bones  to  preserve  present  and  to  re- 
st on'  lost  beauty." 

The  last-mentioned  preparation  would  not  appear 
very  tempting,  were  it  not  coupled  with  a  promise  cal- 
culated to  over-rule  every  objection  :  at  all  events,  per- 
fumers of  that  period  must  have  credit  for  their  candour 
in  mentioning  the  strange  ingredients  which  they  em-  Vi^XJ 
ployed. 

Some  historians  pretend  that  Louis  XIV.,  king  of 
France,  had  a  strong  dislike  for  perfumes,  which  were 
consequently  banished  from  his  court.  I  at  first  shared 
their  opinion,  until,  meeting  accidentally  with  averyin- 
teresting  and  erudite  hook  by  M.  Edouard  Founder,1 
I  was  convinced  of  my  error.  It  appears,  on  t lie  con- 
trary, that  this  king  was  very  fond  of  scents,  and  was 
sdd  to  be  "  le  plus  doux  ileurunt,"  or  the  "sweetest 
smelling"  monarch  that  had  ever  been  seen.  "  Le 
l'arfumeur  Francoys,"  a  curious  book  published  in 
L680,  leaves  no  doubt  on  the  subject,  for  it  says  that 
"his  Majesty  was  often  pleased  to  see  Mr.  Martial2 
compose  in  bis  closet  the  odours  which  he  wore  on  his 
sacred  person."  It  was  not  then  considered  derogatory 
for  great  people  to  superintend  the  manufacture  of  their 
perfumes,  for  the  Prince  de  Conde  had  his  snuff  scented 
in  his  presence ;  and  the  celebrated  "  Poudre  a  la 
Mareeliale,"  which  still  holds  its  place  in  the  modern        'A  hV/   j.' 


1  Pari*  Demi  H.  par  I  jl. .11.11  .i  Ponrnii  r. 

biated  perfumer  of  tliat  period  mentioned  bj 
d'Emibagnas." 


y^ 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEEFUMES. 


IP 


*SS 


perfumer's  catalogue,  was  so  named  because  it  was  at 
first  composed  by  Madame  la  Marechale  d'Airmont. 

Italy  bad  still  tbe  privilege  tben  of  supplying  the  rest 
of  Europe  with  the  finest  perfumes.  When  Poussin, 
the  great  French  painter,  went  to  Rome,  he  was  en- 
trusted by  M.  de  Chanteloup  with  the  mission  of  pur- 
chasing scented  gloves,  which  he  procured  froni  "la 
Signora  Maddelena,"  who  was  then  in  repute  as  the 
best  Roman  perfumer ;  and  Du  Pradel,  in  his  "  Livre 
Commode  des  adresses,"  mentions  the  "  Sieur  Adam 
courtier  de  cabinet,'"  who  often  brought  fine  essences 
from  Rome,  Genoa,  and  Nice. 

I  have  in  my  possession  an  old  English  book,  called 
the  "  Queen's  Closet,"  printed  in  1663,  which  gives  a 
complete  insight  into  the  art  of  perfumery  at  that 
period.  It  contains  a  number  of  very  curious  recipes, 
among  which  are  those  of  a  perfume  invented  by 
Edward  VI.,  another  composed  by  Queen  Elizabeth, 
a  wonderful  pomatum  made  from  apples  mixed  with 
the  fat  of  a  young  dog,  and  a  highly-praised  dentifrice 
made  by  Mr.  Ferene,  of  the  New  Exchange,  perfumer 
to  the  Queen,  who  was,  I  suppose,  the  first  of  the 
generation.  This  gentleman  seems  to  have  shared  the 
Duchess  of  Newcastle's  partiality  for  bricks,  for  they 
form  the  chief  ingredient  in  his  tooth-powder. 

Under  the  reign  of  Louis  XV.,  perfumes  still  in- 
creased in  favour  with  the  French  Court,  and  etiquette 
prescribed  the  use  of  a  particular  sort  every  day,  which 
caused  Versailles  to  be  named  "  la  eour  par/umee."  At 
Choisy,   also,  where  Madame  de  Pompadour  held  the 


KKii.M    ANCIENT    fO    MODERN    TIMES. 


aia 


y)      sceptre  of  elegance  and  beauty,  perfumes  were  in  great       \v 
favour,   and  formed  no    inconsiderable   item   in   that 
lady's  household  expenses,  which  amounted  at  one  time 

to  500,000  livres  per  annum. 

This  taste  continued  to  prevail  in  France,  until  the 
sanguinary  days  of  the  Revolution  caused  a  momentary 


Madame  de  Pompadour  at  Choisy. 

interruption   in   the  use  of   articles  of   luxury,   which  Bq 

returned  with  the  advent  of  the  imperial  court.    The 

Empress  Josephine  entertained  the  usual  passionate 
fondness  of  060168  for  scents,  ami  her  consult  shared 
it   in  no  small  degn  i  .  r-^l'  ) 

In  England,  under  the  Georges,  perfumery  was  more 


THE    BOOK   OF   l'KRFl  MES. 

or  less  in  favour  according  to  the  different  notions  of 
the  magnates  who  held  by  turns  the  sceptre  of  fashion. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  last  century,  the  per- 
fumer in  vogue  seems  to  have  been  one  Charles  Lilly, 
who  Lived  in  the  Strand,  at  the  corner  of  Beaufort 
Buildings.1  His  name  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the 
Tatler,  which  highly  praises  his  skill  in  preparing 
"  snuffs  and  perfumes,  which  refresh  the  brain  in 
those  that  have  too  much  for  their  quiet,  and  glad- 
dens it  in  those  who  have  too  little  to  know  the 
want  of  it." 

The  next  one  who  seems  to  have  attracted  a  little 
notice  is  a  ^Ir.  Perry,  residing  also  in  the  Strand,  at 
the  corner  of  Burleigh  Street.  He  was,  however,  re- 
duced to  "blow  his  own  trumpet ;"  and  in  a  paper  called 
the  Wetkty  Packet,  bearing  the  date  of  28th  December, 
1718,  he  vaunts,  besides  his  perfumes,  an  oil  drawn  from 
mustard-seed,  which,  at  the  moderate  price  of  67/.  per 
ounce,  is  warranted  to  cure  all  diseases  under  the  sun. 

Some  of  the  French  perfumers  of  that  period  also 
combined  with  their  "sweet  wares"  various  sorts  of 
medicines.  This  was  particularly  the  case  with  the 
itinerant  vendors  or  "  charlatans,"2  who,  arrayed  in  a 
gorgeous  red  coat,  with  gilt  lacings,  addressed  the  gaping 
crowd  from  an  elegant  equipage,  and  dealt  out  their  per- 
fumes and  quack  remedies  with  musical  accompaniment. 
The  illustration  forming  the  frontispiece  to  this  chapter 
represents   one    of    these   "  strolling    perfumers,"  who 

1  By  a  very  curious  coincidence,  I  now  occupy  the  same  premises. 
•  From  the  Italian  "ciarlare,"  to  chatter. 


955 


¥ 


■>vi 


► 


FROM     INCIKNT  TO   MODERN    T1MK 


usually  sold  powders,  elixirs,  pills,  opiates,  eau-de- 
Cologne,  and  Booming  drops.  EKgW  or  ten  years  before 
the  Revolution  the  Bang's  physician  had  them  banished 
from  the  kingdom,  and  from  that  time  perfumery  held 
„  more  respectable  position  in  the  industrial  world. 
Now,  thanks  to  the  progress  of  science  and  education, 
it  has  shaken  off  the  trammels  of  quackery,  and  become 
an  important  branch  of  our  commerce. 

I  shall  conclude  this  chapter  with  a  few  remarks  on 
tin-  hair  and  beard.  The  Gauls  wore  their  hair  long, 
whence  their  country  derived  its  appellation  of  Gallia 
Comata,  or  long-haired  Caul.    Julius  Csesw  compelled 

them  to  cut  it  off  when  they  were  subdued,  which  they 
considered  a  great  disgrace.  The  ancient  Britons 
were  likewise  very  proud  of  the  length  of  their  hair, 
of  which  they  took  greal  care.  They  shaved  their 
chins,  but  preserved  a  long  moustache.  The  Anglo- 
Saxons  and  Danes  paid  also  great  attention  to  their 
hair.  The  Danish  soldiers  who  were  quartered  in 
England  at  the  time  of  Edgar  and  Ethelred  were  the 
beaux  of  the  period,  and  are  said  to  have  captivated 
English  ladies  with  their  fine  hair,  which  they  combed 
mid  dressed  once  »  day.    The  clergy,  who  were  obliged 

to  shave  the  crown  of  their  heads  ami  keep  their  hair 

short,  were  constantly  preaching  againsi  long  hair,  and 

even  sometimes  carried  their  precepts  into  action  by 
cutting  off  with  their  own  hands  the  hair  of  their  flock; 
but  their  victories  were  of  short  duration,  and  the 
favourite  fashion  soon  resumed  its  sway.  Men  con- 
tinued to  wear  their  hair  long  until  the  time  of  Francis  I., 


ft*      >' 


I; 


find  it  in  full  vigour  during  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.. 
as  we  may  judge  by  Holbein's  pictures,  in  which  the 
head  !-et-nis  almost  destitute  of  hair.  The  above  en- 
graving, representing  a  German  barber  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  from  a  design  by  Josf  Amman,  illustrates 
-:iion.   which  certainlv    seems   to    facilitate   the 


:M 


FROM    ANCIENT    l<>    MODERN    TIMES, 


r>l 


"shampooing"  operatioii  ondergone  by  the  customer  al 
the  back  of  the  shop. 

Iii  Charles  the  First's  time,  ringlets  were  again  in 
fashion  for  men  as  well  as  for  women.  "  I  know  many 
young'  gentlemen,"  says  Middleton  in  one  of  his  plays, 
"wear  longer  hair  than  their  mistresses."  The  beard 
was  worn  in  various  ways,  the  favourite  shape  being 
what  Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  in  their  "  Queen  of 
Corinth,"  denominate  the  T  beard,  consisting  of  the 
moustache  and  imperial : — 

"His  bend, 

Which  now  he  put  i'  the  form  of  a  T, 

Tli.-  Soman  T  ;  yoni  T  beard  is  (he  fashion. 

Ami  two-fold  doth  express  the  enamoured  eourtier." 

The  beard  was  also  dyed  in  sundry  colours,  as  mentioned 
by  Shakspcare  in  some  of  his  plays.  The  Puritans  bad 
their  hair  closely  cropped,  whence  they  acquired  the 
cognomen  of  "Roundheads;"  but  long  hair  returned 
with  Charles  II.  As,  however,  every  one  was  not 
naturally  gifted  with  luxuriant  locks,  periwigs  were 
invented  to  supply  the  deficiency.  I  would  rather 
ascribe  it  to  this  cause,  for  the  honour  of  the  gentlemen 
of  the  period,  than  to  the  reason  given  by  I'epys,  who 
says  in  his  Diary,  "At  .Mr.  Jervas'a,  my  old  barber,  I 
did  try  two  or  three  borders  and  periwigs,  meaning  to 
wear  one,  and  yet  I  have  no  stomach  for  it,  but  that 
the  pain  of  keeping  my  hair  clean  is  so  great. "'  Powder 
and  queues  came  next  into  fashion,  and  were  patronised 
during  the  whole  of  the  last   century,  until  the  French 

1  Tcpys'  Diary.  9th  May,  1663. 
,  t" 


-i      '  - 


-C.r- 


$E35 


^  - 


w 


fit) 


* 


218 


THK    BUI  IK    ill- 


Revolution  brought  ;i  complete  change  in  costume  and 
habits,  and  the  hair  was  cut  short,  a  la  Titus,  in  imita- 
tion of  the  antique. 

As  regards  ladies'  head-dresses,  the  various  modes 
adopted  by  turns  are  so  numerous  that  it  would  rill  a 
whole  book  to  enumerate  them  all.  The  hair  being  the 
only  part  of  a  woman's  charms  that  she  can  alter  at 
her  will,  it  has  naturally  been  subjected  to  a  constant 
change  of  style.  In  ancient  times  young  ladies,  before 
their  marriage,  used  to  wear  their  hair  uncovered  and 
untied,  flowing  loose  over  their  shoulders ;  but  when 
they  entered  the  wedded  state  they  cut  it  off  and  as- 
sumed some  sort  of  head-gear.  A  little  later  they  made 
it  into  long  tresses,  which  sometimes  reached  their  heels. 
In  Richard  the  Second's  time,  the  hair  was  worn  confined 
in  a  golden  net  or  caul — an  Eastern  custom,  probably 
brought  over  by  the  Crusaders.  Then  came  those  high 
conical  caps  introduced  by  Isabeau  de  Baviere,  which 
were  made  of  such  extraordinary  dimensions  that  doors 
had  to  be  altered  to  admit  them.     A  specimen  of  these 

may  still  be  seen  in 


4  i?^  -— - Ja / "\  ~  <5§^*  I  ^e  "l\vsdcCaux," 
IyJ  a  part  of  Normandy 
where  they  arc  worn 
by  rich  farmers' 
wives.  During  the 
earlier  half  of  the 
fifteenth  century  the 
and    its    form     and 


horned   head-dress  was   adopted, 

dimensions  became  the  frequent  butt  of  the  satirists  and 


t- 


\ 


PBOM    AMIKM    TO    MODERN    TIMES. 


219 


\t 


caricaturists  of  the  age.  The  sketch  on  the  preceding 
page,  from  the  church  of  Ludlow,  in  Shropshire,  repre- 
sents an  aged  dame  whose  "horns"  inspire  evident 
terror  to  her  two  companions,  who  appear  to  deem 
them  a  sign  of  some  relationship  to  the  spirit  of  evil. 
In  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  flaxen  hair  was  greatly 
prized  as  being  the  queen's  own  colour,  ami  we  find  it 
frequently  alluded  to  by  poets  of  the  period, 
'•ll.r  bail  h  aobnni)  mine  is  perfect  yellow," 

says  Julia,  in  the  "Two  Gentlemen  of  Yerona,"  and 
Bassano,  in  the  "  Merchant  of  Venice,"  exclaims,  on 
seeing  Portia's  likeness — 

'     "  Here  in  her  ha;rs 
The  painter  plays  the  spider ;  and  hath  woven 
A  golden  mesh  to  entrap  the  hearts  of  men, 
Faster  than  gnats  in  cobwebs." 

False  hair  was  also  often  resorted  to  at.  that  time,  and 
appears  to  have  been  varied  according  to  the  age  of  the 
wearer,  it'  we  may  judge  by  the  following  epigram 
written  by  Lord  Brooke: — 

"CvaHca,  when  she  was  young  and  sweet,  , 

Adorned  her  hair  with  golden  borrowed  hail ; 
An. I  dow  in  age,  when  outward  thing!  decay, 

In  spite  of  age  she  throws  the  hair  away, 

And  now  again  her  own  black  hair  puts  on 

To  mourn  for  thoughts  by  her  worth's  overthrown."  ' 

Under  the  reign  of  Charles  TL,  short  curls  on  the 
forehead,  and  ringlets  at  the  sides,  came  into  vogue. 
This  was  called  the  "Sevign£"  style,  and  may  1»  -  ■  n 
in  Lely's  portraits  at  Hampton  Court  Palace.  In  the 
1  Lord  Brooke,  p.  202. 


R& 


0    °. 


^a^iMl 


ti\  -,  /',< 


III F.    HOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


possible  and  impossible  ornament.  The  foregoing  illus- 
trations will  convey  some  idea  of  these  coiffures,  the 
denomination  of  which  is  at  least  as  quaint  as  their 
appearance,  and  which  inspired  the  following  squib,  in 
the  London  Magazine  for  1777  : — 

"Give  Chloe  a  bushel  of  horsehair  and  wool, 
Of  paste  and  pomatum  a  pound 
Ten  yards  of  gay  ribbon  to  deck  her  sweet  skull, 
And  gauze  to  encompass  it  round." 

Of  the  fashions  of  the  present  century  it  would  be 
needless  to  speak,  for  they  arc  still  fresh  in  the  memory 
of  my  readers  ;  nor  shall  I  presume  to  offer  an  opinion 
touching  their  respective  merits.  Ladies  are  the  best 
j  udges  of  what  sets  off  their  charms  ;  and,  after  all, 
what  matters  the  frame  when  the  picture  is  pretty  ? 


■v^ 


tf& 


^v 


,>"?, 


224 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


intensity  of  odour  required  for  a  profitable  extraction. 
The  south  of  France  furnishes  the  most  abundant  supply 
(if  perfumery  materials ;  there  the  most  odoriferous 
flowers — such  as  the  rose,  jasmine,  orange,  etc. — are  cul- 
tivated on  a  large  scale,  and  form  the  basis  of  the  finest 
perfumes.  Italy  produces  chiefly  essences  of  bergamot, 
tj$£)  orange,  lemon,  and  others  of  the  citrine  family,  the 
consumption  of  which  is  very  great.  To  Turkey  we 
are  indebted  for  the  far-famed  otto  of  roses,  which 
enters  into  the  composition  of  many  scents.  Spain  and 
Algeria  have  yielded  but  little  hitherto,  but  will  no 
doubt  in  after  times  turn  to  better  account  the  fragrant 
treasures  with  which  nature  has  endowed  them.  Travel- 
ling in  the  plains  of  Spanish  Estramadura,  I  have  passed 
through  miles  and  miles  of  land  covered  with  lavender, 
rosemary,  iris,  and  what  they  call  "rosmariiio"  (Lacan- 
iula  stcechas),  all  growing  wild  in  the  greatest  luxuriance, 
and  yet  they  are  left  to  "waste  their  sweetness  on  the 
desert  air,"  for  want  of  proper  labour  and  attention.  I 
also  found  many  aromatic  plants  in  Portugal,  and  among 
others  one  named  "alcrim  do  norte"  (Biosma  ericoides), 
which  has  a  delightful  fragrance. 

From  Eritish  India  we  import  cassia,  cloves,  sandal- 
wood, patchouly,  and  several  essential  oils  of  the  andro- 
pogon  genus ;  and  the  Celestial  Empire  sends  us  the 
much-abused  but  yet  indispensable  musk,  which,  care- 
fully blended  with  other  perfumes,  gives  them  strength 
and  piquancy  without  being  in  any  way  offensive. 

It  bus  been  proposed  to  cultivate  flowers  in  England 
for  perfumery  purposes,  but    the  climate  renders  this 


^S4 


THE  COMMKIU'lVI.  USES  OF  FLOWERS  AND  1'I.AXTS.       225 


scheme  totally  impracticable.  English  flowers,  however 
beautiful  in  form  and  colour  they  may  be,  do  not  pos- 
sess the  intensity  of  odour  required  for  extraction,  and 
the  greater  part  of  those  used  in  France  for  perfumery 
would  only  grow  here  in  hothouses.  The  only  flower 
which  could  be  had  in  abundance  would  be  the  rose, 
but  tli  -  smell  of  it  is  very  faint  compared  with  that  of 
the  Southern  rose,  and  the  rose-water  made  in  this 
country  can  never  equal  the  French  in  strength.  If 
we  add  to  this  the  shortness  of  the  flowering  season, 
and  the  high  price  of  land  and  labour,  we  may  arrive 
at  the  conclusion  that  such  a  speculation  would  be  as 
bad  as  that  of  attempting  to  make  wine  from  English 
grapes.  As  a  proof  of  this,  I  may  mention  that  I  had 
a  specimen  submitted  to  me  not  long  since  of  a  perfumed 
pomade  which  a  lady  had  attempted  to  make  on  a 
flower-farm  which  she  had  been  induced  to  establish  in 
the  north  of  England,  and  it  was,  as  I  expected,  a 
complete  failure. 

The  only  two  perfumery  ingredients  in  which  Eng- 
land really  excels  are  lavender  and  peppermint,  but 
that  is  owing  to  the  very  cause  which  would  militate 
against  the  success  of  other  flowers  in  this  countrv;  for 
our  moist  and  moderate  climate  gives  those  two  plants 
the  mildness  of  fragrance  for  which  they  arc  prized, 
whilst  in  France  and  other  warm  countries  they  grow 
strong  and  rank. 

There  are  four  processes  in  use  for  extracting  the 
aroma  from  fragrant  substances — distillation,  expres- 
sion, maceration,  and  absorption. 


I 


J 


k  m 


V 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

Distillation  is  employed  for  plants,  barks,  woods,  and 
a  few  flowers.  These  are  placed  in  a  still  containing 
water,  which  evaporates  by  means  of  heat,  condenses  in 
the  worm,  and  issues  from  the  tap  strongly  impregnated 
with  the  aroma,  the  more  concentrated  part  of  which 
collects  either  on  the  surface  or  at  the  bottom  of  the 
distillate,  according  to  its  specific  gravity,  and  forms 
the  essential  oil.     The  same  water  is  generally  distilled 


several  times  over  with  fresh  materials,  and  is  sometimes 
of  sufficient  value  to  be  kept,  as  is  the  case  with  rose  and 
orange-flower  water.  A  great  improvement  has  been 
lately  introduced  in  the  mode  of  distillation  :  it  consists 
in  suspending  the  flowers  or  plants  in  the  still  on  a  sort 
of  sii  \  c  and  allowing  a  jet  of  steam  to  pass  through  and 
carry  off  the  fragrant  molecules.  This  produces  a  finer 
essential  oil  than  allowing  these  substances  to  be  steeped 
in  water  at  the  bottom  of  the  still. 


OMMBRCIAL  D8ES  OT  FLOWEB8  AM)  hams.      227 


Expression  is  (unfilled  to  the  essences  obtained  ftom 
the  rinds  of  the  fruits  of  the  citrine  series,  comprising 
lemon,  orange,  bigarrade,  bergamot,  oedrat,  and  limette. 
It  is  performed  in  various  ways :  on  the  coast  of  Genoa 
they  rub  the  fruit  against  a  grated  funnel;  in  Sicily 
they  press  the  rind  in  cloth  bags ;  and  in  Calabria, 
where  the  largest  quantity  is  manufactured,  they  roll 
the  fruit  between  two  bowls,  one  placed  inside  the 
other,  the  concave  part  of  the  lower  and  the  convex 
pari  of  tin-  upper  being  armed  with  sharp  spikes. 
nieae  bowls  revolve  in  a  contrary  direction,  causing 

the  small  vesicles  on  the  surface  of  the  fruit  to  burst 
and  give  up  the  essence  contained  in  them,  which  is 
afterwards  collected  with  a  sponge.  These  rinds  are 
also  sometimes  distilled ;  but  the  former  process,  which 
is  called  in  French  an  zest,  gives  a  much  purer  essence. 
Maceration  and  absorption  are  both  founded  on  the 
affinity  which  fragrant  molecules  have  for  fatty  bodies,  ' 
becoming  more  readily  fixed  into  them  than  into  any 
Others.  Tims  the  aroma  of  flowers  is  first  transferred 
to  greases  (called  pomades),  and  oils,  which  are  made 
afterwards  to  yield  it  to  alcohol,  whilst  the  latter,  if 
placed  in  direct  contact  with  the  flowers,  would  not 
extract  it  from  them.  The  first  attempt  that  was  made 
in  this  way,  some  two  hundred  years  ago,  was  to  place 
some  almonds  in  alternate  beds  with  fresh-gathered 
flowers,  renewing  the  latter  several  days,  and  after- 
wards ponnding  the  almonds  in  a  mortar,  and  pressing 
the  oil  which  had  absorbed  the  aroma.  Tin's  is  the 
same  process  now  used   in  India  by  the  natives  for  ob- 


* 


*rw 


J/l  fi 


fanning  perfumed  oils,  substituting  gingelly  or  sesamum 
seeds  for  almonds.  The  next  improvement  was  to  use 
a  plain  earthen  pan,  coated  inside  with  a  thin  layer  of 
grease,  strewing  the  flowers  on  the  grease,  and  covering 
it  over  with  another  jar  similarly  prepared.  After  re- 
newing the  flowers  for  a  few  days,  the  grease  was  found 
to  have  borrowed  their  scent.  This  process  was  aban- 
doned in  France  some  fifty  years  ago,  but  is  still 
resorted  to  by  the  Arabs  (who  were  probably  the 
inventors  of  it),  the  only  difference  being  that  they 
use  white  wax  mixed  with  grease,  on  account  of  the 
heat  of  the  climate. 

The  two  modes  now  adopted  to  make  these  scented 
oils  and  pomades  are,  as  I  said  before,  maceration  and 
absorption.  The  former  is  used  for  the  less  delicate 
flowers,  such  as  the  rose,  orange,  jonquil,  violet,  and 
cassie  (Acacia  farnesiana).  A  certain  quantity  of  grease 
is  placed  in  a  pan  fitted  with  a  water  bath,  and  is 
brought  to  an  oily  consistency.  Flowers  are  then 
thrown  in,  and  left  to  digest  for  some  hours,  being 
stirred  frequently ;  after  which,  the  grease  is  taken  out 
and  pressed  in  horsehair  bags.  This  operation  is  re- 
peated, until  the  fatty  body  is  sufficiently  impregnated 
with  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers.  Oil  is  treated  in  the 
same  way,  but  requires  less  heat. 

The  process  of  absorption,  called  by  the  French  cn- 
fleurage,  is  chiefly  confined  to  the  jasmine  and  tuberose, 
the  delicate  aroma  of  which  would  be  injured  by 
heat.  A  series  of  square  glass  frames  are  covered 
with  a  thin  layer  of  purified  grease,  in  which  ridges 


*3afl 


^ 


jV 


I  in    OOMMEM  l  Al.  I  SES  OF  1  I  <>\\  BBS  AM)  PLANTS.      229 

arc  made  to  facilitate  absorption.  Fresh-gathered 
flowers  are  strewed  on  these,  and  renewed  every  morn- 
ing as  long  as  the  flower  is  in  bloom,  and  by  that  time 
the  grease  has  acquired  a  very  strong  flavour.  The 
same  process  is  used  for  oil,  but  the  frames,  instead  of 
being  mounted  with  glass,  have  a  wire  bottom,  over 
which  is  spread  a  thick  cotton  cloth  soaked  in  olive  oil. 
Flowers  are  laid  on  in  the  same  way,  and  the  cloths 
submitted  to  high  pressure  to  extract  the  oil  when  sat- 


: 

i     «  \»t  6       L-JVf?    M 


ticiently  impregnated     These  frames  are  piled  on  each 
other  to  keep  them  sir-tight. 

A  new  mode  of  enfleurage  has  been  lately  devised  by- 
Mr.  D.  Semeria,  of  Nice,  and  found  to  offer  advantages 
over  that  just  described.  Instead  of  laying  the  flowers 
on  the  grease,  he  spreads  them  on  a  fine  net  mounted  on 
a  separate  frame.  This  net  is  introduced  between  two 
glass  frames  covered  on  both  .sides  with  grease.  The 
whole  Belies  of  frames  is  inclosed  in  an  air-tight  re©  BS, 


m 


\  ; 


JN  ' 


-£Srb 


230 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


and  all  that  is  required  is  to  draw  out  the  nets  every 
morning  and  fill  them  with  fresh  flowers,  which  give 
their  aroma  to  the  two  surfaces  with  which  thcv  are  in 
contact.  This  system  saves  the  waste  and  labour  re- 
sulting from  having  to  pick  the  old  flowers  from  the 
surface  of  the  grease,  and  produces  also  a  finer  fragrance. 
A  very  curious  pneumatic  apparatus  for  the  same 
purpose  has  been  invented  by  Mr.  Piver,  the  eminent 


m 


?:: 


U$> 


M 


■J* 


-Vl 


Parisian  perfumer,  who  submitted  a  plan  of  it  to  the 
jury  at  the  last  Exhibition.  It  consists  in  a  series  of 
perforated  plates,  supporting  flowers  placed  alternately 
with  sheets  of  glass  overlaid  with  grease,  in  a  chamber 
through  which  a  current  of  air  is  made  to  pass  several 


THE  COMMERCIAL  USES  OF  FLOWERS   \M>  PLANTS. 


231 


,-■/       times,  until  all  the  scent  of  tlie  (lowers  becomes  fixed 
into  the  grease. 

Ano  less  remarkable  invention  is  that  of  Mr.  Millon, 
a  French  chemist,  who  found  means  to  extract  the  aroma 
of  flowers  by  placing  them  in  a  percolating  apparatus 
and  pouring  over  them  some  ether,  or  sulphuivt  of  car- 
bon, which  is  drawn  off  a  few  minutes  after,  and  carries 
with  it  all  the  fragrant  molecules.      It  is  afterwards  dis- 


JS 


>'■! 


View  of  N  ice. 


tilled  to  dryness,  and  the  result  obtained  is  a  solid  waxy 
\.  mass  possessing  the  scent  of  the  flower  in  its  purest  and 
f  most   concentrated   form.      This   process,   although   very 

ingenious,  has  not  received  any  practical  application  as 
vet.  owing  to  tin-  expense  attending  i'.  some  of  these 


- 


THE    BOOK   OF    PERFUMES. 


vns 


concrete  essences  costing  as  much  as  £50  an  ounce.  It 
has,  however,  served  to  prove  the  total  imponderability 
of  fragrant  molecules  ;  for  although  this  substance,  from 
its  high  state  of  concentration,  apjiears  at  first  sight  to 
be  the  solidified  principle  of  scent,  if  it  be  treated  several 
times  with  alcohol  it  gradually  loses  all  its  perfume,  and 
yet  the  residue  is  not  found  to  have  lost  one  atom  of  its 
weight. 

Grasse,  Cannes,  and  Nice,  all  in  the  south  of  France, 
and  close  to  each  other,  are  the  principal  towns  where 
the  maceration  and  absorption  processes  are  carried  on. 
There  are  above  one  hundred  houses  engaged  in  these 
operations,  and  in  the  distillation  of  essential  oils,  giving 
employment  during  the  flower  season  to  at  least  ten 
thousand  people.  Nice  is,  perhaps,  the  most  admirably 
situated  of  the  three  for  producing  all  flowers  for 
perfumery  purposes,  and  its  violets  in  particular  are 
superior  to  any  other.  Since  that  town  has  become 
French  a  great  impulse  has  been  given  to  its  manufac- 
ture of  perfumery  materials,  which  had  formerly  to 
pay  customs  duties  on  entering  into  France. 

The  following  are  approximate  quantities  and  values 
of  the  flowers  consumed  in  that  locality  for  preparing 
perfumery  materials : — 

Orange-flowers 2,000,000  lbs.,  worth  about  £40,000 

Roses 600,000,,              „                12,000 

Jasmine 1.50,000  ,,           „               8,000 

Violets  00,000  „           „               4,000 

Cassia    so. 000  „           ,.               6,000 

Tuberose   40,000  „           „               3,000 

These  flowers  are  procured  from  growers  by  private 
contract  or  sold  in  the  market.     The  average  quantities 


* 


! 


THK  (OMMKIiilM.  1  si.s  OP  FLOWERS    UfD   PLANTS.       238 


of  the  following  articles  are  manufactured  with  them 

yearly;  —  700,000    lbs.   of   scented    oils   and    i iiidcs, 

200,000  lbs.  of  rose-water,  l,200,0001bs.  of  orange-flower 

water,  first  quality,1  2,400,000  lbs.  of  orange-flower 
water,  second  quality  ;  1,000  lbs.  of  neroly,  an  essential 
oil  obtained  from  orange-flowers.  The  other  flowers  do 
not  yield  essential  oils,  but  the  latter  are  extensively 
distilled  in  the  same  places  from  aromatic  plants,  such 
as  lavender,  rosemary,  thyme,  geranium,  etc.  Many  of 
inv  fair  readers  have  considered  flowers  hitherto  as 
simply  ornamental :  the  above  figures  will  give  them 
an  idea  of  their  importance  as  an  article  of  commerce. 

Another  branch  of  the  art  of  perfumery  is  the  manu- 
facture of  scents,  cosmetics,  soaps,  and  other  toilet 
requisites.  It  is  carried  on  in  the  principal  cities  of 
Europe,  and  especially  in  London  and  Paris,  which 
may  be  called  the  head-quarters  of  perfumery,  and 
whence  these  products  are  exported  to  all  parts  of  the 
world.  There  are,  it  is  true,  other  manufactories  in 
Germany,  Russia,  Spain,  and  the  United  States,  but 
their  chief  trade  consists  in  counterfeiting  the  articles 
of  the  London  and  Paris  manufacturers,  and  this  can- 
not be  considered  a  legitimate  business. 

The  principal  English  manufacturers  of  perfumery 

and  toilet  6oaps  reside  in  London,  where  they  number 

about  sixty,  employing  a  large  number  of   men  and 

women  ;  for  female  labour  has  been  introduced  for  nearly 

twenty    years  in  all    the   London  manufactories,'-  and 

1  That  is,  distilled  twin  ot«  the  Bowers. 

»  I  beliere  I  wu  the  Bid  t"  emptor  female  labour  in  England,  and  1  am 

happy  to  say  my  example  was  soon  followed  by  my  ton/rim. 


J 


I 


fif^" 


has  been  found  to  answer  very  well  for  all  kinds  of 
work  requiring  more  dexterity  than  strength. 

According  to  the  official  returns  published,  the  ex- 
ports of  perfumery  from  the  United  Kingdom  for  the 
year  1863,  amounted  to  £106,989,  sub-divided  as  will 
be  seen  in  the  following  table ;  wo  must,  however,  say 
that  very  little  reliance  is  to  be  placed  on  these  figures, 
which  do  not  represent  perhaps  one-fourth  of  the  actual 
amount  exported.  Taking,  for  instance,  the  sum  given 
for  Australia  at  £18,921,  it  appears  ridiculously  small ; 
there  are  undoubtedly  several  manufacturers  in  London 
who  each  and  individually  ship  perfumery  to  nearly 
that  amount  every  year,  to  our  Australian  colonies. 

Exports  of  Perfumery  from  the  United  Kingdom  in  1863. 


Countries  to  which  Exported. 

Amounts  declared. 

£2732 
3118 
1980 
2568 
2250 
1968 
5749 
4477 
2149 
1818 
2141 

21914 

18921 
3115 
6004 

101S9 
1003 
1172 
2021 
1717 
9683 

Holland 

Egypt 

liritish  West  Indies 

£  106,989 

THE  <  HMMK1UIAI.  I  BBS  OP  FLOWBBS  AND  PLANTS.       285 

This  table  does  not   inclade   soap;  bvA  as  peri'umed 
soaps  arc  n<>t  particularized,  and  are  confounded  with 

common  ones,  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  any  correct  in- 
formation respecting  the  amount  or  quantity  exported. 

Paris  is  the  great  centre  of  the  manufacture  of  per- 
fumery, which   forms  an   important    item  of  what  are 

called  "  articles  de  Paris."  There  arc  in  that  capital 
one  hundred  and  twenty  working  perfumers,  employing 
about  three  thousand  men  and  women,  and  their  united 
returns  may  be  estimated  at  not  less  than  forty  millions 
of  francs  yearly.  The  amount  of  perfumery  exported 
from  France  alone  reaches  annually  upwards  of  tliirtv 
millions  of  francs,  its  principal  consumers  being  Furope 
and  North  and  South  America ;  whilst  British  per- 
Vumery  is  more  frequently  shipped  to  India,  China,  and 
Australia. 

Next  to  Hungary-water,  the  most  ancient  perfume 
now  in  use  is  eau-de-Cologne,  or  Cologne-water,  which 
was  invented  in  the  last  century  by  an  apothecary  re- 
siding in  that  city.  It  can,  however,  be  made  just  as 
well  anywhere  else,  as  all  the  ingredients  entering  into 
its  composition  come  from  the  South  of  France  and 
Italy.  Its  perfume  is  extracted  principally  from  the 
flowers,  leaves,  and  rind  of  the  fruit  of  the  bitter 
orange,  and  other  trees  of  the  Citrus  species,  which 
blend  well  together,  and  form  an  harmonious  com- 
pound. 

Toilet  vinegar  is  a  sort  of  improvement  on  eau-de- 
Cologne,  containing  balsams  and  vinegar  in  addition. 
Lavender-water  was  formerly  distilled  with  alcohol  from 


=& 


>/f 


THE    HOOK    Of    PERFUMES. 

fresh  flowers,  but  is  now  prepared  by  simply  digesting 
the  essential  oil  in  spirits,  which  produces  the  same 
result  at  a  much  less  cost.  The  finest  is  made  with 
English  oil,  and  the  common  with  French,  which  is 
considerably  cheaper,  but  is  easily  distinguished  by  its 
coarse  flavour. 

Perfumes  for  the  handkerchief  are  composed  in  va- 
rious ways :  the  best  are  made  by  infusing  in  alcohol 
the  pomades  or  oils  obtained  by  the  processes  I  have 
just  described.  This  alcoholate  possesses  the  true  scent 
of  the  flowers  entirely  free  from  the  empyreumatic  smell 
inherent  in  all  essential  oils ;  as,  however,  there  are  but 
six  or  seven  flowers  which  yield  pomades  and  oils,  the 
perfumer  has  to  combine  these  together  to  imitate  all 
other  flowers.  This  may  be  called  the  truly  artistic 
part  of  perfumer}',  for  it  is  done  by  studying  resem- 
blances and  affinities,  and  blending  the  shades  of  scent 
as  a  painter  does  the  colours  on  his  palette.  Thus,  for 
instance,  no  perfume  is  extracted  from  the  heliotrope  ; 
but  as  it  has  a  strong  vanilla  flavour,  by  using  the  latter 
as  a  basis,  with  other  ingredients  to  give  it  freshness,  a 
perfect  imitation  is  produced ;  and  so  on  with  many 
others. 

The  most  important  branch  of  the  perfumer's  art  is 
the  manufacture  of  toilet  soaps.  They  are  generally 
prepared  from  the  best  tallow  soaps,  which  are  remelted, 
purified,  and  scented.  They  can  also  be  made  by  what 
is  called  the  cold  process,  which  consists  in  combining 
grease  with  a  fixed  dose  of  lees.  It  offers  a  certain 
advantage   to   perfumers   for   producing    a   delicately- 


<tft 


scented  soap,  by  enabling  them  to  use  as  a  basis  a  po- 
made instead  of  tat,  which  could  not  be  done  with  the 
Other  process,  as  the  heal  would  destroy  the  fragrance. 
This  soap,  however,  requires  being  kept  for  some  time 
before  it  is  used,  in  order  that  the  saponification  may 
become  complete.  Soft  soap,  known  as  shaving  cream, 
is  obtained  by  substituting  potash  for  soda  lees,  and 
transparent  soap  Ivy  combining  soda  soap  with  alcohol. 
Another  sort  of  transparent  soap  has  been  produced 
lately  by  incorporating  glycerine  into  it,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  about  one-third  to  two-thirds  of  soap. 

The  English  toilet  soaps  are  the  very  best  that  are 
made:  the  French  come  next,  but,  as  tiny  are  not  re- 
melted,  they  never  acquire  the  softness  of  ours.  The 
German  soaps  are  the  very  worst  that  are  manufactured  : 
tlie  cocoa-nut  oil,  which  invariably  forms  their  basis, 
leaves  a  strong  foetid  smell  on  the  hands,  and  their  very 
cheapness  is  a  deception  ;  for  as  cocoa-nut  oil  takes  up 
twice  as  much  alkali  as  any  other  fatty  substance,  the 
soap  produced  with  it  wastes  away  in  a  very  short  time. 

Cosmetics,  pomatums,  washes,  dentifrices,  and  othoi 
toilet  requisites,  are  also  largely  manufactured,  but  they 
are  too  numerous  to  be  described  here  at  full  length; 
nor  shall  T  attempt  to  descant  on  their  respective 
merits,  which  depend,  in  a  great  measure,  upon  the 
skill  of  the  operator,  and  the  fitness  and  purity  of  the 
materials  used.  The  greatest  improvement  effected 
in  these  preparations  lately  has  been  the  introduction 
of  glycerine.     Although  this  Bubstance  was  discovered 

in  the  last  century,  it   is  only  a  few  years  since  medica 


X 


%v?.. 


& 


238 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


men  fully  recognised  and  appreciated  its  merits,  and 
applied  it  to  the  cure  of  skin  diseases,  for  which  it 
answers  admirably.  Perfumers  are  now  beginning  to 
avail  themselves  of  its  wonderful  properties,  and  to 
combine  it  with  their  soaps  and  cosmetics. 

The  volatilisation  of  perfumes  by  means  of  steam  is 
also  a  modern  improvement.  A  current  of  steam  is 
made  to  pass  through  a  concentrated  essence,  from 
which  it  disengages  the  fragrant  molecules,  and  spreads 
them  through  the  atmosphere  with  extraordinary  ra- 
pidity and  force.  A  whole  theatre  may  be  perfumed 
by  this  means  in  ten  minutes,  and  a  drawing-room 
consequently  in  much  less  time.  This  system  has  the 
advantage  of  purifying  the  air,  and  has  been  adopted 
on  that  account  by  some  of  the  hospitals  and  other 
public  institutions. 

Before  concluding  this  chapter  I  shall  venture  to 
offer  to  ladies  a  few  words  of  advice  on  the  choice  of 
their  perfumes  and  cosmetics.  I  feel  that  this  is  deli- 
cate grouni,  but  I  shall  endeavour  to  let  my  remarks 
be  of  a  purely  general  character. 

The  selection  of  a  perfume  is  entirely  a  matter  of 
taste,  and  I  should  no  more  presume  to  dictate  to  a  lady 
which  scent  she  should  choose,  than  I  would  to  an  epicure 
what  wine  he  is  to  drink  ;  yet  I  may  say  to  the  ner- 
vous :  use  simple  extracts  of  flowers  which  can  never 
hurt  you,  in  preference  to  compounds,  which  generally 
contain  musk  and  other  ingredients  likely  to  affect  the 
head.  Above  all,  avoid  strong,  coarse  perfumes  ;  and 
remember,  that  if  a  woman's  temper  may  be  told  from 


r 


Till'.  COMMERCIAL 


KS  AND  PI.lA.NTS. 


her  handwriting,  her  good  lastc  and  good  breeding 
may  as  easily  be  ascertained   by  the  perfume  she  uses. 

Whilst  a  IdiJij  charms  us  with  the  delicate  ethereal 
fragrance  she  sheds  around  her,  aspiring  vulgarity  will 
as  suiily  betray  itself  by  a  mouchoir  redolent  of  common 
perfumes. 

Hair  preparations  are  like  medicines,  and  must  be 
varied  according  to  the  consumer.  For  some  pomatum 
is  preferable,  for  others  oil,  whilst  some,  again,  re- 
quire neither,  and  should  use  hair-washes  or  lotions. 
A  mixture  of  lime-juice  and  glycerine  has  lately  been 
introduced,  and  has  met  with  great  success,  for  it  clears 
the  hair  from  pellicles,  the  usual  cause  of  premature 
baldness.  For  all  these  things,  however,  personal  ex- 
perience is  the  best  guide. 

Soap  is  an  article  of  large  consumption,  and  some 
people  cannot  afford  to  pay  much  for  it ;  yet  I  would 
say,  avoid  tery cheap  soaps,  which  irritate  the  skin  owing 
in  tin-  excess  of  alkali  which  they  contain.  Good  soaps 
are  now  manufactured  at  a  very  moderate  price  by  the 
principal  London  perfumers,  and  ought  to  satisfy  the 
most  economical.  White,  yellow,  and  brown  are  the 
best  colours  to  select. 

Tooth-powders  axe  preferable  to  tooth-pastes.  The 
latter  may  be  pl<  asanter  to  use,  but  the  former  are  cer- 
tainly more  beneficial. 

Lot  ions  tor  the  complexion  require  of  all  other  cosmetics 
to  be  car.  full]  prepared.  Some  are  composed  with  mineral 
poisons,  which  render  them  dangerous  to  use.  although 
they  may  be  effectual  in  coring  certain  skin  diseases. 


n 


wx 


240 


THE    BOOK    OF    TERKTMES. 


There  ought  to  be  always  a  distinction  made  between 
those  that  are  intended  for  healthy  skins,  and  those 
that  are  to  be  used  for  cutaneous  imperfections ;  be- 
sides, the  latter  may  be  easily  removed  without  having 
recourse  to  any  violent  remedies. 

Paints  for  the  face  I  cannot  conscientiously  recom- 
mend. Eouge  is  innocuous  in  itself,  being  made  of 
cochineal  and  safflower  ;  but  whites  are  often  made  of 
deadly  poisons,  such  as  cost  poor  Zelger  his  life  a  few 
•j^~,  months  since.1  The  best  white  ought  to  be  made  of 
mother-of-pearl,  but  it  is  not  often  so  prepared.  To 
professional  people,  who  cannot  dispense  with  these,  I 
must  only  recommend  great  care  in  their  selection ;  but 
to  others  I  would  say,  cold  water,  fresh  air,  and  exercise. 
are  the  best  recipes  for  health  and  beauty ;  for  no  bor- 
rowed charms  can  equal  those  of 

■•  A  woman's  face,  with  Xature's  own  hand  painted." 

1  If.  Zelger  was  a  Belgian  singer  at  the  Royal  Italian  Opera.  During 
^  -j.  the  performance  of  "  Guillaume  Tell."  some  of  the  paint  which  he  had  on 
Si  r  his  hoe  accidentally  entered  his  mouth,  and  he  died  in  consequence,  after 

a  very  paiuful  and  lingering  illness. 


% 


gon,  citrine,  spicy,  ligneous,  radical,  seminal,  balrnv  or 
resinous,  fruity  and  artificial. 

The  animal  series  comprises  only  three  substances — 
musk,  civet,  and  ambergris.  It  is  very  useful  in  per- 
fumery, on  account  of  its  powerful  and  durable  aroma, 
which  resists  evaporation  longer  than  any  other. 

Musk  is  a  secretion  found  in  a  pocket,  or  pod,  under 
the  belly  of  the  musk-deer  (ifosc/nts  mosc/iatus  or  nios- 
chiferus),  a  ruminant  which  inhabits  the  higher  moun- 


.     .-iDeeT  (Moschus  moschiferut.) 

tain  ranges  of  China,  Thibet,  and  Tonquin.  "  It  is  a 
pretty  grey  animal,"  says  Dr.  Hooker,  "the  size  of  a 
roebuck,  and  somewhat  resembling  it,  with  coarse  fur, 
short  horns,  and  two  projecting  teeth  from  the  upper 
jaw,  said  to  be  used  in  rooting  up  the  aromatic  herbs 
from  which  the  Bhoteas  believe  that  it  derives  its 
odour."1  The  male  alone  yields  the  celebrated  per- 
fume, the  best  being  that  which  comes  from  Tonquin. 
The  next  in  quality  is  collected  in  Assam;  whilst  the 
Kaberdeen  musk,  obtained  from  a  variety  of  the  species 

1  Himalayan  Journal,  by  Dr.  Hooker,  vol.  i.,  p.  256. 


« 


MATERIALS    ISEI)    IN    PERFUMERY. 


24.'i 


called  Kubava  (Moschus  Sibiricits),  which  inhabits  the 

Siberian  sido  of   tbose  mountains,  is  the  most  inferior 
of  a!!. 

The  Chinese  have  known  musk  for  many  apes :  they 
rail  it  shay  hemp, — shay  being  the  name  of  the  animal, 
and  heang  meaning  perfume.  Tavernier  is  the  first 
European  traveller  who  mentions  the  precious  drug, 
and  he  says  he  bought  7673  pods  in  one  of  his  journey?, 
which  shows  how  plentiful  it  must  have  been  even  at 
thai  early  period.  He  gives  the  following  description 
of  musk-deer  hunting,  which  takes  place  in  February 
and   March,  when    hunger  drives  these  animals  from 


h. 


^^fcp 


THE    1SOOK   OF   PERFUMES. 

snares,  and  kill  them  with  arrows  and  sticks.  Thev 
are  so  lean  and  exhausted  through  the  hunger  they 
have  endured,  that  they  are  easily  pursued  and  over- 
taken."1 The  foregoing  illustration,  faithfully  copied 
from  a  Chinese  drawing,  in  which  were  wrapped  up 
some  musk-pods  I  purchased  lately,  would  tend  to 
prove  that  the  musk-deer  chase  is  still  carried  on  in 
the  same  manner. 

Musk  is  an  unctuous  substance  of  a  reddish-brown 
colour,  which  soon  becomes  black  by  exposure  to  the  air. 


M, 
§ 


283 


It  is  so  powerful  that,  according  to  Chardin's  authority, 
the  hunter  is  obliged  to  have  his  mouth  and  nose 
stopped  with  folds  of  linen  when  he  cuts  off  the  bag 
from  the  animal,  as  otherwise  the  pungent  smell  would 
cause  haemorrhage,  sometimes  ending  in  death.  As, 
however,  the  natives  take  good  care  to  adulterate  the 
musk  before  they  send  it  to  Europe,  we  are  not  exposed 
to  such  accidents.     The  substances  used  for  this  adul- 

1  Voyage  de  Juan  Buptiste  Tavernicr,  vol.  iv.. 


'h^ 


W^  ^ 


MATERIALS    rsi;n    IX    PEBFUMEBY. 


245 


taration  an  generally  the  blood  or  chopped  liver  of  the 

animal,  which  they  cleverly  insert  into  the  pod,  and 
sometimes  pieces  of  lead  are  introduced  to  increase  the 
weight  Some  even  manufacture  artificial  pods  from 
the  belly  skin,  and  till  them  with  a  mixture  of  musk 
and  other  materials.  Musk,  in  pods,  is  generally  im- 
ported in  caddies  of  twenty  ounces  in  weight  and  the 
price  of  it  varies  from  25a.  to  50s.  per  ounce,  accord- 
ing to  quality.  Grain  musk,  which  is  the  musk  ex- 
tracted from  the  pods,  is  much  dearer.  -Musk  is,  with- 
out any  exception,  the  strongest  and  most  durable  of  all 
known'  perfumes,  and  it  is,  in  consequence,  largely  used 
in  compounds,  its  presence,  when  not  too  perceptible, 
producing  a  very  agreeable  effect. 

The  odour  of  musk  is  not  confined  to  this  species  of 
animals :  it  is  also  to  be  found,  though  in  a  less  degree, 
in  others,  such  as  the  musk-ox,  the  musk-rat,  the  musk- 
duck,  etc.  Chief  Justice  Temple,  of  British  Hon- 
duras, who  presided  at  the  Society  of  Arts  when  I  read 
my  paper  on  perfumery,  assured  the  meeting  that  the 
glands  of  alligators  had  a  strong  musky  odour;  and, 
wishing  to  ascertain  the  fact,  T  procured,  through  the 
kindness  of  my  friend,  Mr.  Edward  Greey,  of  the 
Royal  West  India  Mail  Company,  the  head  of  one  of 
these  monsters:  but  I  must  say  that,  when  the  case 
was  opened,  the  stench  diffused  was  so  great  that 
it  required  some  little  amount  of  courage  to  extract 
the  glands,  and  the  perfume  they  Beamed  to  possess 
was  strongly  suggestive  of  Billingsgate  market  on  a 

hot   day.      Some  polypi,  and,  among  others,  the   Tipula 


I 


m 


■■- 


246 


THE    BOOK    OF    PEEFUMES. 


moschifera,  which  is  found  in  the  Mediterranean,  and 
principally  at  Nice,  give  out  a  musky  smell,  but  of  a 
very  evanescent  nature. 

The  musky  fragrance  likewise  occurs  in  some  vege- 
tables, such  as  the  well-known  yellow-flowered  musk- 
plant,  but  its  intensity  is  not  sufficient  for  extraction. 
The  definition  moschatus  (musky),  is  often  applied  to 
plants  and  flowers ;  but  it  must  not  always  be  taken  in 
its  literal  sense,  for  botanists  are  apt  to  distinguish  by 
this  name  strong  scents,  such  as  the  nutmeg,  which  is 
termed  Mi/risfica  moschata,  although  it  bears  no  resem- 
blance to  musk.  The  so-called  musk-seed,  itself  (Hibiscus 
(tbelmoschu-s)  is  much  more  like  civet  than  musk.  Dr. 
Cloquet  pretends  that  some  preparations  of  gold  and 
other  mineral  substances  have  also  a  musky  fragrance,1 
but  I  have  never  met  with  any  which  bore  out  this 
assertion. 

Civet  is  the  glandular  secretion  of  the  Viicrra  chetta, 


m 


.'17 


* 


India.  It  is  now  chiefly  imported  from  the  Indian 
Archipelago;  but,  formerly,  Dutch  merchante  kept  some 
of  these  cats  at  Amsterdam  in  long  wooden  cages,  and 
had  the  perfume  scraped  from  them  two  or  three  times 
a  week  with  a  wooden  spatula.  Civet,  in  the  natural 
state,  lias  a  most  disgusting  appearance,  and  its  .smell 
is  equally  repulsive  to  the  uninitiated,  who  would  be 
tempted  to  cry  out  with  <  Wper— 

'•  I  cannot  tulk  with  civet  in  the  room, 
A  fine  puss  gentleman  that's  all  perfume; 
The  sight's  enough,  no  need  to  smell  a  beau 
Who  thrusts  bis  nose  into  a  taree  show." 

Yet.  when  properly  diluted  and  combined  with  other 
scents,  it  produces  a  very  pleasing  affect,  and  possesses 
a  much  more  floral  fragrance  than  musk ;  indeed,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  imitate  some  flowers  without 
it.  Its  price  varies  from  20a.  to  30s.  per  ounce,  ac- 
cording to  quality. 

Ambergris  for  a  long  time  puzzled  the  Havana,  whs 
were  at  a  loss  to  account  for  its  origin,  and  thought  it 
at  first  to  be  of  the  same  nature  as  yellow  amber,  whence 
it  derived  its  name  of  grey  amber  {ombre  grit).  It  is 
now  ascertained  beyond  a  doubt  to  bo  generated  by 
the  large-headed  spermaceti  whale  (Phjfteter  macroce- 
phalus),  and  is  the  result  of  a  diseased  state  of  the 
animal,  which  either  throws  up  the  morbific  substance. 
or  dies  of  the  malady,  and  is  eaten  up  by  other  fish)  s. 
In  either  case,  the  ambergris  becomes  loose,  and  is  picked 
up  floating  on  the  sea.  or  is  washed  ashoxe.  It  is  found 
principally   on   the   coasts  of  Greenland,    I'.ra/.il,  India, 

china,  Japan,  etc.,  and  Bometimes  on  the  vesi  cast  ••? 


^^rr^ 


IE 


* ' 


*& 


Ireland.  The  largest  piece  on  record  was  one  weighing 
182  lbs.,  which  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  bought 
from  the  King  of  Tydore.  I  have  in  my  possession  a 
very  curious  specimen  extracted  by  a  North  American 
whaler  from  a  fish  which  he  killed.  Part  of  it  is  quite 
grey,  and  the  remainder  still  black,  which  shows  that 
the  disease  had  not  yet  attained  its  maturity. 

Ambergris  is  not  agreeable  by  itself,  having  a  some- 
what earthy  or  mouldy  flavour,  but  blended  with  other 
perfumes  it  imparts  to  them  an  ethereal  fragrance  un- 
attainable by  any  other  means.  Its  price  varies  very 
much,  according  to  the  quantity  to  be  found  in  the 
market.  I  have  known  it  as  low  as  10s.  and  as  high  as 
50s.  per  ounce. 

The  floral  series  includes  all  flowers  available  for 
perfumery  purposes,  which  hitherto  have  been  limited 
to  eight — viz.,  jasmine,  rose,  orange,  tuberose,  cassie, 
violet,  jonquil,  and  narcissus. 

Jasmine  is  one   of  the   most  agreeable  and   useful 

odours  employed  by  perfumers,  and  highly  valuable  are 

the  fragrant  treasures  which  they  obtain 

"  From  timid  jasmine  buds,  that  keep 
Their  odours  to  themselves  all  day, 
But,  when  the  sunlight  dies  away, 
Let  their  delicious  secret  out."  ' 

It  was  introduced  by  the  Arabs,  who  called  it  Yasmvn, 
hence  its  present  name.  The  most  fragrant  sort  is  the 
Jasminum  odoratkunuun,  which  is  largely  cultivated 
in  the  south  of  France.  It  is  obtained  by  grafting  on 
wild  jasmine,  and  begins   to  bear  flowers   the   second 

1   Light  of  the  Harem. 


Jr 


MATERIALS   DSED    IN    PERFUMERY. 


240 


year.  It  grows  in  the  shape  of  a  bush  from  three 
to  four  feet  high,  and  requires  to  be  in  a  fresh  open 
soil,  well  sheltered  from  north  winds.  The  flowering 
season  is  from  July  to  October.  The  flowers  open 
every  morning  at  six  o'clock  with  great  regularity,  and 
arc  culled  after  sunrise,  as  the  morning  dew  would 
injure  their  flavour.  Each  tree  yields  about  twenty- 
four  ounces  of  flowers. 

We  next  come  to  the  queen  of  flowers,  the  rose — 
the  eternal  theme  of  poets  of  all  ages  and  of  all  nations, 
but  which  for  the  prosaical  perfumer  derives  its  prin- 
cipal charms  from  the  delicious  fragrance  with  which 
Nature  has  endowed  it. 

"  The  rose  looks  fair,  lmt  fairer  we  it  deem 
For  that  sweet  odoni  which  doth  in  it  live."  ' 

And  well  docs  the  perfumer  turn  that  sweetness  to 
account ;  for  he  compels  the  lovely  flower  to  yield 
its  aroma  to  him  in  every  shape,  and  he  obtains  from 
it  an  essential  oil,  a  distilled  water,  a  perfumed  oil, 
and  a  pomade.  Even  its  withered  leaves  are  rendered 
available  to  form  the  ground  of  sachet-powder,  for  they 
retain  their  scent  for  a  considerable  time. 

The  species  used  for  perfumery  is  the  hundred-leaved 
rose  (Rosa  centijolia).  It  is  extensively  cultivated  in 
Turkey,  near  Adrianople,  whence  comes  the  far-famed 
otto  of  roses;  and  in  the  south  of  France,  where 
pomades  and  oils  are  made. 

Rose  trees  are  planted  in  a  cool  ground,  and  may  bo 
exposed  to  the  north  wind  without  any  injury.     They 

1  Shakspcare's  Sonnets,  hv. 


&5 


r 


9* 


~;  '•- 


m 


bear  about  eight  ounces  of  flowers  ill  the  second  year, 
and  twelve  ounces  in  the  following  ones.  The  flowering 
season  is  in  May,  and  the  flowers,  which  generally  open 
during  the  night,  must  be  gathered  before  sunrise,  as 
after  that  time  they  lose  half  their  fragrance. 

The  orange-blossoms  used  for  perfumery  are  those  of 
the  bigarrade  or  bitter  orange-tree  (Citrus  bigarradia). 
They  yield  by  distillation  an  essential  oil  known  under 
the  name  of  ncrohj,  which  forms  one  of  the  chief  ingre- 
dients in  eau-de-Cologne  :  a  pomade  and  an  oil  are  also 
obtained  from  them  by  maceration.  From  the  leaves 
of  the  tree  an  essential  oil  called  petit-grain  is  produced, 
and  from  the  rind  of  the  fruit  another  essence  is  ex- 
pressed, which  is  styled  oil  of  bigarrade.  The  edible 
orange-tree  (Citrus  aurantium)  also  produces  essences, 
but  they  are  of  a  very  inferior  quality,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  that  obtained  from  the  rind,  which  is  called  oil, 
of  Portugal.  These  two  trees  bear  a  great  resemblance 
to  each  other,  but  the  petiole  of  their  leaves 
are  slightly  different ;  that  of  the  bigarrade 
being  in  the  shape  of  a  heart. 

The  largest  bigarrade-tree  plantations  are 
to  be  found  in  the  south  of  France,  in  Calabria, 
-  and  in  Sicily.  This  tree  requires  a  dry  soil, 
with  a  southern  aspect.  It  bears  flowers 
three  years  after  grafting,  increasing  every 
year  until  it  reaches  its  maximum,  when  it  is 
about  twenty  years  old.  The  quantity  de- 
pends on  the  age  and  situation,  a  full-grown  tree  yielding 
on  an  average  from  50  lbs.  to  60  lbs.  of  blossoms.     The 


if 


*a 


M  \n-;i:i  \l.s    i  SED    IX    PEKFt  Ml  K\  . 


251 


flowering  season  is  ill  May,  and  the  flowers  are  gathered 
two  or  three  times  a  week,  after  sunrise. 

The  tuberose  (Po/i/cinf/ics  tuberosa)  is  a  native  of  the 
East  Indies,  where  it  grows  wild,  in  Java  and  Ceylon : 
it  was  first  brought  to  Europe  by  Simon  de  Tovar, 
a  Spanish  physician,  in  1094.  The  Dutch  monopolised 
this  flower  for  some  time,  cultivating  it  in  hothouses, 
but  it  has  now  found  its  way  to  France,  Italy,  and 
Spain,  and  thrives  well  in  those  climates. 

"  Eternal  spring,  with  smiling  verdure  here 
Warms  the  mild  air,  and  crowns  the  youthful  year. 
The  tuherose  ever  breathes,  and  violets  blow." 

It  springs  from  a  bidb  which  is 
planted  in  the  autumn  and  bears 
flowers  the  following  year.  The 
stalk  rises  about  three  feet,  and 
produces  every  day  two  full- 
blown flowers,  which  open  from 
11  a.m.  to  3  p.m.,  according  to 
localities,    but  always    with   the 

most  precise  regularity:  they  r  lbercs'  Pu/J'n""'"'"4"'M'" 
must  be  gathered  immediately,  as  their  fragrance  does 
not  last  long. 

Casaie  (Acacia  farncaiana)  is  a  shrub  of  the  acacia 
tribe,  which  only  grows  in  southern  latitudes.  Its 
height  ranges  from  five  to  six  feet,  and  it  becomes 
covered  in  the  months  of  October  and  November  with 
globular  flowers  of  a  bright  golden  hue,  which,  peering 
through  its  delicate  emerald  foliage,  have  the  prettiest 
effect.      All  those  who  have  travelled  in  that  season  on 


630* 


252 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


the  coast  of  Genoa  will  no  doubt  remember  what 
charming  bouquets  and  garlands  are  made  of  the  cassie 
intermixed  with  other  flowers.  To  perfumers  it  is  a 
most  valuable  assistant,  possessing  in  the  highest  degree 
a  fresh  floral  fragrance,  which 
renders  it  highly  useful  in 
compounds.  It  bears  some 
resemblance  to  the  violet,  and, 
being  much  stronger,  is  oftf  n 
used  to  fortify  that  scent, 
which  is  naturally  weak. 

The  cassie  requires  a  very 
dry  soil,  well  exposed  to  the 
sun's  rays.  The  tree  does 
not  bear  flowers  until  it  is  five  or  six  years  old.  The 
yield  varies  from  1  lb.  to  20  lbs.  for  every  tree,  ac- 
cording to  age  and  position.  The  blossoms  are  gathered 
three  times  a  week  after  sunrise :  a  very  strong  oil 
and  pomade  is  obtained  from  them  by  maceration.  In 
Africa,  and  principally  in  Tunis,  an  essential  oil  of 
cassie  is  made,  which  is  sold  at  about  £4  per  ounce ;  but 
French  and  Italian  flowers  are  not  sufficiently  powerful 
to  yield  an  essence. 

The  violet  is  one  of  the  most  charming  odours  in 
nature,  and  well  might  Shakspeare  exclaim — 

"  Sweet  thief,  whence  didst  thou  steal  thy  sweet  that  smells, 
It'  not  from  my  love's  breath?" 

It  is  a  scent  which  pleases  all,  even  the  most  delicate 
and  nervous,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  it  shoidd  be  in 
such  universal  request.     The  largest  and  almost  only 


> 


violet  plantations  have  hitherto  been  at  Nice,  its  excep- 
tional position  rendering  it  the  most  available  spot  for 
them.  The  species  used  is  the  double  Parma  violet 
(Viola  odorata).  It  requires  a  very  cool  and  shady 
ground,  and  is  generally  placed  in  the  orange  and 
citron  groves,  at  the  foot  of  the  trees,  which  screen  it 
with  their  thick  foliage  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  It 
flowers  from  the  beginning  of  February  to  the  middle 
of  April,  and  each  plant  yields  but  a  few  ounces  of 
blossoms,  which  are  culled  twice  a  week  after  sunrise. 

Jonquil  (Narcissus  j'onquiia),  and  narcissus  (Narcissus 
odorata),  are  two  bulbous  plants  which  are  also  culti- 
vated for  perfumery  purrjoses,  but  in  much  smaller 
quantities  than  any  of  those  already  mentioned,  their 
peculiar  aroma  rendering  their  use  limited.  The  former 
is  to  be  found  chiefly  in  the  south  of  France,  and  the 
latter  in  Algeria.  Mignonnette,  lilac,  and  hawthorn 
are  also  sometimes  worked  into  pomades,  but  on  such 
a  small  scale  that  they  are  not  worth  mentioning.  The 
extracts  named  after  those  ilowers  are  generally  pro- 
duced by  combination. 

The  herbal  series  comprises  all  aromatic  plants,  such 
as  lavender,  spike,  peppermint,  rosemary,  thyme,  mar- 
joram, geranium,  patchouly,  and  wintergreen,  which 
yield  essential  oils  by  distillation. 

Lavender  was    extensively   used  by   the  Romans  in 

their  baths,  whence  it  derived  its  name. l     It  is  a  nice, 

clean  scent,  and  an  old  and  deserving  favourite.     The 

best  lavender  (Laraiuliila  vera)  is  grown  at  Mitcham, 

1  From  tin'  Latin  favor*,  "to  wash." 


-'    '     , 


s& 


-  .  - 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


in  Surrey,  and  at  Hitchin,  in  Hertfordshire.  It  is  pro- 
duced by  slips,  which  are  planted  in  the  autumn,  and 
yield  flowers  the  next  year  and  the  two  following  ones, 
when  they  are  renewed.  Mr.  James  Bridges,  the  largest 
English  distiller  of  lavender  and  peppermint,  cultivates 
these  two  plants  on  an  extensive  scale  near  Mitcham. 
During  the  flower  season  he  has  three  gigantic  stills  in 
operation,  each  able  to  contain  about  one  thousand  gallons. 

A  great  deal  of  essence  of  lavender  is  also  manufac- 
tured in  France;  but,  as  I  said  before,  it  is  very  inferior 
to  that  made  in  England.  It  is  obtained  from  the 
same  plant,  which  grows  wild  in  great  abundance  in 
most  Alpine  districts.  Portable  stills  are  carried  into 
the  mountains,  and  the  herb  distilled  on  the  spot. 
The  same  process  is  used  for  rosemary  and  thyme. 

Spike  (Lavandula  spica)  is  a  coarser  species  of  laven- 
der, which  is  principally  used  for  mixing  with  the 
other,  or  for  scenting  common  soaps.  A  third  sort  of 
lavender  (Lavandula  stoec/ias)  has  a  beautiful  odour,  and 
would  yield  a  very  fragrant  essence,  but  it  is  very 
scarce  in  France :  the  only  places  where  I  met  with  it 
in  quantities  are  Spain  and  Portugal,  and  there  it  is 
only  used  to  strew  the  floors  of  churches  and  houses  on 
festive  occasions,  or  to  make  bonfires  on  St.  John's  day,  a 
custom  formerly  observed  in  England  with  native  plants. 

Peppermint  (Mentha  piperita)  is  more  used  by  con- 
fectioners than  perfumers,  yet  the  latter  find  it  useful 
in  tooth-powders  and  washes.  It  is,  like  lavender,  best 
grown  in  England,  the  foreign  being  very  inferior. 
The  American  comes  next  to  the  English  in  quality. 


m 


WL 


3u 


\& 


•m 


u 


i& 


•^a 


MATERIALS    1  M.I)    IN    PERFUMERS. 


2o5 


Rosemary  (Mosmarinua  officinalis)  is  another  plant  of 
the  labiate  order,  which  yields  a  powerful  essence, 
used  chiefly  for  scenting  soap.  The  resemblance  of  its 
Savour  to  that  of  camphor  is  very  remarkable. 

There  are  two  sorts  of  thyme  distilled — ordinary 
thyme  {Thymus  vulgaris),  and  wild  thyme,  or  scrpolet 
(Thymus  serpyttum).  Marjoram  (Origana  majorana)  be- 
longs to  the  same  class. 

The  rose-geranium  (Pv/argoiiiuni  odoratissimnm)  yields 
an  essence  which  is  greatly  prized  by  perfumers  on 
account  of  its  powerful  aroma,  by  means  of  which  they 
impart  a  rosy  fragrance  to  common  articles  at  a  much 
less  cost  than  by  using  otto  of  roses,  which  is  worth  six 
times  as  much.  It  is  cultivated  in  the  south  of  France, 
Algeria,  and  Spain.  The  latter  produces  the  finesl 
essence,  which  is  principally  obtained  from  the  fertile 
"  Hucrta  de  Yalentia." 

Patchouli   (Pogostemon  patchouli)  comes  from  India, 
where  it  is  known  under  the  name 
of  puchaput.     It  has  a  most  pecu- 
liar flavour,  which  is  as  offensive 
in  some  as  it  is  agreeable  toothers. 

Wintergreen  ( Qaultheriaprocum- 
bens)  we  receive  from  North  Ame-      jt^f 
fica.     This  essence  is  exceedingly  F^^^\ 
powerful,  and  requires  to  be  used 
with    great   caution  to   produce  a 
pleasing  effect    Well  blended  with 

others    in    soap,    it    imparts    to    it    a    rich   jloral    fra- 
grance. 


f 


rS 


1  NviS**  256  THE    BOOK   OF    PERFUMES. 


The  andropogon1  series  embraces  three  sorts  of  aro- 
matic grasses,  which  grow  abundantly  in  India,  and 
principally  in  Ceylon,  whence  we  obtain  their  essential 
oils.  They  are  the  Andropogon  scltananthus,  or  lemon- 
grass,  which  is  used  to  imitate  verbena,  having  a  some- 
what similar  fragrance;  the  Andropogon  titration,  or 
citronella,  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  perfume  of 
honey  soap ;  and  the  Andropogon  nardus,  or  ginger- 
grass  oil,  improperly  called  Indian  geranium,  which  I 
'£ §*C  have  already  mentioned  in  Chapter  YIII.  The  chief 
use  of  the  latter  in  the  East,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  is  to 
adulterate  otto  of  roses,  which  costs  from  30s.  to  40s. 
per  ounce,  whilst  the  other  oil  is  scarcely  worth  one 
shilling  per  ounce. 

The  citrine  series  comprises  bergamot  (Citrus  bcrga- 
mia),  sweet  orange  (Citrus  aurantium),  bitter  orange 
(Citrus  biyarradia),  lemon  (Citrus  medico),  cedrat  {Ci- 
trus ccdrata),  and  limette  (Citrus  limctta).  Essential 
oils  are  expressed  or  distilled  from  the  rind  of  all 
these  fruits,  as  described  in  the  last  chapter. 

The  spice  series  includes  cassia,  cinnamon,  cloves, 
mace,  nutmeg,  and  pimento. 

Cassia,  which  was,  like  cinnamon,  well  known  and 
highly  prized  by  the  ancients,  is  distilled  from  the 
Laurus  cassia,  a  tree  of  the  laurel  tribe,  which  is  abun- 
dant in  the  East  Indies  and  China. 

Cinnamon  belongs  to  the  same  class,  and  is  extracted 
from  the  bark  of  the  Laurus  einnamomum.     A  coarser 


¥ 


dyoy,  so  called  because  this  grass  resembles  a  man's 


it 


w- K  - ' 


.-.! 


/ 


sisf 


r\.t  -*,■/    ; 


Ij         IP 


^*J 


ra3 


MUKKIALS    USED    IN    PERFUMERY.  ~'oi 

essence  is  likewise  obtained  l'rom  the  leaves  of  the  same 
tree. 

Cloves  are  the  flower-buds  of  the  CarijoplojUas  aro- 
matic as,  a  tree  found  in  the  Indian  Archipelago.  The 
finest  come  from  Zanzibar.  The  essence  is  chiefly 
used  for  scenting  soap ;  but,  when  in  infinitesimal 
quantities,  it  also  blends  well  with  some  handkerchief 
scents,  and  principally  with  the  carnation  and  clove- 
pink,  the  fragrance  of  which  it  closely  resembles. 


Cloves  Nutmeg 

Mace  and  nutmeg  are  both  produced  by  the  Myris- 
iica  moschata,  the  latter  being  the  fruit  of  that  tree, 
and  the  former  one  of  its  envelopes,  or  husks. 

Pimento,  or  allspice,  is  the  berry  of  the  Eugenia 
pimento,  from  which  an  essential  oil  is  distilled, 
which,  like  the  two  last  named,  is  used  for  perfuming 
soap. 

The  ligneous  series  consists  of  sandal-wood,  rose- 
wood, rhodium,  cedar-wood,  and  sassafras. 

Sandal-wood  comes  from  the  East,  where  it  is  highly 


m 


258 


THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 


3 


esteemed  as  ihc  perfume  par  excellence,  forming  the 
ground  of  all  toilet  preparations.  There  are  several 
species,  tlie  best  being  the  Santalum  citrinutn,  from 
which  the  essential  oil  used  by  perfumers  is  chiefly 
distilled.  I  observed,  in  the  last  Exhibition,  some  very 
fine  specimens  from  Western  Australia  and  Xew  Cale- 
donia. 

Rosewood  (Lignum  aspalathum),  rhodium  (Convolvulus 
scoparia),  and  cedar-wood  (Juniperus  virginiana)  like- 
wise yield  essential  oils,  which  are,  however,  but  little 
used  by  perfumers. 


Sassafras,  distilled  from  the  Laurus  sassafras,  a  tree 
Avhich  grows  abundantly  in  North  America,  is  a  very 
useful  essence  for  soap,  on  account  of  its  fresh  and 
powerful  aroma. 

The  radical  series  is  confined  to  orris-root  and 
vetivert. 

Orris,  or  iris,  is  the  rhizome  of  the  Iris  Florentina, 
which  is  extensively  cultivated  in  Italy,  and  principally 
in  Tuscanv.     It  exhales,  when  dry,  a  delightful  violet 


Of 


■•'V'V  '^- v  " 


MATBRIALS   D8BD   IX    PERFTJMEM 


fragrance,  which  renders  it  very  useful  for  scenting 
i,,ii  i,  sachet,  and  tooth  powders.     When  infused  in 

spirits  it  loses  the  violet  odour,  owing  to  the  resinous 
matters  contained  in  it,  which  become  dissolved  and 
overpower  it ;  but  it  is  still  sufficiently  pleasant  to  form 
the  bafiifi  of  many  cheap  perfumes. 

Vetivert,  or  kus-kus,  is  the  rhizome  of  the  Anatherum 
murlcatum,  which  grows  wild  in  India,  as  mentioned  in 
a  former  chapter.  Tt  forms  the  basis  of  the  perfume 
called  moussclinc,    which   derived    its   name   from    the 


Diptcrix  Odcrat.i 

peculiar  odour  of  Indian  muslin,  which  had  formerly 
great  repute  in  Europe,  and  which  was  scented  with 
this  root  by  the  natives.  Some  of  the  Cyprus  spec:.  -  in 
India  also  possess  fragrant  roots,  but  they  are  little 
used  in  Europe. 

The    seminal     series     includes    aniseed    [Pimpinella 
orkwh),  dill   (Anethum  grwoeolem),   fennel  (Anetktm 

fcen>C>ili'i)A.  and  carraway  (Canon  rarnh,  all  umbelli- 
ferous plants,  with  aromatic  seeds  which  yield  essential 


.V 


-3^ 


X 


■COV  THE    BOOK    OF    PERFUMES. 

oils.  The  last-named  is  the  most  largely  used.  Musk- 
seed,  obtained  from  the  Hibiscus  abclmoschus,  belongs 
also  to  the  same  series. 

The  balmy  and  gummy  series  comprises  balsam  of 
Peru,  balsam  of  Tolu,  benzoin,  styrax,  myrrh,  and 
camphor.  "With  the  exception  of  the  last,  they  are  all 
exudations  from  various  trees ;  balsam  of  Peru  being 
obtained  from  the  Myroxylon  Peruiferion,  balsam  of 
Tolu  from  the  Tohiifcr  balsamum,  benzoin  (or  gum- 
benjamin)  from  the  Styrax  benzoin,  and  myrrh  from 
the  Balsamodendron  myrrha.  The  four  first-named 
possess  a  fragrance  somewhat  similar  to  vanilla,  but 
less  delicate.  Myrrh  was  the  most  esteemed  perfume 
in  ancient  times,  but  tastes  must  have  changed  since, 
for  it  is  now  but  little  in  request,  and  then  only  for 
dentifrices.  Camphor,  which  is  more  used  in  medicine 
than  perfumery,  is  obtained  by  boiling  the  wood  of  the 
Lavrus  camphora,  a  tree  found  principally  in  China 
and  Japan,  and  in  which  the  guru  exists  ready 
formed. 

The  fruity  series  includes  bitter  almonds,  Tonquin 
beans  and  vanilla.  The  essential  oil  of  bitter  almonds 
is  obtained  by  distilling  the  dry  cake  of  the  fruit 
after  the  fat  oil  has  been  pressed  out.  It  con- 
tains from  eight  to  ten  per  cent,  of  prussic  acid, 
which  can  be  removed  by  re-distilling  it  over 
potash. 

Tonquin  beans  are  the  fruit  of  the  Dipterix  odoratu, 
a  tree  which  grows  in  the  West  Indies  and  South 
America. 


MATERIALS   C8ED   IN    PBRFUMERY. 


l^>r-^T; 


261 


Vanilla  is  tho  bean  of  a  beautiful  creeper  [Vanilla 

planifoHa)  which  is  a  native  of  Mexico,  hut  has  lately 
been  introduced  into  the  French  island  of  Reunion, 
where  it  thrives  admirably.  This  colony  now  yields 
annually  more  than  12,000  lbs.  of  the  costly  perfume, 
and  among  the  many  beautiful  specimens  shown  at  the 
last  Exhibition,  nine  were  deemed  worthy  of  medals  or 
of  honourable  mention.  A  sort  of  bastard  vanilla, 
called  vanilloes,  is  obtained  from  the  Vanilla  Pompona, 
which  is  found  in  the  West  Indies  and  Guiana. 


> 


Vanilla  Plant 

The  artificial  series  comprises  all  the  various  flavours 
produced  by  chemical  combinations.  Of  these  the  most 
extensively  used  in  perfumery  is  the  nitro-benzine, 
usually  called  mirbanc,  or  artificial  essence  of  almonds. 
This  is  obtained  by  treating  rectified  naphtha  with  nitric 
acid  and  sulphuric  acid,  or  sometimes  with  nitric  acid 
alone.  The  naphtha  is  poured  slowly  through  a  tube 
into  the  acids,  decomposition  follows,  and  the  essence 
is  found  floating  on  the  surface.     Artificial  essences  of 


"'""S-jT1 


THK    HOOK    OF    PERFIMK*. 


lenion  and  cinnamon  have  also  been  produced,  but  have 
not  been  brought  to  sufficient  perfection  to  be  available 
for  practical  use.  Besides  these,  artificial  essences 
imitating  fruit  flavours  are  manufactured,  but  princi- 
pally for  making  confectionery.  The  pear  essence  is 
an  amylic  ether ;  the  apple  essence,  a  valerianic  ether, 
containing  amyl ;  and  the  pine-apple  essence,  a  butyric 
ether.  The  whole  of  these  require  to  be  diluted  with 
five  or  six  times  their  weight  of  alcohol,  to  develop 
their  flavour. 

This  closes  the  list  of  materials  used  hitherto  by 
perfumers ;  but  there  are  many  other  fragrant  treasures 
dispersed  all  over  the  globe,  which,  from  want  of 
communication,  or  the  difficulty  of  extraction,  have  not 
yet  found  their  way  to  our  laboratories,  but  may  do 
so  at  some  future  time. 

The  various  floral  essences  distilled  in  the  East 
Indies  I  have  noticed  in  a  former  chapter.  The 
imperfect  way  in  which  they  are  made,  and  their 
very  high  price,  preclude  us  from  making  any  use 
of  them,  but  these  two  obstacles  may  one  day  be 
removed. 

In  Australia  there  are  many  trees  with  fragrant 
leaves,  and  principally  the  Tasmanian  peppermint 
(Eucalyptus  amyydalina),  the  peppermint-tree  (Euca- 
lyptus odorala)  the  blue  gum-tree  (Eucalyptus  globulus), 
&c.  Essential  oils  distilled  from  these  leaves  were 
shown  at  the  last  Exhibition ;  and  although  described 
in  the  catalogue  as  only  fit  for  painting  purposes,  I 
expressed  an    opinion    that    they   might   be    rendered 


N6 


:■ 


MATERIALS    USED    IS    PERFUMERY. 


263 


available  for  perfumery.  An  experiment  which  I  made 
with  the  oil  of  Eucalypti's  amygdoima  (possessing  a 
strange  flavour  of  nutmegs  combined  with  peppermint) 

confirmed  me  in  that  idea  ;  and  I  am  pleased  to  find  that 
colonists  have  turned  their  attention  to  the  subject,  and 
are  now  sending  these  oils  to  our  markets.  The  wattle 
flower  is  also  very  abundant  in  those  ports,  and  as  it 
closely  resembles  the  cassia  in  fragrance,  it  might 
be  turned  to  good  account.  I  received  not  long  since 
from  Tasmania  a  .specimen  of  pomade  made  from  the 
flowers  of  the  silver-wattle  (Acacia  dealbata),  but  it 
was  very  interior,  owing  to  the  want  of  experience  in 
the  operator.  New  South  Wales  and  Queensland  pro- 
duce myall-wood  (Acacia pendula),  which  has  an  intense 
and  delightful  smell  of  violets,  a  very  scarce  odour  in 
nature. 

Among  other  novel  odorous  products  shown  at 
the  Exhibition,  I  may  mention  Alyxia  aromcitica,  a 
fragrant  bark  from  Cochin-China ;  another  bark  from 
New  Caledonia,  called  Ocotea  aromatica  ;  and  a  highly- 
scented  wood  (Licoria  odorata)  from  French  Guiana, 
which  has  a  strong  flavour  of  bergamot. 

For  the  convenience  of  persons  curious  or  interested 
in  this  matter,  I  have  subjoined  a  table,  where  all  the 
principal  materials  used  for  perfumery  are  classed  in 
alphabetical  order.  Besides  these,  as  I  said  before, 
there  is  a  vast  number  of  aromatic  plants  and  flowers 
which  have  not  yet  been  made  available  for  the  per- 
fumer's art.  The  Flora  of  Nice  alone  furnishes  above 
hundred  and  fifty  difFerenl  specimens,  of  which  the 


.AT 


Amygdalus  amara Northern  Africa. 

und  floating1  on  the  sea, 
i  Secretion  of  the  Physctcr  macro-    )     or  on  the  coasts  of  India, 

cephalus i     China,  Japan, Greenland, 

\  '     and  other  places. 

Mmpinella  anisum North  of  Europe. 

Illiciura  onisatum China  and  Japan. 

Myroxylon  peruiferum     ....    J  W^Sm^  "'  ^"^ 

Toluifera  balsatuum i 

Styrax  benzoin j  Siam,  Sumatra,  and  Singa- 

Citrus  Bergamia  rind  ....    Calabria  and  Sicily. 

Citrus  bigaradia  rind |  Italy. 

Laurus  camphora China  and  Japan. 

Cm  caru:  '  England,    (urroany,   and 

Croton  cascarilla j  Bahama  Tshnd*. 

i  Cassia East  Indie*  and  China. 

Acacia  farnesiana )  s< »{&£  :^^njU,1>'* 

i  PinusCedra  and  Junipers  Vir-  i    t  Syria,  Dnilrd  States,  and 

giniana I    j      Hondura-. 

fJUroa  eedrata  rind South  of  France  and  Italy. 

Laura  Cmnamommn  hark  .     .     .     Ceylon. 
*  of  the  same  plant      .     .     .  ,  Ditto. 
I  Andropogon  Citratum      ....    Ditto. 
|  Secretion  of  the  Viverra  Civetta    .    |  Llftj   Archipelago,   and  j 

(      Africa. 
M  Flower  bud  of  the  Can  nphylliiM    »  Inrlian   Archipelago,  and 

*      ;tr«i:iiaticus (    |      Zanzibar. 

Anethum  graveolcn-; England. 

I  Ancthura  fccniculuin Smith  of  France. 

,  Pelargonium  odorati.simum     .     .    I  ***    "f    > '^ce.    Iuly,  ! 
:  )       Alccria,  ai.d  >pam. 

|  Andropogon  nardus j  Ceylon. 

Root  of  the  Iris  florentina    .     ■     .    Italy. 

u«»i~»— w— «  ■  •  •  r^Ls ■■*• 

,  N,irri->us  Jnnquila >outh  of  France  and  Italy. 

I  Cerasus  lauro-cerasus  leaves     .     .  Ditto. 

i_  ,   ,  i  England.  South  of  France, 

Lavandula  vera |       *nd  ,ta]v 

,.  i  Coast  of  Genoa,  Calabria. 

*       Sirilv.  and  Spain. 


APPENDIX. 


NAMES. 
Lemon  grass     . 

WHENCE  EXTRACTED. 

PLACE  OF  PRODUCTION. 

Andropogon  Schamantaus    .     .     . 

Ceylon. 

Lunette    .    .    . 

South  of  France. 

Mace    .... 

Expressed  from  the  refuse  nutmegs 

Indian  Archipelago. 

Marjoram     .     . 

South  of  France. 

Mirbane   .     .     . 

t  Nitrobenzme  or  artificial  eseen-  i 
\      tial  oil  of  almonds .     .     .     .     i 

England  and  France. 

Musk  .... 

\  Secretion  of  the  Moschus  mos-  { 

Thibet,  China,  and  Siberia. 

Musk  seed    .     . 

Hibiscus  abelmoschus       .... 

West  Indies. 

Myrtle      .     .     . 
Myrrh      .     .     . 

South  of  France. 

P.ilsamodendron  Myrrba      .    .    . 

East  Indies  and  Arabia. 

Narcissus      .     . 

Algeria. 

Neruli    (bigar-  / 
rade)      .     .     \ 

Citrus  Bigaradia  flowers  .... 

I  South  of  France,  Italy, 
ji      and  Algeria. 

Neroli  (Portu-  / 
gal)  .     .     .     \ 

Nutmeg    .     .     . 

Citrus  aurantiura  flowers      .     .     . 

Ditto. 

Indian  Archipelago. 

Orange  or  Por-  ( 

Citrus  aurantium  rind      .... 

Calabria  and  Sicily. 

Orange  flower  . 

Citrus  Bigaradia  flowers  .... 

South  of  France  and  Italy. 

Patchouly     .     . 

Pogostemon  Patchouli     .... 

India  and  China. 

Peppermint .     . 

England  and  United  States. 

Petit  grain  (bi-  \ 
garrade)    .    J 

Citrus  Bigaradia  leaves    .... 

\  South  of  France  and  Al- 
j      geria. 

Petit     grain     i 
(Portugal)      i 

Citrus  aurantium  leaves  .... 

Ditto. 

Rose    .... 

\  South  of  France,  Italy 
)      and  Turkey. 

Rosemary     .     . 

Rosmarinus  officinalis      .... 

South  of  France. 

Ruse  wood     .     . 

Lignum  aspalathum 

South  America. 

r  India,  China,  Indian  Ar- 

Sandalwood  .     . 

\  chipelago,andWestAus- 
(.     tralia. 

Sassafras  .     .     . 

United  States. 

Serpolet   .    .    . 

South  of  France. 

Spike  .... 

Lavandula  Bpica 

Ditto. 

Styrax       .     .     . 

Liquidambar  styraciflua  .... 

Turkey. 

Thyme      .     .    . 

South  of  France. 

Tonquin   .    .     . 

Beans  of  the  Diptcrix  odorata  .     . 

*  South  America  and  West 
»      Indies 

Tuberose .     .     . 

Polianthes  tuberosa 

South  of  France  and  Italy. 

Vanilla     .     .     . 

Pod  of  the  Vanilla  planil'olia      .     . 

Mexico. 

Verbena    .     ,     . 

Aloysia  citriodora 

Spain. 

Violet  .... 

South  of  France  and  Italy. 

Vitivert    .     .    . 

Anatherum  murieatum     .... 

India. 

Wintergreen 

Oaultheria  procuinbens    .... 

United  States. 

STKPntN    AIS1J.N,    PRINTER,    HKRTFOU 


OPINIONS     OF     THE     PRESS 

Mr.  Rimmel  provides  113  with  au  amusing,  and  not  only  amusing  but 
also  instructive,  history  of  Perfumery, — showing  how  it  was  used  by  the 
ancients,  how  it  is  used  by  the  moderns,  how  perfumes  are  extracted  and 
preserved,  and  how  they  are  to  be  classified  and  appreciated. — Times. 

The  "Book  of  Perfumes"  is  a  very  entertaining  production.  It 
embraces  a  great  variety  of  subjects,  which  have  been  thoroughly  in- 
vestigated, and  which  are  very  interesting  to  the  reader,  intrinsically, 
and  by  the  author's  manner. — Morning  Post,  January  17,  1865. 

A  delicious  book,  radiant  to  the  eye,  fragrant  to  the  nostrils — emblazoned, 
gilt-edged,  illustrated,  odoriferous!— Sun,  January  6,  1865. 

The  book  itself  is  perfumed,  beautifully  printed  and  illustrated,  and  con- 
tains all  that  the  most  devoted  lover  of  scent  can  be  taught  concerning 
their  origin,  history,  and  various  modes  of  preparation. — Glebe,  January 
19,  1865. 

The  reader  who  seeks  for  a  pleasant  history  on  the  pleasant  subject  of 
perfumes  can  nowhere  find  a  more  deeply  read,  clearer  and  more  com- 
municative guide  and  instructor  than  Mr.  Rimmel. — Morning  Advertiser, 
January  6,  1865. 

This  really  elegant  and  sweetly  smelling  volume  is  not  a  mere  illustra- 
tion of  Mr.  Rimmel's  skill  as  a  practical  perfumer;  it  shows  also  that  he 
understands  the  philosophy  of  his  subject,  and  can  write  like  a  scholar  and 
a  man  of  sense  and  good  taste. — Court  Circular,  January  14,  1865. 

The  book  in  this  instance  is  a  good  one,  full  of  odd,  out-of-tbe-way 
information  upon  a  subject  which  once  interested  all  mankind  and  now 
interests  almost  all  women. — Spectator,  January  7,  1865. 

Mr.  Rimmel,  the  famous  perfumer  of  London  and  Paris,  has  produced  a 
book  which  is  not  a  vulgar  puff  for  his  own  business,  but  is  really  a  learned, 
elegant,  and  fascinating  volume  on  one  of  the  most  fascinating  of  topics. — 
London  Reciew,  January  21,  1865. 

The  volume  is  full  of  woodcuts,  some  of  which  are  very  good,  and  con- 
tains a  great  deal  of  curious  information  collected  by  a  person  who  is  well 
and  practically  acquainted  with  the  subject  on  which  he  writes. —  The 
Reader,  January  2-,  1865. 

There  is  much  that  will  amuse  the  general  reader,  and  that  may  be 
practically  useful  and  agreeable. — Athoucum,  January  21,  1865. 

Mr.  Rimmel  unites  with  his  ploBHrOl  speeches  much  learning.  He  is  at 
once  a  lover  of,  and  a  master  in,  his  art.     Press,  January  21,  1865. 


•'  •!< 


^ 


'-\ 


OPINIONS   OF   THE    PRESS. 

In  this  volume  Mr.  Rimmcl  has  rendered  a  real  service.  The  informa- 
tion it  contains  he  has  drawn  from  a  large  variety  of  sources,  and  he  has 
condensed  and  epitomised  it  with  remarkable  skill.  His  work  is  written 
in  a  free,  flowing,  and  slightly  humorous  style,  not  unmixed  with  a  tone 
of  sagacious  and  philosophic  satire.  —Sunday  Times,  January  22,  1865. 

It  is  the  very  book  for  a  lady  who  is  disposed  to  improve  an  hour's 
leisure,  and  who  cares  to  know  something  of  the  history  and  mystery  of 
her  own  toilet. — Englishwoman' s  Magazine,  January,  1865. 

The  work  is  profusely  illustrated  by  copies  of  ancient  and  modern  draw- 
ings, and  will  be  found  not  only  an  elegant  but  a  really  instructive  volume. 
—  Observer,  January  8,  1865. 

A  large  number  of  quaint  and  characteristic  illustrations  embellish  the 
work,  which  will  possess  an  interest  for  many.— Journal  of  the  Society  of 
Arts,  January  6,  1865. 

The  book  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  paper,  binding,  and  typography ;  is 
profusely  illustrated  with  engravings,  and  altogether  forms  an  elegant  and' 
appropriate  casket  for  the  very  fragrant  articles  it  contains. —  United  Service 
Gazette,  January  14,  1865. 

This  "  Book  of  Perfumes"  is  really  a  marvel,  for  it  is  the  first  of  its  kind 
as  far  as  we  know  :  it  is  the  first  book  which  presumed  to  engage  the 
attention,  please  the  eye,  and  delight  the  nose  at  the  same  time. — Army 
and  Navy  Gazette,  January  21,  1865. 

This  book  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  typography,  no  less  than  a  clever 
exposition  of  the  subject  on  which  it  treats. — Bell's  Weekly  Messenger, 
January  21,  1865. 

Mr.  Kimniel  has  left  no  side  of  his  subject  without  turning  upon  it  the 
full  light  of  a  copious,  learned,  and  interesting  treatment. —  Weekly 
Register,  January  21,  1865. 

The  book  is  as  complete  as  it  was  possible  to  make  it,  and  we  cannot 
doubt  its  being  very  much  admired. — News  of  the  World,  January  22, 1865. 

A  charming  book,  that  will  delight  every  lady  to  whose  boudoir-table  it 
may  find  its  way.— Lloyd's  Weekly  Newspaper,  January  28,  1865. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  its  popularity  with  the  fair  sex  will  be  very 
considerable  indeed. —  Weekly  Dispatch,  January  28,  1865. 

Whoever  delights  to  con  the  legends  of  the  past  and  to  list  the  romances 
of  ancient  and  modern  alchemy,  will  not  fail  of  amusement  and  instruction 
in  the  pages  before  us. — Englishman,  January  20,  1865. 

It  is  a  book  which  no  fashionable  table  should  be  without.— I>iMin 
Fiecman,  January  18,  1865. 


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