Page:The philosophy of beards (electronic resource) - a lecture - physiological, artistic & historical (IA b20425272).pdf/30

 the approach of manhood, the lines combining with those of the mouth become more harsh, angular, and decided; in middle various ugly markings establish themselves about both, which in age are rendered not only deeper, ago, but increased in number by the loss of the teeth and the falling in of the lips, which of course distorts all the muscles connected with the mouth. Such, however, is the force of prejudice founded on custom, that people who sink themselves to the ears in deep shirt collars, and to the chin in starched cravat and stiffened stock, muffle themselves in comforters till their necks arc as big as their waists; nay do not demur some of them to be seen in that abomination of ugliness—that huge black patch of deformity—a respirator, have still sufficient face left to tell us that the expression of the countenance would be injured by restoring the Beard!

A word, therefore, on the expression of Bearded faces. The works of the Greeks, the paintings of the old Masters, but above all the productions of the pencil of Raphael, justly styled "the Painter of Expression," is a sufficient general answer to this ill-considered charge. It