Page:The philosophy of beards (electronic resource) - a lecture - physiological, artistic & historical (IA b20425272).pdf/42

 the Beard, preferred that it should be of a cane colour, which was the hue assigned by tradition to Abraham's. One of the points of Persian heresy is preferring a black Beard, and a particular cut; and about this hair-splitting difference, they once waged a cruel war with the Uzbec Tartars, in which they were accustomed to lay their enemies' Beards as trophies at the feet of the Shah.

As instances of respect paid to the Beard, we may cite the common Mahomedan oath "by the Beard of the Prophet!" and the form of supplication, "by your Beard, or the life of your Beard." The Turks will point to theirs and say, "do you think this venerable Beard could lie?" And a man's testimony used to be so much measured by his Beard, that in hiring a witness, length of this appendage was an indispensable qualification. To touch another's beard, unless to kiss it respectfully, is considered by all these people a great insult. When two friends meet, to kiss it, sometimes on both sides, answers to our shake of the hand—how are you? and "may God preserve your Beard!" is a form of invoking a blessing on a friend. In the bosoms of their families the Beard is treated as an