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taste of purgatory to many unfortunate victims of that
unnatural practice. Those with strong beards most right-
eously suffer the most; for the more efficient the natural
protection is, the greater is also the folly of its removal.
Lastly, there are the tonsils, and the glands of the
throat and larynx. Few require to he told how common
at present are acute and chronic affections of these parts.
That the Beard was intended as a protection to the
whole of them, any one may satisfy himself hy wearing it
and then shaving it off in cold or damp weather. If not
inclined to try this experiment, and mind I do not recom-
mend it, perhaps the following evidence will he sufficiently
convincing. Firstly, the historical fact that the Eussian
soldiers, when compelled to shave hy Peter the Great,
suffered most severely. Secondly, the medical testimony
extracted from the Professional Dictionary of Dr. Copeland,
one of the first Physicians of the day, where it is stated,
" Persons in the habit of wearing long Beards, have often
been affected with rheumatic pains in the face, or with
sore throat on shaving them off. In several cases of
chronic sore throat, wearing the Beard under the chin, or
upon the throat, has prevented a return of the complaint."
Thirdly, the fact that several persons in this town (Ips-
wich) have been so cured. And lastly, this brief but im-
portant testimony of the men of the Scottish Central
Kailway, dated Perth, 24th August, 1853.
