The image contains the following text:
and then adds—
" The soldier's Beard
Doth match in this herd
En figure like a spade;
With which he will make
His enemies quake
To think then grave is made."
In 1610, died Henry IV, of France, whose Beard is
said "to have diffused over his countenance a majestic
sweetness and amiable openness;" his son Louis XIII,*
ascending the throne while yet a minor, the courtiers and
others, to keep him in countenance, began to shave,
leaving merely the tuft called a mouche or royal. Sully,
however, the famous minister of Henry, stoutly refused to
adopt the effeminate custom. Being sent for to court, and
those about the king having mocked at his old-fashioned
Beard, the duke indignantly turned to Louis and said,
" Sire ! when your father of glorious memory did me the
honor to hold a consultation on grave and important busi-
ness, the first thing he did was to order out of the room all
the buffoons and stage dancers of his court!" About this
* In this reign, whiskers however attained to a high degree of
favour at the expense of the expiring Beard, and continued so
under Louis XIV, who, with all the great men of Ms court, took a
great pride in wearing them. In those days of gallantry, it was no
uncommon thing for a lover to have his whiskers turned up, combed
and pomatumed by his mistress; and a man of fashion was always
provided with every necessary article for this purpose, especially
whisker wax." Percy Anecdotes.
