CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

CXCIII.

MADAM,

TH'other day a man was brought to me, to be seen for a VVonder, that being above an Hundred Years old, had all his Senses Free from the Defects of Age; but I believe he made himself Older by his own Report, than he was, being a Poor man, and got Mony by Shewing himself, and to make him appear Old∣er, he let his Beard Grow down to the Small of his VVast, so as he was a Mountebanck for Beard, as some Italians are for Drugs; the truth is, his Beard was the Stock of his Livelihood, for he was Fed & Maintain'd by it, his Chin, like Fertil Land, did yield a Goodly Crop of Hair, but whereas Crops of Corn or the like, must be Mowed or Reaped before a Profit can be made, his Profit was to have his Unreaped or Unmow∣ed, which is, to be Unshaved; But in my Opi∣nion, there is nothing so Ill-favour'd as for men to wear great Beards, it is neither Becoming nor Cleanly, but Misbecoming and Slovenly,

and it is as an Alms-basket, or the like, for Crums, or as a Tub for Drops of Drink; in∣deed men that wear Great Beards had need to Perfume them well, or else they will Smell of Scraps, Tappings, and Grease, after Eating and Drinking, and if they be Amorous men, they will hardly Gain a Mistress with Kissing; be∣sides, Long Beards make Men look like Goats; yet howsoever, a Great Long Beard was Benefi∣cial to the Poor Old man; and so leaving him to it, or his Beard to him, I rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and Servant.