ese "Horrid
Bushes of Vanity" could be hated, let us hear the pages of Judge
Sewall's diary:

"1701. Having last night heard that Joshua Willard had cut off his
hair (a very full head of hair) and put on a Wigg, I went to him
this morning. Told his mother what I came about and she call'd him.
I enquired of him what Extremity had forced him to put off his own
Hair and put on a Wigg? He answered none at all. But said that his
Hair was streight and that it parted behinde. Seem'd to argue that
men might as well shave their hair off their head, as off their
face. I answered men were men before they had any hair on their
faces (half of man-kind never have any). God seems to have ordain'd
our Hair as a Test, to see whether we can bring out to be content
at his finding: or whether we would be our own Carvers, Lords, and
come no more at Him. If we disliked our Skin or Nails; tis no
Thanks to us for all that we cut them not off.... He seem'd to say
would leave off his Wigg when his hair was grown. I spake to his
Father of it a day or two after. He thank'd me that had discoursed
his Son, and told me when his Hair was grown to cover his ears he
promised to leave off his Wigg. If he had known it would have
forbidden him."

At a later day, though it was "gravaminous," Sewall would not go to hear
the bewigged Joshua preach, but attended another meeting. The Judge
frequently states his annoyance at the universally wigged condition of
New England.

I never read of these wig-wearing times without fresh amaze at the
manner in which our sensible ancestors disfigured themselves. We read
such advertisements of mountebank head-gear as this, from the _Boston
News Letter_ of August 14, 1729:

"Taken from the shop of Powers Mariott Barber, a light Flaxen
Naturall Wigg Parted from the forehead to the Crown. The Narrow
Ribband is of a Red Pinck Colour. The Caul is in Rows of Red Green
& White."

Twenty shillings reward was offered for this gay wig, and "if it be
offered for sale to any it is desired they wont stop it." Grafton
Fevergrure, the peruke-maker at the sign of the Black Wigg, lost a
"Light Flaxen Natural Wigg with a Peach-Blossom-coloured Ribband." In
1755 the house of barber Coes, of Marblehead, was broken into, and eight
brown and three grizzle wigs were stolen; some of these had "feathered
tops," some were bordered with