Hello,
After visiting Colonial Williamsburg in the beginning of May, I decided to help the Wigmakers shop there by translating this text I appreciate about Hairdressers and Wigmakers in France. I could not suspect that translating it would result to seize more the various general 18th century knowledge that was implied in the text.
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| ''Mentre chioma gentil volge in anelli...'' Charles Joseph Flipart 1748-1750 British Museum |
The original text in French publish in 1769 can be seen on Gallica here by ''Marin'', a man I have no informations about.
It is a pamphlet of fourteen pages about why hairdresser are so much better than perruke maker to style the hair of woman. And why it is important that Woman choose Hairdressers over Wigmakers to arrange their hair. To be said, in 17th century and early18th century France, officially only Perruke Maker (Barbier-perruquier) had the right to touch, cut and style hair. By the time this pamphlet was published, hairdressers just has been recognized as an official trade, making the wigs makers share the market of cutting and styling woman hair with hairdressers.
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| Une boutique de perruquier Antoine Watteau vers 1709 Département des Arts graphiques du Musée du Louvres |
I will put the modernized french text in italique in the left side and the translation in ''quotation notes'' on the left side page by page as they appear on the original text. I tried to make it the easiest to follow.
First page
Les coeffeurs de dames contre ceux des messieurs
''Women's hairdressers versus gentlemen's hairdressers''
SEXE enchanteur dont la puissance
''Enchanting SEX whose potency''
Dames , qui régnez en tous lieux,
''Ladies, who reign everywhere,''
Et dont le despotisme en France
''And whose despotism in France''
Plus qu'en Turquie, est merveilleux,
''More than in Turkey, is wonderful,''
Pour faire pencher la balance
''To tip the balance''
En faveur d'un Cygne amoureux,
''In favor of a Swan in love,''
Contre un Vétéran d'élégance
''Against a Veteran of Elegance''
Qui rajeunit pour vos beaux yeux ,
''Who rejuvenates for your beautiful eyes,''
Sans mettre à profit sa dépense ;
''Without taking advantage of the expense;''
Mesdames , souffrez qu'en ce jour
''Ladies, suffer only on this day''
VOS Coiffeurs commis par l'Amour,
''YOUR Hairdressers committed by Love,''
Amour coquet sans indécence ,
''coquettish love without indecency,''
Seuls inventeurs de vos atours,
''Sole inventors of your finery,''
Réclament vos nouveaux secours
''Claim your new help''
'
Second page
Contre la Perruquière Engeance,
''Against the Wigmaker Brood,''
Qui prétend vous coiffer toujours.
''Who claims to always do your hair.''
Thémis, qui n'a d'autre toilette
''Thémis, who has no other toilet''
Qu'un Siège auguste où ses Arrêts
''That an august Seat where its Judgments:''
Des Dieux mêmes sont les décrets ,
''Of the Gods themselves are the decrees,''
Par la voix de leur Interprète ,
''Through the voice of their Interpreter,''
Des fers des tyrans Perruquiers
''From the Irons of the Wig Maker Tyrants''
Nous a délivrés par Huissiers ;
''Delivered us by Bailiffs;''
Et notre victoire est complète.
''And our victory is complete.''
Le Prévôt , le Garde, & Syndic
''Provost, Warden, & Syndic''
Barberie & Perruquerie ,
''Barber & Wig Shop,''
Le Sergent de la Confrèrie ,
''The Sergeant of the Brotherhood,''
Ne se coifferont plus du tic ,
''Will no longer wear tics,''
D'encoffrer notre coifferie,
''To enclose our hairdressing,''
Et chacun fera son trafic :
''And each will do their traffic:''
Or , ayant les têtes des Dames
''Now, having the heads of ladies''
A notre disposition,
''At our disposal,''
Bien mieux que celles de nos femmes
''Much better than those of our women''
Qui coiffent à discrétion ,
''Who style at discretion,''
Nous autres experts en coiffure ,
''We hairdressing experts,''
Quand votre empire nous rassure ,
''When your empire reassures us,''
Mesdames , nous vous demandons
''Ladies, we ask you''
L'ordre & la marche de frisure.
''The order & the march of curling .''
Un nouveau goût nous attendons
''A new taste we expect,''
Où l'art surpasse la nature.
''Where art surpasses nature.''
On vous a fait des faux cheveux,
''We made you fake hair,''
Des Favoris pour vos oreilles,
''Side whiskers for your ears,''
Qui vous font goûter les aveux
''Which make you taste the confessions''
Des Conteurs de tendres merveilles ;
''Tellers of tender wonders;''
Third page
Abbés, Financiers généreux;
''Abbots, Generous Financiers;''
Vos toupets sont hauts d'une toile ;
''Your forelocks are as high as a canvas;''
Nous y mettons chaux & ciment.
''We put lime & cement in it.''
Le clocher de Georges d'Amboise
''The bell tower of Georges d'Amboise''
Menace moins le firmament ;
''Less threatens the firmament;''
En tuyaux d'orgue l'on vous donne
''In organ pipes we give you''
L'air de Cybelle , Porte-tours
''Cybelle's Allure, Tower Carrier''
En tête , en guise de couronne.
''On the head, as a crown.''
La nouveauté séduit toujours ;
''Novelty always seduces;''
Entre vos boucles élégantes
''Between your elegant curls''
Folâtrent les badins Amours ,
''The frolicsome Loves flirt,''
Se balancent sur les flottantes :
''Swing on the floats:'' (locks)
Un Dédale a moins de détours ,
''A Daedalus has fewer detours,''
Que ces chevelures magiques ,
''Than these magic hairs,''
Ces petits canons & ces piques
''These little cannons & these pikes''
Braqués, pointés par Cupidon ,
''Aimed, pointed by Cupid,''
Qui se fait un double brandon 1
''Who makes himself a double brandon''1
Des yeux ardents de nos pratiques.
''Ardents eyes of our practices.''
Sera-ce un pétulent Barbier ?
''Will it be a petulant Barber?''
Par état l'écho du quartier,
''By state the neighborhood echo,''
Jaseur , conteur impitoyable,
''Pratler, merciless storyteller,''
Vêtu comme fiacre. . . à la diable ;
''Dressed as a cab. . . to the devil;''
Osera-t it jamais porter
''Will it ever dare to wear''
Sa main savonneuse , indiscrète ,
''His soapy, indiscreet hand,''
Sur une féminine tête ,
''On a feminine head,''
Que les Grâces font respecter ,
''Which the Graces enforce,''
Fût-ce celle d'une Grisette,
''Were it that of a Grisette,''
Quand on fait assaut de chignon,
''When we assault a bun,''
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1. Note personnelle: j'ai cherché et je ne trouve pas la définition du mot bradon. Il pourrait venir de la même famille que brader, verbe transitif signifiant se débarasser d'un article à bas prix ou de livrer sans contrepartie un patrimoine qu'on a le devoir de sauvegarder. Ce mot viendrait du néerlandais braden signifiant rôtir puis détruire.
1. Personnal note: I can not find the definition of the french name ''bradon'' . It looks like being of the same family of the verb ''brader'' meaning to sell off for very little price.
Fourth page
Dans une galante conquête ,
''In a gallant conquest,''
La moindre Nymphe vaut Junon ;
''The least Nymph is equal to Juno;''1.
Junon fut-elle plus coquette ?
''Was Juno more flirtatious?''
Pour nous Ministres de toilette ,
''For us Toilet Ministers,''
Mesdames, quel plus beau destin !
''Ladies, what a more beautiful destiny!''
Nous raccommodons au matin
''We mend in the morning''
Les dérangements de la veille.
''The disturbances of the day before.''
Sous le peignoir , Eglé sommeille
''Under the wrapper, Aegle slumbers''2.
L'écaille nous tombe des mains.
''The scale falls from our hands.''
Mais deux petits Jumeaux lutins
''But two little pixie twins''
Font que le diable nous réveille.
''Make the devil wake us up.''
Coiffeurs , sans être libertins ,
''Hairdressers, without being libertines,''
Ont toujours la puce à l'oreille,
''Always have a flea in their ears,''3.
Ornant ces chefs-d'oeuvres divins,
''Adorning these divine masterpieces,''
les braver , ce serait merveille,
''to brave them, it would be marvellous,''
Les Coiffeurs ne sont pas des saints.
''Hairdressers are not saints.''
Mais l'on connait notre élégance
''But one knows our elegance''
Que n'auront jamais les Barbiers,
''What the Barbers will never have''
Fussent-ils Jurés Perruquiers,
''Were they wig maker jurors,''4.
Premiers Nouvellistes de France :
'' Premiers Trendsetters of France:''
On remarque avec quelle aisance
''We notice how easily''
Un beau Coiffeur parle de tout,
''A handsome Hairdresser talks about everything,''
D'habits, d'ouvrages de bon goût,
''Of clothes, of works, of good taste,''
D'esprit, de musique & de danse ,
''Of spirit and music & dance,''
Des jeux de Nicolet sur-tout.
'' Nicolet games, above all.''5.
Thoré sur ses Fêtes Foraines ,
''Thoré on his Fairgrounds,''
Changeant ses feux , la consulté ,
''Changing her lights, consulted her,''
Et les flammes ultramontaines
''And ultramontane flames''
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3. ''Avoir la puce à l'oreille'' is a french idiom meaning to be alert to the emotions or news the speaker might have, being attentive. The literal translation is kinda weird: Having a flea to the ear. Idioms are hard to translate.
4. According to the ''dictionnaire de l'Académie Française'' all masters of a guild had to swear to become a master therefore they are sworn wig maker, worn tailor... And the masters that are designed to make respect the rules and law of the guild are also called sworn wig maker. In this case, it could be both.
5. I have no idea what are Nicolet games. For me Nicolet is a town close to the place I live now, which is named after a guy ''Jean Nicolet'' who has drown into the river and gave his name to the river and later the town.
Fifth page
3. In French, Cypris is another name for the goddess Venus.
Sixth page
Qui se donnent des airs penchés
''Who give themselves leaning airs''
Et des grâces majestueuses
''And majestic graces''
Nous ne serions pas si fâchés,
''We wouldn't be so angry,''
Qu'elles fussent moins envieuses
''If they were less envious''
D'aller sur nos petits marchés
''To go to our little markets''
Aux enchères voluptueuses.
''To voluptuous auctions.''
Une Etrangère ne fait pas
''A foreigner does not make''
Sur les remparts le moindre pas
''On the ramparts the slightest step''
Que nos soeurs n'en soient enquêteuses.
'' That our sisters would not investiguate.''
Un élégant peigne en leurs mains
''An elegant comb in their hands''
Se change en joli Caducée,
''Changes into a pretty Caduceus,'' 1.
Les coeurs féminins sont humains ,
''Feminine hearts are humane,''
Une Coiffeuse est si rusée. ...
''A Hairdresser is so cunning. ...''
''Eh bien , que pense t-il de moi ,
''Well, what does he think of me,''
Lindor dont tu parles sans cesse ''
''Lindor of whom you talk incessantly''
''Madame, sa noble tendresse
''Madam, his noble tenderness''
Ne peut vous inspirer d'effroi,
''Cannot but inspire you with awe,''
II vous offre son pur hommage.''
''He offers you his pure homage.''
Comment me trouve-t-il ? ''au mieux ,
''How does he find me? the best ,''
A miracle, & sans persiflage,
''Miraculous, & without mockery,''
II proteste que vos beaux yeux. . . .''
''He protests that your beautiful eyes. . . .''
Est-il riche ? ''Il donne équipage
''Is he rich? He gives trapping''
Maison montée & pour raison ''
''House finished & for reason''
L'aimable petite maison.
''The cute little house.''
Achève ton accommodage. . ..
''Complete your styling. . ..''
Ainsi nos Soeurs , dans ce canton ,
''Thus our Sisters, in this canton,''
Font plus d'un galant personnage ,
''Make more than one gallant personage,''
Coiffant les Dames du bon ton ,
''Styling the ladies of good taste,''
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1. A caduceus is a representation of a staff with two entwined snakes and two wings at the top.
Seventh page
Et les Nymphes du bel usage ;
''And the Nymphs of beautiful custom;''
Officières de Cupidon
''Officers of Cupid''
Et Faiseuses de mariage
''And wedding makers''
Par devant le Dieu du plaisir
''Before the God of Pleasure''
Et son Confrère le Désir,
''And his colleague Desire,''
Notaires anciens de Cythère
''Ancient Notaries of Kythera''
Les privilèges de nos Soeurs,
''The privileges of our Sisters,''
Donnés par l'Amour & sa Mère ,
''Given by Love & his Mother,''
Bravent les Perruquiers censeurs,
''Brave the censoring wigmakers,''
Et vû leur auspice salutaire,
''And in view of their auspicious usefulness,''
Nos droits en deviendront meilleurs ;
''Our rights will become better;''
Or nous devons les laisser faire.
'''Therefore we have to let them be.''
Mais que des Barbiers mal-adroits,
''But only clumsy barbers,''
Pour nous ravir ces mêmes droits ,
''To deprive us of these same rights,''
Fondent sur nous en vrais Corsaires ,
'' Fall on us like true Corsairs,''
Ils n'entendent pas les affaires ,
''They don't hear the business''
Thémis leur donne sur les doigts :
''Themis gives them on their fingers:''1.
Frais & dépens font leurs salaires ;
''Costs & expenses make their salaries;''
Et l'Art n'étant plus aux abois,
''And in dire straits Art no longer exist,''
Nous en coiffons mieux mille fois ,
''We do hair a thousand times better ,''
Ces têtes errantes, légères,
''These wandering heads, light,''
Qui tournent comme moulinets ,
''Which spin like pinwheels,''
Têtes de vieilles Etrangères,
''Heads of old foreign women,''
Aux crins durs, aux rampants toupets
''With hard hair, with crawling forelocks''
Que le peigne n'exalte guères ,
''That the comb hardly exalts,''
Cheveux de champêtres fermières,
''Hair of country female farmers,''
En manière de bois taillis ;
''In the manner of coppiced wood;''
Nouvellement dans ce pays
''New to this country''
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1. In the Greek mythology, Themis is the daughter of Gaia and Ouranos, the goddess of the Law. The use of Themis let think that there has been legal actions by the hairdressers community against the wigmakers
Eighth page
Avec leur beau petit Vicaire,
''With their handsome little Vicar,''
Qui prit Saint Denis pour Paris ;.
''Who took Saint Denis for Paris;.''
Y perdit même son Bréviaire,
''even lost his Breviary there,''
Tant ses yeux étaient éblouis... .
''His eyes were so dazzled. ''
Nous pourrions livrer quelques têtes
''We could deliver some heads''
Aux fers des Barbiers nos rivaux ;
'' To the Barbers irons our rivals;''
Des vieux crins qu'ils soient les bourreaux;
'' Of old manes let them be the executioners.''
Mais aux chevelures jeunettes
''But to young hair''
Sont dûs nos peignes, nos ciseaux »
''Our combs, our scissors are due.''
Armes puissantes des Toilettes.
''Powerful dressing weapons.''
Eglé, la minaudière Eglé ,
''Aegle, the Aeglé who make small ways to please,''1.
Dont la tête est si douloureuse,
''Whose head is so aching,''
Et le cerveau si mal réglé,
''And the brain so ill-adjusted,''
Essuierait une crise affreuse !
''Could suffer a terrible crisis!''
Et mortellement vaporeuse»
''And deadly vaporous”''
Si l'humide main d'un Barbier
''If the wet hand of a barber''
Fût-il André le Perruquier (a.),
''Were he André le Perruquier (a.),''
Dont la muse est encor fameuse
''Whose muse is still famous''
( C'est toujours odeur savonneuse )
''(It's still a soapy smell)''
Si cette roturière main
''If this commoner hand''
Osoit toucher le noble crin
''Dare to touch the noble hair''
De la prude vertigineuse.
''Of the exalted prude.''
Pour des cheveux de qualité
''For quality hair''
Il faut une main ouvrière ,
''You need a qualified hand''
Qui dans un cas de rareté ,
''Who in a case of rarity,''
(a) Voyez sa belle Tragédie du Tremblement de
terre de Lisbonne.
''(a) See his beautiful Earthquake Tragedy
of Lisbon.''2.
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1.Aegle is the daughter of Asclepio and the goddess of magnificence and splendor in Greek mythology.
2. This historical event took place in November first, 1755. It basically destroyed Lisbon entirely and killed a big part of the city. Attributing that unfortunate event to an incompetent Wigmaker called André is mean to say the least.
Ninth page
Tenth page
Une papillote indocile,
''A rebellious papillote,''1.
Nous coiffent du nom d'imbécile
'' Style us with the name of imbecile''
Bourreau, c'est votre dernier mot
''Executioner, it's your last word''
Et nous d'un petit air tranquille
''And we with a littlequiet air''
Nous chevretons un Vaudeville
''We jump a Vaudeville''
Une Bourbonnaise, & bientôt
''A Bourbonnaise, & soon''
Hors d'embarras, quand la Soubrette
''Out of embarrassment, when the silly Maid''
Est souffletée à la toilette ,
''Is slammed away of the toilet,''
Nous avons fait bien plus d'un saut.
''We have made much more than one leap.''
Chez la future Mariée,
''At the home of the bride-to-be,''
Voyez l'allure d'un Coiffeur.
''See the allure of a Hairdresser.''
C'est un aimable persifleur ,
''He's a pleasant joker,''
Dont la langue est bien déliée.
''Whose tongue is loose.''
Coiffant une fille d'honneur,
''Styling a maid of honor,''
Fille d'Orangère-Fruitière,
''Daughter of Orangère-Fruitière,''
Qui pourtant n'en est pas plus fière
''Who, however, is not more proud of it''
Quoiqu'elle épouse un Procureur
''Although she marries a procurator''
Aux Consuls, & que son grand frère
''To the Consuls, & that her big brother''
Soit Brigadier d'une barrière
'' Is Brigadier of a barrier''
Son Coiffeur la met en humeur ;
''Her hairdresser puts her in a good mood;''
De Vadé parlant le langage
''Of Vadé speaking the language''2.
Chez les gens de goût en usage,
''Used among people of taste in use,''
La Luronne en rit de bon coeur :
''La Luronne laughs heartily:''3.
Le lendemain du mariage
''The day after the wedding''
Si l'on coiffe le Procureur
''If we hairdress the Prosecutor''
En Ménêlas , Epoux sauvage,
''In Menelaus, savage Bridegroom,''4.
C'est d'après l'avis du Coiffeur ,
''It is according to the opinion of the Hairdresser,''
Dans le femelle Aréopage ,
''In the female Areopagus,''5.
Galant & disert Rapporteur,
''Gallant & eloquent Reporter,''
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1. A papillote is a piece of paper or taffetas inside which a strand of hair is placed to protect if from the heat of irons. Here the French description.
2..Jean-Joseph Vadé is a French chansonnier and playwright born in 1719. He published a serie of fables that were not as known as the La Fontaine ones but had some reputation during his time. What earned Vadé to be best known for being the creator of the poissard genre which he invented after several trials to more serious theater pieces.
3.Luronne is the feminine word for a person being easily happy.
4. Melenaus in Greek mythology, king of Sparta and younger son of Atreus, king of Mycenae; the abduction of his wife, Helen, led to the Trojan War. During the war Menelaus served under his elder brother Agamemnon, the commander in chief of the Greek forces.
5. The Aeropagus is a hill of government in Ancient Greece used to refer to a governmental assembly of persons.
Eleventh page
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1. Some of the members of the guild of ''Barbier-perruquiers'' (Barbers-Wig makers) were hosting bathhouses. When so, they were called ''baigneur-étuvistes'' according to M. de Garsault in this book of 1767 about wig makers.
2. Abelard and Heloise are an iconic famous couple from the Middle Ages
Twelfth page
Vos ordres sont que vos cheveux
''Your orders are only your hair''
Soient du sommet jusqu'à la base
''Whether from summit to base''
Un petit Atlas sourcilleux.
''A fussy little Atlas.''1.
Un Coiffeur répond à vos voeux ;
''A Hairdresser responds to your wishes;''
Docile à vos bruyans caprices ,
''Docile to your noisy whims,''
La toilette & ses exercices,
''The toilet & its exercises,''
Et la ruelle & ses malices ,
''And the alley & its tricks,''2.
Un Coiffeur n'a pas d'autres jeux:
''A Hairdresser has no other games:''
Les Barbiers seroient trop heureux
''Barbers would be too happy''
De partager nos bénéfices ;
''To share our profits;''
Mais ils ont les rasoirs contre eux,
''But they have the razors against them,''
Et les rasoirs sont maléfices.
''And razors are hexes.''
Or , Mesdames, vous daignerez
''Now, ladies, you will deign''
Protéger notre ministère ,
''To protect our ministry,''
Le moindre coiffeur de Cythère
''The lesser hairdresser of Kythera''
Ne poudroit pas fur les dégrés
''Couldn't powder on the angles''
L'Amour, les Grâces, ni leur Mère.
''Love, the Graces, nor their Mother.''
Ici le Barbier - Perruquier
''Here the Barber - Wigmaker''
Ne poudre que sur l'escalier
''Only powders but on the stairs''
Tandis qu'en un lieu solitaire,
''While in a lonely place,''
Sans jeter de la poudre aux yeux,
''Without throwing in the eyes,''
Comme à Paris c'est l'ordinaire,
''As in Paris it's the common way,''
Pour imposer à qui mieux-mieux,
''To impose on whoever one met,''
D'une ingénieuse manière ,
''In an ingenious manner,''
NOUS VOUS prodiguons la poussière
''WE provide the dust for YOU''
Blanche , brune , jonquille, enfin ,
''White, brown, daffodil, finally,''
Celle propice à votre teint.
''The one that suits your complexion.''
C'est toujours à votre toilette
''It's always at your toilet''
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2. The alley ''ruelle'' in french can design the space between the bed and the wall.
Here is the 1740 definition of ''ruelle'' of the dictionnaire de l'Académie Française
Ruelle, Signifie aussi, L’espace qu’on laisse entre un des côtez du lit, & la muraille. Il n’y a pas assez de ruelle. Mettez ce fauteuil dans la ruelle.
Alley, Also means, The space left between one side of the bed, & the wall. There aren't enough alleys. Put that chair in the alley.
We say fig. that a man spends his life in the alleys, that he goes from alley to alley, to say, that he is often with the ladies & that he enjoys their conversation. It is said in the same way, that A man shines in the alleys, to say, that He shines in the maintenance of the Ladies.
I do not know if and what is the English equivalent of that kind of ''alley''.
Thirteenth page
Fourteenth page
Le nôtre sera de conclure
''Ours will be to conclude''
A mériter le libre état
''To deserve the free state''
Que les Reines de la nature
''That the queens of nature''
Nous donnent en ce beau climat.
''Give us in this beautiful climate.''
Parlez au charmant Magistrat
''Talk to the charming Magistrate''
Qui régit cette Capitale ,
''Who governs this Capital,''
Son coeur est noble & délicat.
''His heart is noble & delicate.''
Quand une belle bouche étale
''When a beautiful mouth spreads''
Ses droits pour faire des heureux
''His rights to make people happy''
Elle a pour elle hommes & Dieux ,
''She has men and gods on her side,''
Et Thémis n'est pas sa Rivale.
''And Themis is not her Rival.''
FIN.
Lu & approuvé ce 21 Mars 1769. MARIN.
END.
Read & approved this March 21, 1769. MARIN.
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If we believe how the hairdressers described the work of wigmakers on woman head, the result would always end like this:
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| Satire de James Bretherton 1787 Collection of the British Museum |
I really hope this article could be of some interest for people studying hairstyle and wigmaking.
I want to deeply thank Cathrine Davis for the lecture and correction. Your help is really appreciated.
Mlle Canadienne
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