of it which I can find in the Old Testament is in Genesis, xxiv. 65, (before Christ 1857 years,) where it says “Rebekah took a veil when she saw Isaac coming towards her, and covered herself;” it being customary even in those early times to wear them, especially with brides.  Now, by referring to the History of Greece, it appears that Sparta, near which this scene of Penelope’s is said to have taken place, was not founded or instituted till about A.M. 2650, or before Christ 1354, which alone makes a difference of 500 years, setting aside the time from the foundation of Sparta to the period in which Ulysses lived.

    [3] Exodus, xxxiv. 33, 34, and 35.

I therefore come to the conclusion that your Correspondent is mistaken with regard to the origin of wearing the veil; for it is allowed by all that the Bible is the most ancient work extant, therefore to that we must go for such information as cannot be derived from any other source.  I beg leave to conclude this paper with a few observations, and some extracts from different writers, on the veils worn in the East, which may not, perhaps, be uninteresting to your numerous readers.

By perusing the various accounts given us by travellers in the East, it appears that great importance is attached to the veil.  The strictness with which the ladies keep their faces covered and hidden from the sight of men, is common in the East, for they are generally of the most exquisite beauty; and would take it as the greatest insolence which could be offered to them, should their veils at any time be drawn aside.

“Veil answers to the Hebrew word tzaiph, translated by a veil, a scarf, or mantle, with which the eastern women covered their head and face.  The Hebrew has also haradidim, or veils to sit at table in.  The veil was a kind of crape, so that they could see through it, or at least a passage was left for the light to come to their eyes.” Calmet, vol. ii. art.  Veil.

Veils are usually worn both in the house and when abroad, and are of four kinds; one of which is a kind of handkerchief, which the Eastern ladies wear over the face and the temples.  This handkerchief or veil has a net work at the place of the eyes, like point or thread lace, in order that it may be seen through.

Chardin, in his Voyage en Perse, tom. ii. p. 50, says, “The Armenian women, contrary to the Mahometan women, have, even when in the house, the lower part of the face veiled, even including the nose, if they are married.  This is in order that their nearest relations and their priests, who have the liberty of visiting them, may see only a part of their face; but the girls wear this veil only to the mouth, for the contrary reason, in order that they may be seen enough to judge of their beauty, and to talk of it....  Girls are not shut up in Persia till they attain the age of six or seven years; before that age they go out of the seraglio, sometimes with their father, so that they may then be seen.  I have seen some wonderfully pretty.  They show the neck and bosom, and more beautiful cannot be seen.”