who makes a trade of shaving or trimming the beards of other men for money. Anciently a lute or viol, or some such musical instrument, was part of the furniture of a barber's shop, which was used then to be frequented by persons above the ordinary level of the people, who resorted to the barber either for the cure of wounds, or to undergo some chirurgical operation, or, as it was then called, to be trimmed, a word that signified either shaving or cutting and curling the hair; these, together with letting blood, were the ancient occupations of the barber-surgeon. As to the other important branch of surgery, the setting of fractured limbs, that was practised by another class of men called bone-setters, of whom there are hardly any now remaining. The musical instruments in his shop were for the entertainment of waiting customers; and answered the end of a newspaper, with which at this day those who wait for their turn at the barber's amuse themselves. For the origin of the barber's pole, see the article Appellation.

Barberini, Francis, one of the most excellent poets of his age, was born at Barberino, in Tuscany, in the year 1624. As his mother was of Florence, he settled in that city; where his profession of the law, but especially the beauty of his poetry, raised him a very considerable character. The greatest part of his works are lost; but that which is entitled the Precepts of Love, which is a moral poem calculated to instruct those in their duty who have a regard for glory, virtue, and eternity, has had a better fate. It was published at Rome, adorned with beautiful figures, in 1640, by Frederic Ubaldini; he prefixed the author's life; and, as there are in the poem many words which are grown obsolete, he added a glossary to explain them, which illustrates the sense by the authority of contemporary poets.