Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1839-05-18
From the .Nee York E.qiareI
SHAKING HANDS.

complain of our propensity to shake hands On
the slightest ntrod uc tion an American seizcs the
strangers hand and shakes it with violence
which sometimes threatens dislocation. II is G.
violence, no doubt, of great Kindness ot feeling,
and is meant to be a compliment, no, a curse. |,
is, at the best, troublesome cIviitv, and may
be abandoned without any imputatiOn on our cour-
tesy or our sincerity. Bat what are to sub
stitutc in its place? This is easy question.
All nations civilized or uncivilized, have prescrb-
ed some form of salutaton, more less impress
sive; and if we cannot invent new mode, ii is
proper that should select some of our old ones
The Creentanders, by the bye, never salute each
other, because they hold II to be kind of ac-
acknowledgements OF superiority, and that is con-
cession they too proud and too republican to
make. The inhabitants of Caramdnid testify their
Joy on meeting friend by opening vein aud
presenting it TO him to suck the blood. This
pire fashion has not much to recommend it., except
with very pehoric people. As general usage
it would be announcement and undesirable--so let
that pass. The Ethiopian takes his friends gar
ment and binds it round himself in such a way
to leave the former naked. This is a better sys-
tem because YOU get cloak or a waistcoat when
ever you meet a friend. Yet it has its dsadvan-
tages, for you lose the same thing ii friend meets
YOU In Neac- Guinea they place leaves on the head
of the person saluted. This is very rural and
picturesque. but ii would not always be practical
bic in Broadway or Hudson st.--in high wind
particularly. II is, however an appropriate mode
of saluting a poet, and Chat is Ourseircs)
mean to adopt it towards our friends b and Il.
The Ldplanders press their noses strongly a.
eainst the individual they saiuting. In cold
weather we should demonstrate against any such
salutaton. In salutiug an impairment enemy, it
is however very agreeable and Impressive thing
to s.press his nose strongly"
Uncviiz people adopt curious modes of evin-
cling their regard and respect. The islanders
near the PHILIPPINES, lay hold of the foot of the
person they accost, and rub their faces with it,
This is just the way that civilized people express
their disrespect, a posteriOrt. The Philippines
themselves put their ha nds upon their cheeks, and
bending forward, poke out one leg behind them
much in the STYLE of those ingenious devices
which head the advertisements of runaway slaves
in the Southern papers. Talking of slaves re
minds US of Africa. Along the coast, the black
Kings salute each other by mutually squeezing
three veral times their middle fingers. If Nor
gan's book betrue, this is something like the Ma
sonic grip. When the Chinese meet their acquain
tances, alte. long separation, they cast them
selves on their knees incline their heads towards
the ground two three times, and exhibit grea
many other marks of affection. They have, besides
kind of ritual academy OF compliments, wher
numbers of reverences and genuiiections, and tn
words suitable to each. are regularly laid down
Ambassadors repeat these ceremonies forty day
before appearing at court. Now, though we lik
their lea, their silk, and their cotton stuts We
, | we have .peciai adherence of the kotau. no
would we submit 10 il in order TO be made Man
DARN, of the highest order of buttons, SheIc
j, of the provice Of IVhang fokihihum In the strai,
of Sunda the foot of the person saluted IS raised
ami passed gently along the right leg and over tn
n BODY. The Japanese take off one shoe. tn
people of Arracan take off their sandals, If the
, meet in the street. the house they take of the
Q inexpressib'es. This last may be an honorabl
o wav of evincing respect, but it would not do ]
e our cold climate with the thermometer Is degree
below zero: j, would be ga custom more honore
4 in the breach than in the observance" The OIL
i; aeitans cock their noses at each other Some
e our African fellow citizens, according to tho la
+ system, are in q continual state OF salutatlon Il
It their NOSES are cooked by nature.
e At Cairo. the question is. "How DO you pc
l. spire?'' because dry SKIN is looked on as an j
dication of deadly fever. In comparing the haug
n Nv Spaniard with the tickle Frenchman, some a
IS ,hors have discovered the pride and lofty bearir
l. and inhexible importance of the former, in h
re usual salute "Come esta ~ show do you hold up
IS Whilst the "Comnent rou= portez rouz?' ssHow
lie YOU carry vourself?' Of the second. Is equally
g. pressive Of their Joyous humor and cease!ess .
In ,ivi,v In the southern provinces Of China, {
$; .alutation is ava fan?' "Have YOU eat 20
,e rice ~ The Dutch, who are great eaters have
Z morning salutation common to all ranks, "Snc
:, ketuk eeten - ado YOU eat appetizingiyr" TIL
lg ask one another, " Hoe raart are?" SHOW do y
TX voyape?, The latter form is derived un6oubted
n from the early times of the republic, when eve
II, one was a navigator fisher. In Africa
n young betrothed damsel puts little water ii
calsbazh and kneeling by the slde Of her Ioyer