The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-08-26
Something About Kissing.

SOmetnlng ADOuL hlSSluEs
This subject has recently attracted
more attention than has usually been ac-
corded to it. 1t may be that dearth
Of spring poetry has left the editorial
repertory without suitable supply Of
sentimental material, and il may be the
weather had something to do with 1t, but
whatever the cause, the fact remains
that the subject of kissing has been given
unusual prominence by both the pro
vincial and metropolitan press. II may
not have been q wise thing TO do, for
several very apparent reasons, chiefost
of which has been the tendency to lower
ones estimate of the real value Of the
transaction by having too much said
about it, and thereby bringing it into
general uso. One can readily understand
how q pastime, sufficiently pleasant with
reasonable indulgence, may lose half its
sweetness by being allowed too much
freedom Of expression.
We object TO being told that "kissiug
does not require an act of Congress to
make ii legal" So long as we can feel
that some restraining power is neces-
sary, that the inclination does require,
IL not congressional enaotme 1t, at least
some prohibitory measures, kissing will
be kept up to the standard of genuine
enjoyment. Nothing enhances the pleas
ures of some things more than feeling
that their indulgence is prohibited, or at
least opposed by objections sufficiently
strong TO impart Just little flavor Of
naughtiness to the proceeding. Ever
since the transaction In the garden of
Eden forbidden pleasure have always
been sweetest to the daughters and sons
Of men, and the great majority Of peo-
pie would prefer some jurisdiction on the
subject that would insure a continuance
Of the pleasurable emotions experienced
by kiss.
We offer few quotations to show how
much pleasure some people derive from
this source and deprecate anything which
has tendency to detract from such ex-
quisite enjoyment.
you kissed mel Ny soul, IN bliss 40 divine,
| Reeled and swooned, like drunken man foolish
with vino;
And thought 'twere delicious to die there Y death
Should come whilo my liph were yet moist with your
And these are the questions l ask day and night;
! Must my lips tnbte but once the exquisite delight
| Which thrilled by whole soul with rapture and
As your lips clung to mine in that passionate kiss
Would you care II your breast were my shelter, a.
And II You were here would you kiss me ssaint"
We are inclined 10 think we would,
even while not recommending Just this
style for general use, as the reaction
from such exhilaration would not be de-
Birable. We think it would have tend
ency TO shorten life, as our lives arc
measured by heart beats, not by years;
and anything that 80 stirs the blood and
maddens the pulse should be held in
reasonable subiection. Once or twice in
lifetime would be all that ordinary
mortals might hope to endure.
Tennyson seems to have an apprecia-
ton Of what a kiss should be when he
makes one Of his heroines say:
30 Love, o hrei Once he drew
With one long kiss my whole soul through
Ny lips, AZ sunlight dhnketh dew"
And Byron, also must have had Bome
such experience in view when he wrote
zone remnant Of Paradise still ia on earth,
For Eden reVyes in the sweet kiss Of love"
Perhaps Joaquin Miller more fully
understands the inspiration born Of .
kiss when he gives utterance to the fol
lowing:
LET red lips iit, proud ourled 10 kis
In love TOO passionate for speech,
Too full of blessedness aud bliss
For anything but this, and this"
And again:
"sinco man must die for some dark sin,
Let my death-cIme be one deep kiss"
But poets are not the only ones wh'
understand and appreciate the pleasure
of a kiss. 1t is one Of the luxuries o
life which all well-organized people hav'
more or less inclination, and peopl
usually follow their inclinations. The,
| may not be able TO express their senti
ments and experiences either in poetr,
or prose, but this is not at all necessar.
for absolute and perfect enjoyment
Temperament, surrounding circum
stances, time and place, have, probably
more to do with it than poetry; thougl
we do not pretend TO deny that there i
a great deal Of poetry in kiss. s.-Kansd
CYtV 7Smes.