The Hawaiian gazette., 1886-11-09
Concerning Kissing.

No one VII require 10 be told what
4 Kiss Is and yet everyone vii sdrnlt
that there Is some truth IN the remark
Of the American hunoriSt that the
only way 10 define q kiss Is 10 take
one We have many different kinds
OF kisses in this country. but we are
not so far advanced in the oScUlatory
practices as our friends II Europe 1t
Is not 4 breach Of Continental Ell
uuette for two members Of the male
sex to embrace and demonstrate their
affection for each other by 8 hearty
Kiss. A Frenchman likes to maintain
his reputation Of bon sErdE;, and 10
him Is granted s privilege, " hieh. for
tunately. here. gentlemen do not en-
10Y. for on New Years morning he
kisses every young lady Of his &C
quaintanee whom he may meet or call
upon. Although possibly we might
envy French ladies N this particular,
we must admit that We get 3 falr share
OF labial compliments during our life
time. We are well nigh overwhelmed
with affectiOnate mOtherly kisses long
before We can appreciate or return
the compliment; and then We have,
amongst many others, the kiss Of
friendly greeting, the kiss under the
mistletOe. the kiss IN the ring, the au-
tomato kiss OF the actor. the kiss
blown from the tips OF the fingers and
the formal kiss OF fashion. which Is
subservient TO the laws Of etiquette.
These salutstions. when between
roysl personages. vary IN number, &C
eording 10 the age and rank Of the
person kissed. and Il Is q serious mat
ter II one Kiss too few or one too many
be given. The stolen kiss which the
i7GE,9rEtr,
with an easy cruelty denies.
Yet wishes yUC would snatch not ask the
bliss"
Is supposed 10 possess certain quail
ties peculiarly Its own. How divinely
sweet and rapturous Is that other kiss,
the
Evarasceut touch that thrills
Ths ardsnt lovers trembling frame;
dew which On the heart distllls,
And kI1dlss into fame
in reference 10 which DR.. Wallcott
writes
when We dwell On the lips Of those We adore.
Not q pleasure In nature Is missing;
Nay his so1i be IN bsave1-hs deserves It I'm
SURE
Who was the inventor Of < ssing.'
The lovers kiss Is often lingering
one. Byron speaks OF the
aLs0uc. roug kiss-tEs kiss Of youth and love,
and Tennyson says
with one long kiss. ny whole soGl thro'
by lips. as sunlight drinksth dew
In -Loeksly Hall appears the line
'-Our spirits rushed together At the touching
OF the bps
a sentiment which had previously been
expressed by Shelley, who speaks Of
The soft and sweet eclipse
When soul meets soul On lovers lips
Pleasant l. the welcome kiss
When days dull round Is Ger
saws J. R. Drake, but sad, sad is the
kiss Of which R-Rbert Dodsley sings:
''Qne fond kiss befers s. part,
Drop tear nd bfCYf 81;
Thozgh We arr sgTsJ 1f-O ~ fond heart
TIL We meet srz-T 9sgsut for you
Many poets have sung OF the parting
kiss, but for true pathos, tender feel
ing, and touching sentiment, nothing
Is to be found to excel Burns little
gem. entitled A Kiss" the last two I
verses Of which run:
Pare thse we'll thou first and faires-.
Fare thee veil, thou best and dearest;
Thine be every JOY and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love and pleasure.
Ae fond KISS and then we sever:
As farewell, alas, forever.
Deep II hssrt-ErGng tears III pledge thee,
Msiling signs and groaus III wage thee
In the pages Of Shakespeare many
kisses are recorded There Is Romeo's I
kiss in the vault, and Anthony's dy- (
ing kiss TO Cleopatra, when he mourn !
fully says:
OF many thousand kisses, the goodly last I .
lay upon thy lips
There Is the curious kiss which Pyr- \
anus gives Thisbe. through the fin
gers Of Tinker Shout. when he repre-
sented the wall; but the most curious
Of kisses ever recorded Is that Of Ii
tanis, when she kisses The fair, large
ears Of gentle ioy'-the ass. There
L likewise something IuuCIOu> ABOUT
Petruchio's kiss. and we have that
beautiful song about kiss in Meas
Ure for Measure. which runs:
Take, o take those lips away,
That 50 sEestly were forsEOru;
And those eyes, the break OF day.
Lights that do uisiezd the morn,
Bat those kisses bring again,
Bring again
Seals Of love but sealed IN vain,
Sealed IN vain
Treacherous and reYelgefGl kisses are 4
not wanting IN Shakespeare, the most .
terrible being that given by 0thello 4
to Desdemona before he smothers her 4
But what poet has not sung about .
kissing. and who has ever sung more
beautifully than dear old Allan Ram
say. when. in the ~Gentle Shepherd 7
he makes Pate give Roger lesson .
l,r telling him how he managed Jenny. Il