Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-11
KISSING AND CANNIBALIsM.
A Discussion on the Relationship Be
tween Oscillation and Anthropophagy.

Prom the Boston Transcript
There is an evident relationship between
kissing and cannibalism which must have been
discovered by any person OF speculative turn
OF mind who has given to the matter thought
tul consideration; but probably no one has
been able to arrive at satisfactory conclusion
as to which Of the two customs sntedates the
other. But however this may be. il is easy 20
perceive that kissing may have grown out OF
cannibalism, or that the eating of human flesh
may nave had Its rise in the osculatory habit
surprising, for the sake OF the argument.
that kissing is the more ancient of the two IA
needs out a few words 90 convince the most
incredulous that cannibalism was its natural
and necessary outgrowth; for what is kissing,
after al, but an incipient form Of iesh-eatingf
Tue difference Is one of degree only. In the
one case. we place our lips TO the BANQUET and
imoioe Its sweetness by absorption; m the
other. practically the same result is achieved
by masiication and deglutition. One is the re-
hnement OF feeding; the other gross degra-
dation OF palatine exaltation. Kissing is a con-
comitant Of civilization and enlightenment;
cannioailsm is the badge Of the barbarian. In
these extremes we see two species of a common
& enus two phases OF the same thing
IL kissing be the Older of the two. il is fair 20
De presumed that II originated among enlight
ened and refined races, and that IL degenerated
INTO cannibalism only mankind in certain
localities sank in the scale of social condition
The civilized man sips his drink from a spoon.
the savage gets down on all fours and guzzles ID
like wild beast; the former KISSES the latter
devours, the flesh of his fellow. IL is in either
case merely refinement gone astray, turned in
side out, subverted. demoralized
But, on the other hand, kissing NAV have
grown out of hesh-eating This we think the
more plausible hypothesis. Man as first created
was probably little above the brute creation.
HIS munitions were from below rather than
from above. He saw the brute deyour flesh OF
MS own species, and he naturally followed the
only example that was presented 20 him. and
cannlbalism was no doubt the rule rather than
the exception. In process of time, however
mankind grew effeminate by the acquisition Of
Norldiy goods and the consequent increase Of
Injuries and labor-saying devices. and the
palate which at one time craved heshy aliment
IN It's gross form became refined and squeam-
lsh, and could no longer brook what was once
so grateful, and IN this way some philosopher
IN the science of epulation made the grand
and benehcent discovery that the same sem
sation, only purified and refined. which came
OF hesh-eating, was obtanable by APPLYING
ones lips TO the lips of fellow mortal. This
discovery was ayailed of gradually by the epi-
cures of his day, until kissing had among the
more civilized peoples entirely usurped the
place OF cannlbalism. Originally. il is fair TO
suppose that kissing was INDUCED in without
regard to sex. supposition all the more proba-
BILE IN view of the fact that in France the men
stu do their OSCILLATION among themselves. and
IN our country the women prefer TO kiss babies
or one another rather than men. Ii is clearly a
reilc OF cannlbalism, and intersexual relations
have nothing whatever 20 do with the custom
But blessings on the man who invented kiss
ing, or who restored it, whichever may have
been the course of evolution