The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-22
HISTORY OF THE KISS.
The Practice of Oscillation and It's
Inception.
Missing Not in Vogue Among Savage
Tribes = Different Kinds of Kisses
and Their Special Significance
Some Queer Customs.

the observations Of travellers in tho
lands where savagery and barbarism
still exist. Where it is now practiced,
says the Popular Science Monthly. it is
not probably Of great antiquity. In
some languages. notably the Japanese.
there is no word for kiss.
When, however, the kiss was intro
duced to include women, its vogue, like
that of other new inventions, was carried
to excess. According to the chronicle Of
IIVinsenius, it was unknown in England
until the Princess Rowena, the daugh-
ter of King Hengist, of Friesland, in
6tructed the insular Vortigern in the
imported salute.
Though the Saxon statistics are not
probably exact, it is historical that in
England, not so many years ago, It
would have been the imperative duty of
n visitor to have kissed all the ladies of
the household, even without previous
acquaintance. Such was the experience
of many surprised literary foreigners,
notably Erasmus.
The history of the early Christian
church affords instruction on this topic
at first the kiss was an adopted sign Of
fellowship: Greet all the brethren with
a holy kiss" Il. Thcss., V. 26). 1t early
passed into ceremony as the kiss of
peace given to a newly baptized convert,
and in celebrating the Eucharist. But rs
1T was found to have some qualities not
adapted to religious and spiritual use
between the sexes, it was ordered that
only men should kiss men and women
only women.
The awlartlness of this practice, or
Y1nr1, ~ ho &
kissing, even when limited to the same
sex, was liable to convey contagious
diseases, induced another amendment.
by which the ceremonial kiss in the
Roman church was only passed between
tho ministrants, and relic or cross
called the osculatorium or pax was
passed to the people for their lips.
1t may perhaps be suggested that one
reason for the very long delay in the
practice of the mutual kiss was in the
general use by one or both of the sexes
OF nose rings or labrcts, either of which
would prevent the approximation re-
Quisite. If such use be not admitted rs
II causa sufliciens, it at least affords evil
'dence that the kiss was not customary
among the people by whom nose rings
and labrets were worn. Indeed, Prof.
Dali gives instances where, labrets be-
ing common and the kiss unknown, the
tongues are protruded in affectionate
salute.
The kiss of the hand is undoubtedly
ancient, and therefore is not derived
from that of the lips, but probably the
converse is true. The hand kiss IS
loosely asserted to develop from servile
obeisances in which the earth, the foot
and the garments were kissed. the hand
and cheek succeeding in order of time
and approach to equality of rank.
But 1t is doubtful If that was the act
.ual order, and it is certain that at tho
time when hand kissing began there
were less numerous gradations of rank
than at latter stage.
Kissing of the hands between men Is
mentioned in the Old Testament, also
by Homer, Pliny and Lucian. The kiss
was applied rcvercntly TO sacred objects,
such as statues of the gods. as shown
by ancient works of art and also among
ancient etymologists, by that of tho
Latin word adore; and it was also met
'faphorically applied by the inferior or
worshiper kissing his own hand and
-thrQYmg the salute to the superior or
statue. AZ :. s
The mouth kissing the hand, by which
Job described species of idolatry, is a
species of adulation practiced by every
bringing servant in Italy. When the
actual practice has ceased it survives IN
phrases Austrian men habtuallly saw
to one another: 'Kuss d'Handl" A va
riant form was found among the AL
gonkins and Iroquois, as Chapman re-
lated, in 1929, that "they kissed each
his own hand and then placed it in
mine"
Affection, together with respect, is
sometimes shown in the orient when q
servant salutes a master, son n ia.
ther, or wife her husband by kissing
the others hand either on back or palm.
or both, and then carrying it to the
kisscr's forehead. Among the NIalays
the visitor approaches the man he wish
es to salute with his hands Joined as If
in supplication, while the other touches
them lightly with his own on the other
side, and afterward raises his hands to
his lips or forehead.
These motions are similar to the cerc-
monies in the feudal acts of homage and
fealty. The Micronesians, notably in
the Pelew and Caroline islands, took up
either the hand or foot Of the party re.
spected, and rubbed their own faces
with it. Some religious sects-e. e., the
Dunkers-also kiss one another's feet
after washing them.
The original concept expressed by the
hand kiss was that of ''good." In very
early times to possess what had good
taste was Of the greatest Importance to