The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-05
FORMS OF SALUTES.
HOW PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CoUN
TRIES GREET EACH OTHER


Henry II.-When Kissing Was Intro
duced There-CourtesiesT That Obtain
IN Persia, China and Japan.
From the Washington Star.
The various customs and modes Of sal
Etation praoticed by the numerous nations
OF the earth form a curious and interesting
study. From the earliest times all forms Of
salutes appear to be based upon desire to
express trust and confidence In the person
accosted and Difference to acknowledged au-
thority. When a man-of-war or a
fortress thunders forth a national
welcome 1t is in recognition Of a
spirit Of amity and friendship extended
through the flag it exhibits while
so holoring. The principle Of submission is
emphasized In the act Of a sentry pres enting
arms and an officer lowering the point Of
bis sword and incltning the colOrs Of regi-
ment. Removing the hat is in line with
laying aside the helmet as a token Of
friendly submission and equality. The GUS
tom Of shaking hands probably dates from
the days when all men went armed, and the
placing Of right baud on right hand would
naturally imply mutual disarming, for so
long as the gesture lasted neither party
could well use arms Of any description.
An old English authority states that hand
shaking came into fashion in the time Of
Henry II. Previous to that date they were
IN the habit Of embracing and kissing one
smother. Some of the tribes of Arabia
seize each others right hand thumb in their
right hand and 60 through the entire list Of
their Relations, changing the grasp as each
relative Is named. "How is your fatherp
A grasps BIS thumb. "Row is your motherfn
b grasps AS thumb "How is your unclep
GRASP. "How is your auntP Grasp. Your
cousin, nephew, grandfather, etc, and b
on until the list IL exhausted. The Persian
saves himself all this trouble by simply
touching his forehead with his right hand.
Mr.. and Mrs. ia said to have originated as
follows: In earlier times the ordinary man
was simply William or John. Some means
OF distinguishing one John or William from
another John or William became necessary.
Nicknames derived from mans trade or
from his dwelling place, or from some per-
sonal popularity, we're taoked on to their
Christian names, and plain John became
John Smith. Some one accumulated more
wealth than the balance Of his neiRhbors
and was termed in the NoTman~Frenoh OF
she day "the maistre.n This turn soon got
sacked on before his name and he became
master and mistress. Gradually the title
was conferred upon any man who had at
tained social distinction Of any kind. Il is
only within comparatively modern times
that the term came to be considered an al
most indispensable adjunct TO every ones
name when mentioned In ordinary oon-
versation or writing,
ORIGIN OF KISSING IN ENGLAND.
According to Collet ''the pleasant practice
Of kissing was utterly Impractical and I'M
known in England till the fair Princess
Rouix (Rowene), the daughter of King
HougIst Of Frieslsnd, pressed the bearer
with her hpkins and saluted the amorous
Vortigern with husjen" little kiss. But
the English maids and men took very
kindly to the practice of kissing, and from
them the Scotch are said 20 have taken a
lesson. When James I. of Scotland met
Anne Of Denmark he was going to
kiss her after the English fashion,
but Anne did not approve
of such familiarity and repulsed
him. Yet after he had bad some private
talk with her aside she became more amen
able, and suffered him to kiss her in the
presence Of the whole court There are
number of historic kisses worthy Of mention
but which scarcely belong to a sketch Of
this character. Shakespeare records kisses
OF all kinds, including the treacherous kiss
of Brutus, the kisses OF Othello, Romeo's
kiss in the vault that Of Bassanio when
the contents Of the leaden caskeE gave him
the rich prize, and dying Antony's-'ot so
many thousand kisses the poor last lay
upon thy lips" Titania, too, kissed ''the
fair large ears of her gentle Joy," and we'll
worthy of mention are the quaint kisses Of
Pyramus and Thisbe.
When Cavendish, the well-known bioR-
Fapher Of Cardinal Wolsey, happened TO
visit French nobleman at his chateau the
lady on entering the room, with her train
of attendant maidens, addressed him with
these words: 'For as much as ye be an
Englishman whose custom 10 is in your
country to kiss all ladies and gentlemen
without otfense, and although it be not SO
In this realm, yet will be SO bold to kiss
you and so shall all my maidensn
Steele, in writing of kissing, states: "Nas-
ure was its author and that it began with
the first courtship" Certain it is that the
custom existed B. G. 1850, and in Genesis
xviii, %. is found the following: And his
father Isaac said unto him, Come near now
ard kiss me, my son.
In early times the act Of kissing was re-
garded as sign Of homage or respect; aud,
in Homer, PrIam is represented kissing the
hands of Achilles when supplicatinR for the
body of Hector. Disraeli, In his "Curiosities
Of Literature" remarks how "the great
respect paid to the tribunes, consuls or die
tators obliged individuals to live with them
in a more distant and respectful manner:
and instead Of embracing them, as they did
formerly, they considered themselves as
fortunate if allowed to kiss their hands.
Under the emperors kissing hands became
an essential duty, even for the great them
selves"
SIGN OF TENDER RESPECT.
Kissing was formerly a sign of tender re-
apect and reverence. Thus Joab took Amasa
with the right hand by the beard to kiss
him, and the custom prevails to this day
after long separation. In Arabia it is
more common to put cheeks together. The
worshipers of BAal used 60 kiss or throw
kisses to their god. The kissing of the
cheek or mouth, which is scarcely any
longer accounted with US a token of rever-
ence, was regarded in this light by the an
Client Persians. Cyrus is represented in
"Cyropsedia" as kissing his grandfather.
because he wished to honor him. The
kissing Of the hand, of the foot (still perpet-
uated enthusiastically in the salutations of
the papal toel, Of the hem of the garment
and even OF the footprint furnished humber
and humber gradations TO those who were
considered unworthy TO kiss O higher part
of the body. The kiss Of peacen in the
early church was a mode OF greeting
which sprung from the oriental element.
the custom OF kissing hands is not only very
ancient, but has always formed one OF the
leading points of etiquette and ceremonial.
both in religion and society. The ancient
fire worshipers saluted the sun. moon and
stars by kissing the hand toward them. and
probably the oldest reference 30 this custom
ts that in which Job disclaims having Joined
in this worship. The custom was universal