The evening times., 1899-07-19

New York. July 19.-Prof. Cesare Lom-
broso, the Italian criminologist and alien
list. has contributed an article. entitled
AN Epidemic of Kisses in America" to
the forthcoming August number of the
Pail Mall Magazine
To Lieutenant Hobson the learned pro-
fessor ascribes the inception of this epi-
SO striking a phenomenon as to call for
examination from pathological point OF
view.
The professor starts with a misstate-
ment of facts. Hobson's first experience
with kissing in public did not take place
at Sassar College, as the professor as
serts, but at Long Beach. Again, the pro-
fessor seems to have taken too seriously
exaggerated reports of Hobson's kissing
bees. He says:
The doughty deed of Lieutenant Hob
son, who scuttled the Merrimac in Santa
go harbor and freely risked bis life in the
bold project OF locking the Spaniards in
their own port. is fresh in the memory OF
all. We are tod that when after the war
the gallant sailor gave an account OF his
eXplcit at Vassar College, lady who was
al his lecture expressed wish to kiss tie
hero, and her example was followed by all
the ladies present. Hobson subsequently
lectured in all the leading cities of the
United States, and in the course of his
tour he was kissed by no fewer than 10000
women.
Now, when we consider the reserve OF
| the Anglo Saxon race in expressing its en-
thusiasm. when we consider the modesty
of its women, when, above all, We consider
the self possession and hard -headednesS of
the American citizens, this phenomenon
appears so striking as TO call for some ex-
animation from a pathological standpoint.
In the case of Hobson's 10000 kisses,
the strangeness and unconventionality OF
which were heightened by their publicity.
| the most striking fact was that he was ad-
dressing a crowd of specially elite persons.
| The crowd is domain in which the mi
crobe of evil develops more readily than
the microbe of good, because the good ele-
ments of the individual are eliminated by
numbers, or by the presence even OF a
single morbid element. Disturbances arise
/ mainly from the stronger influences which
the few deprayed persons in a crowd exer-
else upon it. for, being OF an active ma
ture, they oversway the Yirtuous, who are
| by nature more passive.
This baleful influence is yet more
marked in a crowd of women, partly be-
cause ii includes large proportion of hys-
terical persons, who give and receive sug-
gestioI. more readily than others, and part
! ly because, aside from hysterieal tenden-
cies, women are more open 10 suggestion
more inclined TO run TO extremes, than
men.
In highly cultured race, in crowd
where women preponderate, and under
conditions Of the most justifable enthusi.
asm. the outcome, at best no crime, wa:
Z haia a hpaaph Of CnPial nnPprum s
violation of that sense of modesty which i:
so keen in the Anglo Saxon, for whom tbs
price of a stolen kiss may amount 10 {
heavy fine.
"A subsidiary cause Of this breach o.
decorum may have been sort of impe-
rialistic- military ardor kindled in The
United States by the infamies of Spain
with its absurd and impo!itic result of tn,
conquest of the Philippines, so contrar.
to American feeling and tradition.
Few men are SO worthy of admiration
and enthusiasm as Hobson, whose Merri
mac exploit is one of the greatest deeds o
our own times and the account of it
given by the hero himself, was bound Il
foment the enthusiasm Of his hearers. whC
must have felt as if they had been actuall!
present. Under these circumstances tn
kissing phenomenon loses much of it
pathological aspect, more especially a
women are always warm admirers OF mil
tary valor.
The very prosaism which permeate
our times, especially in America, make
.hese exceptional deeds the more p-oyoca
tive of admiration and enthusiasm.
would augur well for the glory Of th
great republic, on which at the time tht
gaze OF the whole liberal world is fixed, i
in the flush of victory the military ardo
of our American cousins had restricted it
self to this single act.'