Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-07-27
AN EPIDEMIC OF KISSES.


The epidemic of kisses which attended
Lieut.. ilubson's tour after his sinking Of
the Mrrrimac, was the subject of world
wide comment and not little unkind
criticism. In the August number OF the
Pan Mall Magazine Prof. Caesar Lom-
broso the eminent Italian criminOogist
and psychologist, comes 10 the rescue Of
the brave lieutenant and his admirers /
remarkable and extremely interesting ar
tcc in which he treats the phenomenon
from pathological standpoint under five
headings, as follows /. AnElo-SaXon
Reserve. 2. Maternal Origin of the Kies. 3,
Suggestiblity Of the Crowd; 4, The Kiss:
an Emblem Of Ncneration; ), lioh-on
Worthy Of Enthusiasm.
Prof. I.ombroso thinks that the i'm
pcrialistico- military ardor kindled in the
United States 10y the infamies of Spain, 50
contrary TO American feeling and tradi-
t!on,' was subsidiary cause of the mani
festaton which, lie gees on To say, loses
much Of its indplicacy when We RENE mhcr
that his kiss may bear many interpic;a-
tons besides that of love. 1T has been
said that the kiss Is the symbol of love
and respect of friendship and gratitude;
that ii Is a token OF peace and charity,
that it has somewhat the nature Of a
pledge We see therefore, that above and
beyond the maternal and the amorous the
kiss is a symbol of respect and venerat ton,
and we may add Of fellowship. St, Paul
eXhorted his followers to kiss in token Of
fellowship: Greet ye one another with an
holy kiss
As mark of reverence it is yet more
common. The Persians' writes Keno
phon. kissed all whom they held in vencr-
alton. The Syrians and Phoenicians di-
recjed kisses towards the statues of the
goGs, towards the sun and moon. Job,
too, reaches out towards the sun and
kisses his hand. Amongst Christians, or
rather amongst Catholics, the kiss was a
symbol not only of fellowship but of ado
ration: they kissed relics and pictures OF
the saints.
more cxcitahlc than man. whilst her pas
passions are more demonstratiVa than
his, the more prone is she to express her
admiration; and her readiest outlet II "A
kiss. Man gives vent to his admiration
10y applause and shouting.
Margaret of scotland, daughter OF Louis
Nj, passing through n room where the
eloquent French preacher Alnin Charter
lay sleeping. kissed him on the mouth.
"It is not the man that | kiss" she said,
but the mouth whence issues such sub
lime discourse" when Garibaldi rode
through Italy after the Siclian victories,
women were trampled under the horses
feet in the attempt to kiss him. and they
had at last 10 content themselves by kiss
/ ing his garments The Italian populace
has ever been known TO beg the favor of
kissing tho clothes--nay, the very hand
| kerChief-of Don Bosco, who was only a
| half-canonised saint of our own times,
| A year ago, when Zoa's famous letter
lJ'accusc appeared ] myself heard a young
and beautiful Italian lady, throbbing with
enthusiasm and admiration FOR his fear
| less conduct. explain In large assembly.
If he were here would kiss him" and |
have no doubt that the other ladies pres
ent would have followed her example.
! Few mon are 20 worthy of admiration
and enthusiasm az Hobson, whose Merit
mac exploit is one of the bravest deeds of
our own times; and the account of il.
given by the hero himself, was bound to
foment the enthusiasm of his hearers,
who must have felt as though they had
been actually present. Under these cir
circumstances the kissing phenomenon loses
much of its pathological aspect, more es-
peciallN ms women are always warm adj
mircrs OF military valour. The very
proenism which permcates our times, es-
pecially in America, makes these eXcep-
tional deeds the more provocative of adj
miration and enthusiasm"