The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-04

be argued that Paradise ended when
kissing began. Certainly the evidence
in the case points that way, although
it is not generally accepted as a good
working precedent Few human crea-
lures will admit that the kiss is not
an important part of the divine scheme
of things, and that it would not have
come into fashion even if the episode
of the apple had not occurred.
But that is of no great consequence
nowadays. The fact remains that the
kiss is a very ancient institution 1t
was popular in what we call classical
times, and its possibilities were recog-
nized in the beginnings of Christian
ity, as the story of Judas tells. The
remarkable thing, then, is that it had
to wait all this time to find fitting Gel
ebration.
Minstrelsy, it is true. has extolled the
kiss for many ages, but only in ftful
bursts of enthusiasm. 1t remained for
the scientific spirit of the twentieth
century to consider it with exhaustive
impartiality and to trace its origin and
influence upon the affairs of man
and woman. Curiously enough, the
task has fallen to the cold northland of
Denmark, where, we had thought. the
kiss and the emotions that crowd be-
hind it were an unknown quantity.
Can it be that our own savants have
too long fingered over their prelim-
mary Investigations?
Prof. Christian Nyrop, Phi. D., is
the learned gentlemen-in question. He
is, believe, associated with a Danish
University. His book, which bears
the alluring title. The Kiss and Its
History" comes to us from Chicago
(Stromberg, Allen & Coz This is appro-
pirate enough. Many good things in
11n l. fraA frTrS hi 20 crn N
spite of the fact that it was the san
itary officer of that city who brought
epithet upon his head by discovering
dangerous microbe in the kiss.
Prof. Nyrop will be more popular,
however. He does not deal with I'M
pleasant possibilities, and what he
doesn't know about kiss isn't worth
knowing. He is in love with his sub
ject. Here and there he strives, with
pedagogic gravity, to be profound and
philosophic, but presently some tender
memory seizes him and he scars. I'm
fortunately. his authorities are all his
toric. He never once betrays a source
of personal information. Well, per-
haps he is wise
The first question considered is:
What is a Kiss? Then there are five
divisions Of the subject: The Kiss of
Love, The Affectionate Kiss, The
Kiss of Peace. The Respectful Kiss and
The Kiss of Friendship. All other va
rieties come under the head of Miscel-
ianeous Kisses, and there is a final
chapter on The Origin of Kissing.
Before entering upon his subject, the
professor solemnly reminds everyone
of the danger that lies merely in read
ing about kissing" and adds. having
done so. my conscience is at perfect
ease" Then he plunges fondly into
the discussion, answering his first
question at the outset by frankly de-
claring: "A kiss must be felt to be
fully understood, and it is perfectly
vain to try to find out what it is.
After quoting few definitions by
poets and scientific associations. he
reaches this conclusions:
THE kiss is produced by a kind of
sucking muscular movement by the lips.
accompanied by a weak or strong
scund, according TO the fervor of the
kisser.' He doesn't say a word about
the kissee. who often has a good deal
to do with the success or failure of the
enterprise. He adds. however, that
"a kiss becomes kiss only when used
to express an emotion"
Man is the slave of the kiss" the
scholar continues. with a kiss a
woman can tame the widest man. BY
a kiss the strongest mans will be-
comes soft as wax"
On the question how many kisses are
required, Prof. Nyrop closes for all
time by quoting Caturs lines to Les
bia.
Give me one thousand kisses and a
hundred,
And again some thousands and some
hundreds;
Then once more a thousand and a
hundred.