THE OFFICIAL KISS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 135, 4 December 1926, Page 18

THE OFFICIAL KISS

FRENCH FORM OF SALUTATION

A KISS FOB DEBUTANTKK,

In France, where fur gunr>ratioiiH p;mt kissing has boon an official as well as an unofficial form of salutation, v league has been '-formed to hocui-o (lie abolition of kissing, on tho ground that it is dangerous. According to a manifesto issued by the'louguc, as many as 40,000 germa of sickness can be transmitted from one person to another by a single "sanitation with tho lips. No doubt lov'oi'S in Franco will regard a kiss as well worth this rink, but the fact that the Board of Health in France has officially denounced kidsing becauso it is a means of transmitting disease will probably rcHult in the Frenchman relinquishing tho habit of kissing his male relatives and friends when they meet, and adopting the Euglish custom of shaking .hands. . . ■

Even in the boxing ring in France it was tho custpm of opponents to kiss one another on tho cheek before attempting to smite one another on the jaw. The victor in a boxing contest always embraced and kissed the man whom he had reduced to a state of unconsciousness. But two years ago. the French Boxing Federation issued strict instructions to the fraternity that tho handshake was to replace the kiss in tho ring, and tiiat on no account muat tho beaten man, who no longer able to defend himself, bo embraced and ki3sed by the man who had knocked him out. But to the lay mind there would seem to bo less disgrace in losing a fight by breaking the rules and delivering a kiss than by delivering a foul blow.

During ]tf..Millerand's terms of office as President of France after the war he abolished tho Presidential kiss, which had.formerly been bestowed as a matter of form on persons who had tho honour of being presented to the President. Becipicnts of the Legion of Honour and other official decorations wore always kissed by the President of the day. >

It was the custom of Viceroys of Ireland, when vice-regal balls were given at Dublin Castle, to kiss tho debutantes, but Lord Cadogan abolished the practice during his term of office. His successor, Lord Dudley, who was subsequently Governor-General of Australia, revived this pleasant custom. Lord Dudley's successor as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Duke of Aberdocn, showed more discrimination in the distribution of his favours. He used to kiss the pretty debutantes and. allow the plain ones tp pass without this salu: tation. According to Lady . Randolph Churchill, he used 'to insist on ;t.he pretty girls being1 presented to him several-times in the course of the evening, ami on each occasion he rewarded them with a kiss. What the -Duchess thought about her husband's amiablo weakness for a pretty face has not been disclosed. ■ .

Tho custom of kissing the Eoyal hand is still carried out at Buckingham Palace on certain occasions. A new Prime Minister of Engjand when ac--cepting the King's commission to form a Government kisses the King's hand, and acts in.- the same way when surrendering tho seals of office when his Government resigns. The other. Cabinet Ministers and certain high officials, such as ambassadors kiss the King's hand when accepting their appointments or resigning them.

■ Queen Victoria, who had a very exalted opinion regarding tho sacredncss of tho occupant of the throne, had a white, soft, plunrrj little' hahd' that "looked like a satin pincushion.:" Touch it lightly with your lips,"v was .the strict injunction given-by a bedizened official of the Court to each lady as she approached to be presented to Her Majesty at the formal receptions held •at Buckingham Palace. Those who in their nervousness touched the Eoyal hand with the tip of tho noso as well as the lips wore made conscious of the fact that they had offended the. Eoyal dignity, for tho plump little hand made, a, quick upward movement that brought tears to the eyes—the sort.of tears that come from an unexpected, blow on the ■nose. ' . ■'.■■■''.