KISSING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue XIII, 28 March 1896, Page 352

KISSING.

A correspondent who describes himself as ‘a man of mature years, but of limited social experience,’ wants to know ‘ if there is any trustworthy record as to the origin and practice of kissing. I have been told,’ he says, ‘ that every tribe of people that have been found anywhere in the world are addicted to the practice. I should like to know if that is so, and also who were the first people to begin kissing.’ So far as our investigations show, the first kiss on record is the osculatory salute between Isaac and his son Jacob, mentioned in the 27th chapter of Genesis ; but it is not unreasonable to suppose that Isaac had kissed the mother many times before he exchanged kisses with the son.

The ancient Hebrews seem to have reduced kissing to an exact science, and to have given it a nomenclature. We find from the Old Testament that they had the kiss of homage, of subjection, of reconciliation, of approbation, of welcome, of love, and joy, of sorrow, of peace, of idolatrous worship, of valediction, of gratitude and many others. We read also in the Scriptures of hypocritical kisses, like that bestowed by Joab on Amasa when about to slay him ; and worst and foulest of all, of the traitorous salute by which Judas betrayed the Saviour. The primitive Christians interchanged kisses before receiving the communion, as a token of religious fellowship. An attempt was made some years ago at a certain place of worship in New York to revive the practice, but owing to ‘ modern degeneracy,’ or some other cause, the ' kissing church ’ was far from being a moral and religious success. Scandal’s envenomed tongue soon began to wag against the brothers and sisters, and the experiment was given up.

It is not true that every tribe of people indulge in kissing. Some of the lower tribes do not seem to know anything about that ‘ token of affection ’ which is so dear to the more enlightened races. But among people who have risen a little above the savage state, it seems that kissing, as Dogberry says of reading and writing, ‘ comes by nature.’ As a sign of affection, kissing was unknown to the Australians, the New Zealanders, the Papuans, the Esquimaux, and other races. The Polynesians and the Malays always sit down when speaking to a superior. The inhabitants of Mallicollo, an island in the Pacific Ocean, show their admiration by hissing ; the Esquimeaux pull a person’s nose as a compliment; a Chinaman puts on his hat where we take it off. and among the same curious people a coffin is considered as a neat and appropriate present for an aged person, especially if he is in bad health.