The Magical world of Kissing- 4

Kissing has also been called the act “dipping sugar.” A kiss is like a rumor, because it goes from mouth to mouth; its shape is a lip-tickle; as a grammatical part of speech it is a conjunction; kisses are the interrogation points in the literature of love. Then again, kissing has been called lip-service and has been defined as the prologue to sin; more often, let us hope, it is simply a sweetmeat which satisfies the hunger of the heart.

How Adam kissed Eve has been described in “Paradise Lost:”

—— he, in delight

Both of her beauty and submissive charms,

Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter

On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds

That shed May flowers: and pressed her matron lip

With kisses pure.

Though we may be unfortunate in tracing back the origin of this pleasing custom, let us see if we have better luck in an attempt to answer the question, “What is a kiss?”

First, we will go to the dictionary where we learn that a kiss, a smack, or a buss, is “a salute made by touching with the lips pressed closely together and suddenly parting them.”

Dr. Stormouth says that the word kiss seems to have had its origin in the practice of feudal times of expressing homage to a superior by kissing the hand, foot or some part of the body or, in his absence, some object belonging to him, as a gate or a lock.

One poet calls kisses “the fragrant breath of summer flowers.” This is a very happy conceit that is not always found to be true, for how fragrant kisses are depends very much on the breath of the principals engaged. Coleridge calls them “nectar breathing.” Shakespeare speaks of them as “seals of love,” and Sidney tells us they tie souls together.

Kiss Quotes:

Here are the most popular quotes on the subject of kissing, which cover some very interesting points:

for men:

“Driving safely enough not to cause an accident while kissing a beautiful girl at the same time simply shows that the man is not giving all of his attention worthy of their kiss.” – Albert Einstein

“When you are thinking twice about kissing a pretty girl, you would do better if you give her the benefit of the doubt.” – Thomas Carlyle

“If you want to get what you desire, opt for a kiss rather than a whine. Kisses are way sweeter than hearing a woman whine.” – Unknown

“A man snatches the first kiss, pleads for the second, demands the third, takes the fourth, accepts the fifth – and endures all the rest.” – Helen Rowland

“I kissed my first girl and smoked my first cigarette on the same day.