by way of salutation, or as a token of respect, has been practised in all nations. The Roman emperors saluted their principal officers by a kiss. Kissing the mouth or the eyes was the usual compliment upon any promotion or happy event. Soldiers kissed the general's hand when he quitted his office. Fathers, amongst the Romans, had so much delicacy, that they never embraced their wives in the presence of their daughters. Near relations were allowed to kiss their female kindred on the mouth; but this was done in order to know whether they smelt of wine or not; because the Roman ladies, in spite of a prohibition to the contrary, were found sometimes to have made too free with the juice of the grape. Slaves kissed their masters' hand, who used to hold it out to them for that purpose. Kissing was a customary mode of saluta- tation among the Jews, as we may collect from the circumstance of Judas approaching his Master with a kiss. Relations used to kiss their kindred when dying, and when dead; when dying, out of a strange opin- ion that they should imbibe the departing soul; and when dead, by way of valedictory ceremony. They even kissed the corpse after it was conveyed to the pile, when it had been seven or eight days dead.