It may perhaps be thought that Socrates’ fear of kissing is a trifle exaggerated, his idea possibly arising from a certain prejudice derived from Mistress Xantippe; anyhow, nowadays, we regard the matter from a far more sober point of view. We ought, nevertheless, to be well on our guard against the frivolous opinion expressed in so many modern sayings, that a kiss is a thing of no consequence whatever. The Italians bluntly assert “that a mouth is none the worse for having been kissed” (_bocca baciata non perde ventura_), and a French writer of the present day even goes so far as to compare a kiss with those usually-harmless bullets which are exchanged in modern duels. _Bah! deux baisers, qu’est que cela? On les échange comme des balles sans résultat, et l’honneur reste satisfait_ (Bah! two kisses. What of that? They are exchanged like bullets that miss the mark, and honour is satisfied). This frivolous notion must not, however, be deemed peculiar to the Latin nations: it is to be met with even in the North. In Norway there is a song: Jens Johannesen, the Goth so brave, The maid on her chops a good buss gave. He kissed her once, and once again, But each time was she likewise fain, But each time was she likewise fain. W. F. H. As you see, the last line of the verse is repeated as if for the purpose of duly impressing the moral of the song. It is said in Als: _Et kys er et stow, den der it vil ha et, ka vask et ow_ (a kiss is like a grain of dust, which any one who would be rid of it can wash away). We read as far back as Peder Syv[5]: _Et kys kan afviskes_ (a kiss can be washed away), but he adds solemnly, and for our warning: “She who permits a kiss also permits more; and he who has access to kisses has also access to more.” Even the Germans say: _Kuss kann man zwar abwischen, aber das Feuer im Herzen nich löschen_ (a kiss may indeed be washed away, but the fire in the heart cannot be quenched). Thus hardly the shadow of a doubt ought to exist as to kisses being extraordinarily dangerous--or, in any case, capable of becoming so--far more dangerous, for instance, than dynamite or gun-cotton; in the first place, at any rate, inasmuch as people are not in the habit of walking about with such explosives in their pockets, whereas every one has kisses always at hand, or, more correctly speaking, in their mouths; secondly, we are rid of dynamite when once it has exploded, but, on the other hand, we can never actually be quit of a kiss--without at the same time returning it; for we take back the kisses we give, you know, and we give, too, those we take back--and, adds the proverb, “nobody is the loser.” _Einen Kuss den man raubt giebt man wieder_ (One returns a stolen kiss), say the Germans; and the Spaniards have expressed the same thought in a neat little _copla_: “Dost thy mother chide thee for having given me a kiss? Then take back, dear girl, thy kiss, and bid her hold her tongue.”