And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed him.—_Matt._ xxvi. 48, 49. The kisses of an enemy are deceitful.—_Prov._ xxvii. 6. [See also Prov. vii. 13.] AFFECTION. When Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house.—_Gen._ xxix. 13. Moreover he [Joseph] kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them.—_Gen._ xlv. 15. And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.—_Gen._ l. 1. [See also Gen. xxxi. 55, xxxiii. 4, xlviii. 10; Exod. iv. 27; Luke xv. 20; Acts xx. 37.] A Hebrew commentator on Genesis xxix. 11 says that the Rabbins did not permit more than three kinds of kisses, the kiss of reverence, of reception, and of dismissal. With reference to the expression of reverence or worship in the foregoing quotations, it should be noted that to adore idols and to kiss idols mean the same thing. Indeed, the word _adore_ signifies simply to carry the hand _to the mouth_, that is, to kiss it to the idol. We still kiss the hand in salutation. Various parts of the body are kissed to distinguish the character of the adoration paid. Thus, to kiss the lips is to adore the living breath of the person saluted; to kiss the feet or ground is to humble one’s self in adoration; to kiss the garments is to express veneration for whatever belongs to or touches the person who wears them. Pharaoh tells Joseph, “Thou shalt be over my house, and upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss,” meaning that they would reverence the commands of Joseph by kissing the roll on which they were written. “Samuel poured oil on Saul, and kissed him,” to acknowledge subjection to God’s anointed. In the Hebrew state, this mode of expressing reverence arose from the peculiar form of government under the patriarchal figure. SYMBOLICAL EXPRESSION AMONG THE GREEKS AND ROMANS. ANCIENT HISTORY AND POETRY COMMINGLED. In Homer’s beautiful description of the parting of Hector from his wife and child upon returning to the field of battle, occurs a touching recital of paternal affection and solicitude (Iliad, vi.). The passage is so beautiful that we quote it at length: “Thus having spoke, the illustrious chief of Troy Stretched his fond arms to clasp the lovely boy. The babe clung crying to his nurse’s breast, Scared at the dazzling helm and nodding crest; With secret pleasure each fond parent smiled, And Hector hastened to relieve his child, The glittering terrors from his brows unbound, And placed the beaming helmet on the ground, Then kissed the child, and, lifting high in air, Thus to the gods preferred a father’s prayer.