Opening the text

The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdoteBombaugh, Charles C. (Charles Carroll)

History

The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdote

Name: The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdote
Author: Bombaugh, Charles C. (Charles Carroll)

Bombaugh, Charles C. (Charles Carroll)

Kissing

*       *       *       *       *

  I die, dear life! unless to me be given
    As many kisses as the spring hath flowers,
    Or there be silver-drops in Iris’ showers,
  Or stars there be in all-embracing heaven;
    And if displeased you of the match remain,
    You shall have leave to take them back again.

                         DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN.

       *       *       *       *       *

  You say I love not, ’cause I do not play
  Still with your ringlets, and kiss time away;
  By love’s religion, I must here confess it,
  The most I love when I the least express it!

                                      HERRICK.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Love in her sunny eyes does basking play;
    Love walks the pleasant mazes of her hair;
  Love does on both her lips forever stay,
    And sows and reaps a thousand kisses there.

                                        COWLEY.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Her kisses faster, though unknown before,
  Than blossoms fall on parting spring, she strewed;
  Than blossoms sweeter, and in number more.

                                           DAVENANT.

       *       *       *       *       *

  So cheered he his fair spouse, and she was cheered,
  But silently a gentle tear let fall
  From either eye, and wiped them with her hair;
  Two other precious drops, that ready stood,
  Each in their crystal sluice, he, ere they fell,
  Kissed, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
  And pious awe, that feared to have offended.

                                              MILTON.

       *       *       *       *       *

  We were alone, quite unsuspiciously,
    But oft our eyes met, and our cheeks in hue
  All o’er discolored by that reading were;
    But one point only wholly us o’erthrew:
  When we read the long-sighed-for smile of her,
    To be thus kissed by such devoted lover,
  He who from me[13] can be divided ne’er
    Kissed my mouth, trembling in the act all over.[14]

                                             DANTE.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Sweet pouting lip! whose color mocks the rose,
    Rich, ripe, and teeming with the dew of bliss,—
  The flower of Love’s forbidden fruit, which grows
    Insidiously to tempt us with a kiss.

                                              TASSO.

       *       *       *       *       *

  I felt the while a pleasing kind of smart;
  The kiss went tingling to my very heart.
  When it was gone, the sense of it did stay,
  The sweetness cling’d upon my lips all day,
  Like drops of honey loath to fall away.

                                      DRYDEN.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Upon my livid lips bestow a kiss;
  Oh, envy not the dead, they feel not bliss.

                                      DRYDEN.

       *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdoteBombaugh, Charles C. (Charles Carroll)

History

The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdote

Bombaugh, Charles C. (Charles Carroll)

Kissing

*       *       *       *       *

  I die, dear life! unless to me be given
    As many kisses as the spring hath flowers,
    Or there be silver-drops in Iris’ showers,
  Or stars there be in all-embracing heaven;
    And if displeased you of the match remain,
    You shall have leave to take them back again.

                         DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN.

       *       *       *       *       *

  You say I love not, ’cause I do not play
  Still with your ringlets, and kiss time away;
  By love’s religion, I must here confess it,
  The most I love when I the least express it!

                                      HERRICK.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Love in her sunny eyes does basking play;
    Love walks the pleasant mazes of her hair;
  Love does on both her lips forever stay,
    And sows and reaps a thousand kisses there.

                                        COWLEY.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Her kisses faster, though unknown before,
  Than blossoms fall on parting spring, she strewed;
  Than blossoms sweeter, and in number more.

                                           DAVENANT.

       *       *       *       *       *

  So cheered he his fair spouse, and she was cheered,
  But silently a gentle tear let fall
  From either eye, and wiped them with her hair;
  Two other precious drops, that ready stood,
  Each in their crystal sluice, he, ere they fell,
  Kissed, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
  And pious awe, that feared to have offended.

                                              MILTON.

       *       *       *       *       *

  We were alone, quite unsuspiciously,
    But oft our eyes met, and our cheeks in hue
  All o’er discolored by that reading were;
    But one point only wholly us o’erthrew:
  When we read the long-sighed-for smile of her,
    To be thus kissed by such devoted lover,
  He who from me[13] can be divided ne’er
    Kissed my mouth, trembling in the act all over.[14]

                                             DANTE.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Sweet pouting lip! whose color mocks the rose,
    Rich, ripe, and teeming with the dew of bliss,—
  The flower of Love’s forbidden fruit, which grows
    Insidiously to tempt us with a kiss.

                                              TASSO.

       *       *       *       *       *

  I felt the while a pleasing kind of smart;
  The kiss went tingling to my very heart.
  When it was gone, the sense of it did stay,
  The sweetness cling’d upon my lips all day,
  Like drops of honey loath to fall away.

                                      DRYDEN.

       *       *       *       *       *

  Upon my livid lips bestow a kiss;
  Oh, envy not the dead, they feel not bliss.

                                      DRYDEN.

       *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdote

The literature of kissing : $b gleaned from history, poetry, fiction, and anecdote

No reviews yet