634 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



describes his reception "by the principal Mexicans, each of whom 

 put his own hand to the ground and then kissed it. A yet clearer 

 illustration is shown in the practice still existing in some parts 

 of Germany, that the inferior calling upon a high official should 

 knock at the door, whether open or closed, of the latter's apart- 

 ments, not at the convenient level of his hand, but low down near 

 the flooring, thereby humbly indicating his station. An actual 

 lowering of the head is required in these cases, but normally it is 

 not seen and is only incidental to the main action. A truly gal- 

 lant sentiment appears in the custom in some Dutch cities of 

 bowing when passing the house where a lady friend resides, even 

 though it may be certain that the salute can not be seen. Her 

 presence, real or supposed, receives the compliment. 



In southeastern Africa, two chiefs, each claiming to be at least 

 the other's equal, can never meet because the initiative in saluta- 

 tion acknowledges the superiority in rank of the chief saluted. If 

 no salutation is made, the followers fall to blows and war begins. 

 But among the Mbengas it is the duty of the highest in position to 

 make the first salutation, a curious example of the coincidence 

 between the low types of man and the latest culture which rules 

 that a lady has the privilege as well as duty of recognition. Such 

 salutes must always be returned, and indeed nearly all forms and 

 expressions of greeting must be reciprocated as made, even among 

 savages who are the representatives of antiquity, this fact mili- 

 tating against the degrading origin of the bow, which could only 

 apply when made by one party viz., the inferior. To adduce one 

 instance among many : The king of the Hoorn Islands, early in 

 the seventeenth century, receiving the party of discovery, held 

 his hands against each other with his face above them for two 

 hours, lowering himself nearly to the ground, and remaining so 

 until the visitor had paid him the like reverence. Until then the 

 ceremony was incomplete. 



The uncovering of the masculine head, with or without the 

 forward bow, by removal of whatever head-dress is upon it, is 

 also explained by Mr. Spencer on the principle of fear. It means 

 to him a removal of part of the clothing as symbolical of the 

 whole, and thereby is an abbreviation of the exhibition or pre- 

 tense of poverty, helplessness, and abjectness by which the wrath 

 or greed of a tyrant is deprecated. In support of this view many 

 usages are cited in which whole or partial nakedness and dis- 

 played misery seem to become ceremonial. It is also true that 

 the respective costumes of the master and servants were often de- 

 signed to assert that the former alone was big. Not only such 

 titles as Highness, Celsitude, and Altitude implied elevation be- 

 fore mentioned, but those like Majesty and Magnitude demanded 

 the show of relative size. Similar devices to distinguish the great 



