78 MANNERS AND FASHION 



respect ; a polite man in Turkey always leaves his shoes at 

 the door, while the lower orders of Turks never enter the 

 presence of their superiors but in their stockings; and in 

 Japan, this baring of the feet is an ordinary salutation of 

 man to man. 



Take another case. Scldcn, describing the ceremonies 

 of the Romans, says : u For whereas it was usual either to 

 kiss the Images of their Gods, or adoring them, to stand 

 somewhat oil before them, solemnly moving the right hand 

 to the lips, and then, casting it as if they had cast kisses, to 

 turne the body on the same hand (which was the right forme 

 of Adoration), it grew also by custom, first that the emperors, 

 being next to Deities, and by some accounted as Deities, 

 had the like done to them in acknowledgment of their 

 Greatness.&quot; It , now, we call to mind the awkward salute 

 of a village school-boy, made by putting his open hand up 

 to his face and describing a semicircle with his forearm ; 

 and if we remember that the salute thus used as a form of 

 reverence in country districts, is most likely a remnant of 

 the feudal times; we shall see reason for thinking that our 

 common wave of the hand to a friend across the street, re 

 presents what was primarily a devotional act. 



Similarly have originated all forms of respect depend 

 ing upon inclinations of the body. Kntire prostration is 

 the aboriginal sign of submission. The passage of Scrip 

 ture, &quot; Thou hast put all under his feet,&quot; and that other one, 

 so suggestive in its anthropomorphism, &quot; The Lord said 

 unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine 

 enemies thy footstool,&quot; imply, what the Assyrian sculptures 

 fully bear out, that it was the practice of the ancient god- 

 kings of the East to trample upon the conquered. And 

 when we bear in mind that there are existing savages 

 who signify submission by placing the neck under the foot 

 of the person submitted to, it becomes obvious that all 

 prostration, especially when accompanied by kissing the 



