Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 10:10:21 -0400

From: Leslie Dunkling 106407.3560[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]COMPUSERVE.COM

Subject: Dutch kiss



I thought I was something of an expert in the matter of osculatory

onomastics. Sinclair Lewis has a husband and wife who jokingly give names=



to kisses in _Cass Timberlane_. They mention the Solid Brother-in-Law, th=

e

Allergic-to-Lipstick, the Short Interrogative, the Long Interrogative, th=

e

Vampire-Minatory. They also talk of the Butterfly kiss, but not the

Paternal or Avuncular Peck which is what I tend to go in for these days.



There's the Kiss of Death bestowed by sporting commentators, the Judas

kiss, the Jonsonian Deputy kiss (Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll=



not ask for wine.) Dickens also described the Keyhole kiss in _David

Copperfield_, when Peggotty kisses the keyhole of the room in which young=



David has been locked by his dastardly step-father. =





But what is this Dutch kiss that has been mentioned in a couple of recent=



postings?

It defeats my dictionaries, both American and British. It certainly defea=

ts

me. Though I note that Barton Holyday, whose _Marriage of the Arts_ was

first performed in 1630, refers to "the different manners of a French,

Spanish and Dutch kiss." Has Spanish kiss also survived?



My question about Dutch kiss is asked in all innocence. If it takes us in=

to

the realms of unpleasant obscenity, forget I asked.