At Abdera in Thrace (Andromeda one of Euripides Tragedies being played) the spectators were so much moved with the object, and those pathetical love speeches of Perseus, amongst the rest, O Cupid, Prince of Gods and men, &c. that every man almost a good while after spake pure Iambicks, and raved still on Perseus speech O Cupid, Prince of Gods and men. As Car-men, Boyes and Prentises, when a new song is published with us, go singing that new tune still in the streets; they continually acted that Tragical part of Perseus, and in every mans mouth was O Cupid, in every street, O Cupid, in every house almost, O Cupid, Prince of Gods and men, pronouncing still like stage-players, O Cupid; they were so possessed all with that rapture, and thought of that pathetical love speech, they could not a long time after forget, or drive it out of their minds, but O Cupid, Prince of Gods and men, was ever in their mouths. This belike made Aristotle Polit. lib. 7. cap. 18. forbid yong men to see Comedies, or to hear amorous tales.

Hæc igitur Juvenes nequam facilesque puellæ Inspiciant ——

let not yong folks meddle at all with such matters. And this made the Romanes as Vitruvius relates, put Venus temple in the Suburbs, extra murum, ne adolescentes venereis insuescant, to avoid all occasions and objects. For what will not such an object do? Ismenius as he walked in Sosthenes garden, being now in love, when he saw so many lascivious pictures, Thetis marriage, and I know not what, was almost beside himself. And to say truth with a lascivious object who is not moved, to see others dally, kiss, dance? And much more when he shall come to be an Actor himself.

To kiss and to be kissed, which amongst other lascivious provocations, is as a burden in a song, and a most forcible battery, as infectious, Xenophon thinks, as the poyson of a spider, a great allurement, a fire it self, proœmium aut anticœnium, the prologue of burning lust (as Apuleius adds) lust it self,

Venus quintâ parte sui nectaris imbuit.

A strong assault, that conquers Captains, and those all commanding forces, (Domasque ferro sed domaris osculo.) Aretines Lucretia, when she would in kindnesse overcome a suiter of hers, and have her desire of him, took him about the neck, and kissed him again and again, and to that, which she could not otherwise effect, she made him so speedily and willingly condescend. And ’tis a continual assault, —— hoc non deficit incipitque semper, always fresh, and ready to begin as at first, basium nullo fine terminatur, sed semper recens est, and hath a fiery touch with it.

—— Tenta modo tangere corpus, Jam tua mellifluo membra calore fluent.

Especially when they shall be lasciviously given, as he feelingly said, & me pressulum deosculata Fotis, Catenatis lacertis, Obtorto valgiter labello. Valgiis suaviis,

Dum semiulco suavio Meam puellam suavior, Anima tunc ægra & saucia Concurrit ad labia mihi.

The soul and all is moved; Jam pluribus osculis labra crepitabant, animarum quoque mixturam facientes, inter mutuos complexus animas anhelantes:

Hæsimus calentes, Et transfudimus hinc & hinc labellis Errantes animas, valete curæ.

They breath out their souls and spirits together with their kisses, saith Balthazar Castilio, change hearts and spirits, and mingle affections as they do kisses, and it is rather a connexion of the mind then of the body. And although these kisses be delightsome and pleasant, Ambrosian kisses, Suaviolum dulci dulcius Ambrosiâ, such as Ganymedes gave Jupiter, Nectare suavius, sweeter then Nectar, Balsome, hony, Oscula merum amorem stillantia, Love dropping kisses; for

The Gilliflower, the Rose is not so sweet, As sugred kisses be when Lovers meet:

Yet they leave an irksome impression, like that of aloes or gall,

Ut mi ex Ambrosiâ mutatum jam foret illud Suaviolum, tristi tristius Helleboro.

At first Ambrose it self was not sweeter, At last black Hellebor was not so bitter.

They are deceitful kisses,

Quid me mollibus implicas lacertis? Quid fallacibus osculis inescas? &c.

Why dost within thine arms me lap, And with false kisses me intrap?

They are destructive, and the more the worse:

Et quæ me perdunt, oscula mille dabat,

They are the bane of these miserable Lovers. There be honest kisses, I deny not, osculum charitatis, friendly kisses, modest kisses, Vestall-virgin kisses, officious and ceremonial kisses, &c. Osculi sensus, brachiorum amplexus, kissing and embracing are proper gifts of nature to a man: but these are too lascivious kisses,

Implicuitque suos circum mea colla lacertos, &c.

too continuate, and too violent, Brachia non hederæ, non vincunt oscula conchæ; they cling like Ivy, close as an Oyster, bill as Doves, meretricious kisses, biting of lips, cum additamentis: Tam impresso ore (saith Lucian) ut vix labia detrahant, inter deosculandum mordicantes, tum & os aperientes quoque & mammas attrectantes, &c. such kisses as she gave to Gyton, innumera oscula dedit non repugnanti puero, cervicem invadens, innumerable kisses, &c. More then kisses, or too homely kisses: as those that he spake of, Accepturus ab ipsa Venere 7. suavia, &c. with such other obscenities that vain lovers use, which are abominable and pernicious.