The Jewish of adoration, were standing, bow ing, kneeling, and prostration. Tne Cnristiaos adop ting the Grecian, rather than the Roman mode, always adore with their heads uncovered. The ancient Chris tians ordinarily knelt in private ; but stood on the Lord's day. This is still the coni..on practice among Presby terians, and in America ; but the Lutheran churches usually adopt the lorm of kneeling in punlie worship. The Roman catholics, at the adoration of the cross on Good-Friday, walk barelboted, though this custom is not observed by them in Protestant countries. Herodo tus relates, that when the Persians met. if one of them was but a little inferior to the other, they kissed each other ; but if greatly inferior, lie prostrated himself, and adored or worshipped his superior. The manner of adoring their prince, introduced by Cyrus, consisted in bending their knee, falling on their face at his feet, striking the earth with their forehead, and kissing the ground. The kings of Persia, indeed, never admitted any one into their presence, gave audience, or conferred favours, without exacting this ceremony. No instance of servility can be stronger than the following mentioned by d'Herbelot. A conquered prince threw himself on the ground, and kissed the hoof-prints of his victo rious enemy's horse, reciting the following verses in Persian : " The mark that the foot of your horse has left upon the dust, serves me now for it crown.
The ring, which I wear as the badge of my slavery, is become my richest ornament.
" While I have the happiness to kiss the dust of your feet, I shall think that lortune favours me with her ten derest caresses, and her sweetest kisses."
The history of llama!) and Mordecai, shows that simi lar reverence was paid to the favourites of princes : and according to Philostratus, in the time of Apollonius, a golden statue of the king was exposed to all who en tered Babylon ; and none but those who adored it were admitted within the gates. This homage, however, Conon refused to pay to Artaxerxes, and Callisthenes to Alexander the Great, thinking it unlawful and impious.
The Roman and Grecian emperors were adored, by bowing or kneeling at their feet, laying hold of their purple robe, presently withdrawing the hand, and ap plying it to the lips. This, however, was an honour to which none hut persons of some rank or dignity were admitted. The common mode of adoration consisted in falling on the groud, and kissing the feet of the em peror ; and Dioclesian, who is supposed to have bor rowed it from Persian servitude, had gems fastened to his shoes, that these honours might be more willingly paid to him. This practice was continued till the last age of the Greek monarchy. Excepting only on Sun days, when it was waved, from a motile of religious pride, this humiliating reverence was exacted from all who eniered the royal presence, from the princes 1- vested with the diadem and purple, and from the am bassadors who represented their independent sove reigns, the caliphs of Asia, Egypt, or Spain, the kings ol France and Italy, and the Latin emperors of ancient Rome. (Gibbon, chap. fill. vol, x. p. 12•. 8vo. Constan tin. Porphyrug. p. 95, 240.) When any one pays his respects to the king of Acheen in Sumatra, he first takes off his shoes and stockings, and leaves them at the door. (d)