VALENTINES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 63, 23 February 1877, Page 3

VALENTINES.

Formerly, an elaborate white satin pancake, with a lace frill, and a counterpiece of hearts and darts, bordering some inanimate pink and white effigies at a parish church, was the highest effort of the art to be bought for money, as appropriate to the 14th February. Twenty pounds was, in 1863, considered a fair week's receipt for valentines at a first-rate West-end London shop. Five hundred pounds taken over the counter is now held to be a fair but not extraordinary business in the seven days preceeding and including the 14th. Mr. Samuel Slick used to ask permission to leave one of his clocks in charge of a farmer's wife ; and having once created a want, left the rest to "soft sawder" and "human natur." Mr. Benjamen Disraeli boasts of educating his party until they swallow eagerly whatever he chooses to provide. The great valentine purveyors combine both principles. They have spent five years in creating a new and expensive want, and in educating the patrons up to purchasing point. Their teaching has been patient, unremitting, and progressive. Year by year, valentines have increased in costliness and taste. One of the first novelties contained real flowers artificially scented, and grouped, so as to convey tender nothings to the receiver. Then came one by one trifling presents, all symbolical of the day, and all forming part of the valentine. The customer anxious to be merely wasteful, cannot spend more than a couple of guineas on his fancy, and for this will obtain a fairly executed little painting on white silk or satin, or a stuffed hummingbird, or two with love-knots in their mouths, or a basket of artificial flowers, what is called a "rich Watteau painting." One af the prettiest of this class costs but one guinea, and consists of a real humming-bird on full wing towards the opening of the letter, flying through a bower of artificial roses with his message of love. From this class you step at once into extravagance literally unlimited. A ring, the value of course dependent upon the donor's generosity and length of purse, nestles among flowers speaking in their own language the sender's sentiments. Jewelled smelling bottles ; fans, pearlhandled, bejewelled, and with expensively painted sides ; glove-saches, embroidered and ornamental ; brooches, bracelets, studs, pin, and ear-rings are all cunningly introduced beneath a full-blown heart, or a true-lover's knot, so as to give a distinctly valuable meaning to an expression of good will. The musical valentines are among the greatest triumphs of ingenuity, and are comparatively cheap, ranging from one guinea to five. There are boxes which are wound up before posting, and begin to play directly there lid is lifted. " Come where thy Love lies Dreaming," or " Sweet Spirit, hear my Prayer," will greet many a maiden, or—leap-year being considered— many a swain, on Valentine's morning, on opening the bulky packet the postman has brought in.