S. Valentine's Day.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2530, 14 February 1877, Page 2

S. Valentine's Day.

Good morrow, 'tis S. Valentine's day, ■AH in the morning-betime.—Hamlet. For a long time now this day, the 14th of February, has been considered as one on which amatory epistles :could be sent, anonymously by members of both sexes, either to other, expressive of all those tender feelings which go to make up the word love, and yet could be scut with impunity and without fear of being called upon to answer before an intelligent and upright jury to a charge of breach of promise of marriage. There is not much fear of forgetting the season, even though the day may pass, without bringing any affecting copy of verses, or .'ess ornate picture with sundry remarksW a personal character affixed thereto, for the shops of those who sell these sort of things are for some weeks previous rendered gorgeous and gay by the valentines placed in the window of all sorts, sizes and colors, priced from 3d upwards. The reason why this day was by universal consent-licensed for love making of a feeble character is not quite clear; some give one. reason,* some another. All, however, agree that the custom is an old one, and that is quite sufficient-for most of them to. continue the, same. In fact anyone.who would dare to suggest abolishing the- custom would, or should be deemed by every orthodox person—every right thinking man, as a contemporary of ours would put it—as a heathen, man and a sinner. It seems that about six centuries ago, speaking, within bouuds, S. - Valentine's day was observed in England, Scotland, and different parts of the Continent, especially Lorraine and Maine in France, by the following customs—On the eve of the feast a number of young unmarried men and girls used to meet, and the names ot those of either sex were written — the numbers of each being, of course, equalon pieces of paper, thrown into boxes and drawn forth two- at a time in the way lotteries are conducted now, the two names that were drawn together being each the valentine of the other. These imaginary engagements, were said often to have led to real ones, because the youth who was the valentine of a lady remained bound to her for one year, to do all sorts of services for her, obey her behests, and all kinds of things, in fact a sortef knightand lady business of the days of King Arthur. Whether in the event pf- jTyoung man being drawn wjth a young lady not possessed of considerable personal attractions the. former jibbed on the engagement, history sayeth not; all it does say is .that during the 14th and 15th centuries this amusement was very

popular and patronised by all, great and small. There are those who say that at the festival held in the evening the various pairs had each but one spoon between them to'eat whatever they did eat in those, days, and that hence is derived the word " spooning," but we, not knowing, can't pretent to say if thia is right. Secretary Pepys in his diary says that in the days of Charles 11. married as well as single persons used to become valentines. The state of affairs now is very different. Most of the valentines, which are meant to be taken in a complimentary sense, have written on-tbemWfew&rerse»Sf?the majority of which wont scan, a snowdrop or two,, a few-violets, orsome of what Mr Weller, senior, woald call the "more '"ten'der©r^ >'i"'"flbtversr >atfd' >thlire^SS*!lßve one specimen of the r4 mod.crn valentine, taking care to add two touching lines the one to end in " mine" or •" thine" the other, of course, in "Talentine.'i; Jlhe common kind of those, which are meant to typify affection ia , that.,. which, depicts a church ( and a tree andjtwo ; birds f in, the distance, with* a gentleman and lady walking to it; he pointing towards' the church, she walking-towards it with him, clad in a white dress/ pink^shawl,-Wue bonnet, and green veil, as being appropriate 'marriage garments;'' while at 'the side a young gentleman in bathing cos* tame .is getting two hearts ready forsooking by shooting an arrow ilii6fagffi>f\£em to serve the purpose of a spit. .But.besides these there is another sort, most of them stupid,' many of the^indecetftSythe.Tfaidrite character in which to describes man being that of a hen-pecked husband,.a lady in that of a virago. In the former of these it is necessary to depict young children whom the father has to carry about and feed. In justice to the memory of the Saint whose name' this day bears it must be said that nothing has been found in the " Deeds of the Saints " to show he had the slightest connection to the custom linked with' his name. There are some who affect to trace its origin to the days of the- Romans, and say that at the Lupercalia—the Lupercal spoken of by Mark Antony in Shakes* peare's Julius Caesar: ;• *vr •-* ■«.* s \\ (» You all did see that on the Lupercal which was celebrated in February—the names of girls were put in| « box tod drawn out by menoorn r v ynatrimmnai thoughts intent (not a viery likely story) while others say. that when religion was more guided by nature-' 1 inatt^if'is now, it waif observed that birds do choose mates*, in' Febrnarjv^nd so men and girls, chose valentine!. Be that as it may, we have S. Valentine's day round again, as well the London postmen know, anl no doubt the English papers will record that so many more hundred thousand letters passed through the-general post office than usual.-. v :