Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-02-15

For single postage:
Emblem of his and my Cusidy;
With p'rhaps like happy end-stupdity.
This is the first happy day of the year.-St. Val
entine, who was born this day, priest OF
Rome, martyred in 30. ST. Marc, was born on this
day. 4S3; ST. Abraames, in 422; ST. Augentus, in the
9Th Century, and St. Conran, Bishop of Orkney.
The Roman youth, this day, had a custom Of draw
ing the of girls in honor of their goddess Feb
ruata-Juno on the 18th of February. In exchange
for this certain Roman Catholic Pastors substituted
the of Saints bllets, given the day before
viz: on the nth of February.
| The Romans during the greater part Of February,
celebrated the Lupercaa, or easts in honor of Pan
and Juno, who Februata At these feasts the
names of young women We're put into box whence
| they were drawn by men chance directed The
persons chosen called Valentines, because
st. Valentine born the middle of this month 1t
is recorded rural tradition that on this day,
| each bird of the air chooses its mate. Hence Old
John Dunton in his ''British Apollo saws
Why Valentines day choose
mistress and our freedom lose!
May my inerpose
The question with close?
To initiate we have a mind
And couple like the winged kind.
The earliest poeical Valentines are by Charles
Duke of Orleans, taken prisoner at Agincourt, in
and bound up in manuscript iu the British Mu-
scum.
The drawing of Valentines is recorded in poor
Robbins Almanack for 1876, under st. Valentines
Day.
Now Andrew, Antho-
ny and William,
For Valentines dratc
Prue, Kate Jian.
Lydgate, the Monk of Bury, who died in l44O, and
ribed nv Warton To hay been no. only
poet of his monastery, but of the world in general
has poem in praise of Queen Catharne, consort to
Henry 5th, of England, wherein he says,
Seynte Talentne. OF custome yeere by yeere,
Men have al usance in this regoun,
To loke and serche Cupdes Kaendre,
And chose theyr chose by CRETE affeccioun;
Such ben with Cupdes mocioun,
Takyng they're choys theyr sort doth ialle;
But l love whehe exceleth ale
1t was formerly custom for men to make pre-
sents to this day, and in Scotland, these
Valentine gifts reciprocal, and in many other
parts of Great Britain
In many places, the first lass lad Sees is his
Valentine, and vica versa, the first lad lass Secs is
her Valentine. Shakespeare alludes this in Ophe-
las mad songs.
Two hundred thousand letters beyond the usual
daily average pass through the two-penny post of
fee in London, on this day. In this city, no less
than 5GO1 extra letters, in the shape of Valentines
passed through post Office, besides 5000 that were
delivered by hand. In short, the of sending
Valentine letters is every year becoming more and
more fashionable. Next year there will be 80, 900
sent.
As usual, we have received immense number
of letters and notes of all sorts, Sizes and descrp
tions, from all sorts, sizes, and descriptions Of fc
males; some probably very young and beautiful;
some, no doubt, not so young, and by beau
tful; some too delicate to do any thing but read,
scrbble, and dream away life; idle and will
full to spoil good sheet OF paper, when they
should be mending their brothers fathers shirts
or stockings. These all give insight into human
nature, however, and are in keeping with the histo
ry of the times. We give dozen at random.
The first is beautifully written, on blue tinted
lace paper, and encloscs elegant little flower cali
ed 50 Forget-me-Not." This comes from lovely
young GIRL of delicate form, about IL years Of age
black eyes and hair, in ringlets, with well cultiva-
ted mind, and delicate perception. The manner Of
sealing this note, distinguishes the refined lady; it
is neatly DONE with the motto Z" Sovenir Civerie''
| To horish in my native bower
To blossom round my cot
cultivate little flower,
They call Forgetme-Not
Tho ocean should between us roar
And distant be our lot
And though should ne'er meet
Dear B'.----, Forgetme-Not
GESEvEvr.
Here is one from dashing girl of nineteen; with
bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks lips like twin cherries
parted on stem, and a profusion Of rich brown
hair. Ii is written delicate fawn coIored paper,
in a dashing, well turned hand.
LEAP YEAR.
Here is an emblematical device of a heart. pierc-
ed with dart,
There's spell that doth bind thee
To my heart
That thy spirit
Wherever thou art;
IA beautiful vignette, on gold embossed paper, Of
Cupid rising from tulip, with dart in his right
hsnd-on either side Of which is a heart, with the
| following motto: :" yolant des dames"l
| Thourt my thought when I'm waking
| My dream when, sleep