The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-03
n. Valentino. Dau.


The 18th Of February is fast becoming
one Of the most popular anniversaries in
our calendar, while very few know any
thing Of the origin and history of the observ-
ances which have given it this prominence
among the American fadi.
Il is difficult to fix the time when ST.
Valentines day first began to be observed
in the modes now most familiar to the Chris
tan world. We believe it owes its celebri-
ty in the Romish Calendar TO the many
virtues Of Valentine, a presbyter Of the
church, who was beheaded under the En-
peror Claudius on the 14th OF February
Wheatley, in his illustrations Of the Com
mon Prayer, tells US that St. Valentine
was man Of most admirable parts, and so
famous for his love and charity, that the
custom Of choosing Valentines upon his fes.
tival is still practised. This is an unsatis.
factory explanation, as all the saints were
supposed TO be famous for their love and
charity, unless by love here, the learned
commentator means something warmer than
we should dare to think Of, much less write
about, in connexion with any saint in good
and regular standing, like St. Valentine.
1t has been thought that the custom Of
choosing Valentines might have been the
remains of an ancient superstition in the
church of Rome, of choosing patrons on
this day for the ensuing year. In the old
Romish Calendar, the following observa-
lions may be found under the l4lh Of Feb
ruary, "Manes nocte vagari credunter."-
Ghosts are suspected of being abroad this
night. This, in connection with the pre-
ceding Circumstance, have been supposed
TO have originated custom which gallan-
try had availed itself Of in some way when
superstition abandoned it.
There is, however, UNREASONABLE evi.
dence that the custom Of choosing Valen.
tines was sport practised in the houses of
the gentry in England, as early as the year
1473. (See letter dated February, 1476
in Fenn's Pastor Letters, vol. ii. p. 211 }
1t is a ceremony, says Bourne, never
omitted among the vulgar, to draw lots
which they term Valentines, on the eve be.
fore Valentine day. The names OF a Sc
lect number Of one sex are by an equal
number Of the other, put into some vessel !;
and after that every one draws a name,
which for the present is called their Valen-
tine, and is looked upon as a good omen Of
their being man and wife afterwards. file
adds, there is a rural tradition that on this
day every bird chooses its mate, and con-
cludes that perhaps the youthful part Of the
world hath henceforth practised this custom
so common at this season.
This analogy to the bird choosing its
mate is thus alluded to by Chaucer:
mature, the Vicare of the Almightie Lord,
That hote. colde, hevie, light, moist, and drie,
Hath knit by even number of accord,
In easie voice began TO speak and say,
Foules take heed of my sentence / pray,
And for your own ease in fOrdring of your
need,
As fast as | may speak / will me speed
We know well, how on ST. Valentines Day,
By my statute and through my governaunce,
Ye doe cheese your Makes and after fly away
With hem as Pricke you with pleasurance.
Shakespeare, in his Midsummer Night 5
Dream, alIudes to the old saying, that birds
begin to couple on St. Valentines Day
-St. Valentine Is past;
Begin these wood-birds but to couple now
In the French Almanac of 1872, we
read, "Du IA Fevner, qui est, la propre
jour Sainct Valentin on souloit dire
"Ssignee du jour Sainct Valentin
Faet du Sang Get soir ct matin:
Eft la saignee du jour devant
Gsrde de 6evres Ell tout Pam
Herrick has the following in his Hesperi.
des. p. 172:
"To HIS VALENTINE ON ST. vALEsrINE's DAY.
"Oft have heard both youth and virgins say,
Birds chuse their mates, and couple too, this
day:
But by their fight / never can divine
When shall couple with my Valentine"
In Dudley Lord North's Forest Of Varie-
ties, fol. 1645, p. 81, in letter to his
brother, he says: "a lady Of wit and quail.
lite, who you well knew, would never put
herself to the chance Of Valentine, say
ing that shee would never couple herself
but by choyce. The custome and charge
Of Valentines is not i'll left, with many
other such costly and idle customes, which
by tacit general consent wee lay downe
as obsolete"
In Carolina. or Loyal Poems, by Thorn
as Shipman, Esq" p. 1875. is a copy of
verses entitled "The Rescue" 1872. To
Mrs. d. c., whose name being left after
drawing Valentines and cast into the fire,
was snatcht out.
81, like the angel did aspire
Your Name 10 rescue from the fire
My zeal succeeded for your name,
But |, alas! caught all the fame.
meaner offering thus suited,
And Isaac was not sacrificed"
In the British Apollo, fol-, Lond. 17OS, |
vol. l., No. 3, we read,
"Why Valentines day to choose
"A mistress, and our freedom loose7 /
May my reason interpose,
Ihe question with an answer close, |
To initiate we have a mind,
And couple like the winged kind"
In the same work, vol. ii. No. 9, fol-. |
Lond. 1909
"QuesfiOn.-ln chusing Valentines (aecord-
ing 70 custom, Is not the party chusIng (be Il /
chosen7
"AnsDer.-We think II more proper to saw.
drawing Of Valentines, since the most customa.
~ way IL for each TO take his or her lot. And
Chance cannot be termed Choice According
% this method, the obligations are equal, and
therefore il was formerly the custom mutualIyI
. present, but now tits customary only for the
Ssnklemen."
,3 i9taaa I'D