Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-14
Sc. VALENTINES RAY.

To-day two high holy days chance together Ash
Wednesday falling upon the 14th of February, which,
as all the world knows, is also the feast of the
patron saint of lovers-St. Valentine.
While the devout fast and pray in right good ear
nest commencing their forty days of Lent in humili
alton, Cupid is busy with his distracting legion of
dainty missives, replete with darts hearts and all
loves recognized insignia added to loveorn rhymes
These same valentines come to us of the present
day with all the prestige of antiquity the earliest
poetcal ones having been written 400 years ago by
the gallant Charles. Due d. Orleans while prisoner
OF war in the Tower of London just after the battle
OF AgncOurt. Copies of these lyric love ditties are
to be seen in superb folio MS. among the treasures
OF the British Museum, of them having been
written in the English language which he acquired
as a beguilement Of time during his captivity
Lydgate, a monk in l44O, wrote these quaint lines
Seynte Valentine of custom yure by yure
- Men have had an issuance in this regioun
To loke and serche Cupide's Kaleudere,
And chose they're chOySe by CRETE affecciOun,
Such as ben move with Cupides mocGun.
bbakyng they're choyse as they're sort doth falle;
But love oon whiche excellith alie!''
One hopes he alluded to a spiritual love- else it
would appear a queer admission for a monk!
Three hundred years later all the amusing games
of the season, many of which repetition of the
mystic charms Of AlHallow Gen. were in high favor
and pervaded all lands and all stations In Hert-
toTdshire, England the children were accustomed to
sing Valentine verses under peoples windows for
half-I ance, after the manner of Christmas carols
One ran thus:
Good morrow to you. Valentine,
Curl your locks as do mine,
Two before and three behind,
Good morrow to you, Valentine"
The day was celebrated in Scottish villages by
drawing lots-slips of paper having the names of the
peasant maidens put in a bag-each youth having
the privilege of drawing three times, the last one
being the damsel he must relieve" with a kiss and
other gallant attentions. This custom reached also
into the high circles of England, as shown in the
celebrated diary of Mr.. Pepys who with the econo-
my for which he is so remarkable where his own
mention of his qualification at drawing a little
girl for his Valentine would cost him less than
for riper partner He states that often rings and
jewels worth two thousand pounds apiece were the
Valentine offerings of a nobeman to court favortes
More and more every year does the pretty scnti-
mental celebration of the day grow into disuse and
those who would peryert all charming old legendary
commemoratiOns into occasions for exhibitions ofper-
sonal spite, make this subservient to their busy
malice, hatred and all uncharitableness, and comic
or scurrlous sheets anonymously sent under the
seeming sanction of Saint whose name should be a
synonym for love, harmony and tender thoughts.
1t is to be hoped that none upon which St. VaIen-
tine would have frowned have burdened our letter
carriers this year. and we would echo Leigh Hunts
sentiment when he says:-"'0Ood- morrow to my
valentine, sings poor Ophelia; and no better wish
but with better auspices, wish to all faithful
lovers, who not too wise to despiSe old legends
but are cORentto rank themselves hum bic docesans
with old Bishop Valentine and his true Church.