New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-14
ST. VALENTINES DAY

II i vet. even with the busiest antiquarles,
mooted question whether ST. Valentines Day SO eaed
after bshop whom Caudius beheaded lioo years ago,
or whether the name Valentine like Darby JOAN ana
others. was selected in oden time as tho most appro
prate general term for lover, and the day on Whicn
tbe voune men and maidens chose their aihnes christ
red accordingly: or whether the birds had something 10
do with t. BE this as may, it IL certain that bsop
Valentine whom the ecclesiastical authorizes losl
no time in canonzing after his summary exit
from this matchmaking world was 'eIy
good man, aud, it IS probable, scores VI cur
bryo antlquarles holding stouy to the opinion that
the world out OF respect for the memory OF ono VINO os
his head I'm cause in which his heart was manly CON
cerpcd determined TO choose his day that whefeoh 10
ose their hearts In which their heads haa ho
concern whatever The custom, with many Others gro"
ing out Of IT, has been in vogue ever snce' giauuh!
losing its hold upon the people however, until now wheh
there is very little Of the sentimental III any OF s ooSer
| yances
few gushing lines OF wreched verse used to make up
a valentine These were written upon broad sheet III
good plain, round hand, and orramenied with cagrapns
| of impossible swans, terrible LOOKING angels ana
unbushing Cupids bearing ink-pleeuing hs tini
skeWcred together pairs, or dripping lncl
life away sngy and alone In conspicuous CORNERS ~
Tho we'll parnished sheet Then the era Of paper
nu % ~ GTsf The Labor of the housewives scissors
afterward improved and cheapened by machinery lhen
Webalsnced CnpIds brIghtred bleeding hearts little
mirrors and printed verses These were OF various de
rees of excellence were made IN immense numbers ana
met with great sale few yeats ago the Gu tlon OF send
ing these simple tributes OF Affection 10 tue enose oes.
there a but little OF tho fld fashioned valentine
! fever left The ancient heart leayes" have yielded
| To- the miserable abortion known as The comic
valentine. and respecapie people win ,b h s,
break forth In all HE glory his usual early hou ana
Shine brightly all day, or he obseured Dy sh1Weouds,
aud His few struggling beams that reach ms fall Ike the
dull reflex Of yellow barn upon the EARN beneath Al
breakfast time will begin the business OF deNernB Nsn
! al
comic They are too well known 20 require description
hut II may not be out Of place to mora.s upon d sun
iec acme hat seeing that tins IA saints day. ana our
homy may be safely read by all good people frespec-
tive Of denomination race se1 age OF eoS be mixtures
for the comic valentines appears TO bo to make the human
Tainted IS a gSeE. lips represented as red holsters
heightened beyond the limit ASSIGNED Py nature i"' 'nc
This i, what written about legs by an Observing
p"'' Sappo.ips the Trunk ,ud LIMB, ofNsn
w,.. &c r',' sa s'l a. si Giai i si ls,s
Tie ,oasel or ia Z. e me; P r., y,,,,,u
n il the hight ~ cruelty TO forward y local mail to Eta
tpn y on thsd OF ai 1sy, AN crrs bea1iics re
beyond compare for stragtnes ana Tor me- h
In hi eg- ami YOU have de- ply shocked his confidence
I'm the indn and tletic taste of men, besides making
i'm profanity which ieprchcnsibe under The most
agravang circumstance ~ i wrong TO make iun ot
ones IN valentine, for tho nose being me most
prominent Of the human countenanee Is ever tue
/ .ulf
I'm danger from the assault, OF that noNios Tribe oil AM
i"a known as roughs Who 20 for II with an accuracy
OF elm that o the uusophstlcated j. very remaikaDe
IN addition 20 this u pains man 10 hnoW I, Is oso
could perycr-On OF visual power ne looked upon
tender point MANY good Jokes. and more bad ones have
been cracked upon tho noc hut requires me laeI 81
Ds ~, n r nj, Inc cnsibtes OF his victim
N sbould be- seriously considered that men and women,
driven to the very verge OF foolshn"ss by being adNed
of deiormy' have res9Itcd to e lailaeoah
process 10 improve upon nature. The supplemental noses
made by the great BolOgnese surgeon are mentioned
by Kenolm Dgby In his treatise on tDe sympa,nIc
Iowdcr-bu never I'm spirit OF loyliy or sarcasm hen
this great aud good man lived 10 ave the world WIN hs
of the occn powers OF earth and arr comic
valentines we're unknown Lnners devoted themselves
In those days to tho establishment OF missiles winch were
Il is perhaps. Legitimate sport rdicule anans dress
for that Circumstance ofhis being when snot heyOhu
his control But II seems that nc ., |" ,rn
fashion I'm 1868 cannot be caucatured Designers nave
an naurcd way Of saying that you cannot present the
can burlesque broad farce ms Is, however mere
nccsed 10 hear the remark and the haers ind gnaton
would know bounds. As 70 The shoemaker Whose last
Chinese Junk the sobot 81 Iangnedoc and Gascony
that II eNctes the envy ana admiration Oh eNey Tornr
by special commission empowered to take nc nee,s
saIy IN 0Tttr TO prs in.aTt ,S ~ fod fns
prurient purchasers Of illustrated heDdouadal.' ana III
he more exhaustive labor OF getting M designs for
comic valentines Rorachio saws that the fashion Of
doublct hat, cloak, u nothing 10 man bnl u
probable that in Messina he kept Indifferent company
Seest thou not" ne says, "what deformed thief this
/ Fashion l,t How .dtdy he turns about All the
hotb'ood. between IL and $50 sometimes dressing
them Ike Pharaol'- soldiers ~ the reochy palhtng
sometime, like Bel, priests in tho old church WndoWs
sometimes libc the shayon Hercules IN tue snr'Neu'
worm eaten tapcstryf' Now il T. true, rs Con
rsdc sagrIv couirciures that fashion wears out
more npparrl than the man. but b. deserves Ia e deat
with in a wider spirit Of philosophy than conlpurted Win
fc cynical mood Borach and from il influence upon
mon morals and manners, l. not unworthy me attention
of CurIvr II certainly cannot DE dealt Win WIN any
degree of cre i'm a Nas.ast. valentine, even though tho
coloring ipcompariby gorgeous, ana The verses
,cercd by the Tudder OF the rhyme, hundred per th
beyond the worst efforts ~ the worst aci'bcs III inc
iuicctcd district 1890, ,,,,- - o,..,
mo comic valentine OF 1858 u.s. possible, more remark
able m a respects than any OF It's predecessors spec
men on exhibition ia ncws vendors window presents
tho following striking points: large woman, dressed ~
4 green skirt with bright yellow body, pink shoes rel
.tocns blue gloves, and wearing her crimson hair atcr
and In the other what Ut first is presumed 10 bo shiny
stick but which the artist must have intended 20 repre-
cent rib Of beef IN The background - ich abe on
which appear elbow vessels Of Indefinite shape Inc III
erary department o this startling production taken up
with this sarcastic cpse, evidently intended Tor e re-
male ajclantado of an economical boardnghontf;
lel breakfast every MoTuins la'h,
Stale hrssi AMI muddy cJlse,
lolr dinner j. salty soup
Male out oi wlAts lct over
Tire writer's success In finding rhyme ior " coffee
deserves applause.
There are many Others which entitled 10 notice.
simply a. Indicative OF the popular taste when mas
brought them ont. Every ordinary defOrrnlty or the
human frame II held uIttO ridlcule style, which,
while demonstrates utter want OF feeling on the
part of those who VIII purchase proves beyond the posi-