The New York herald., 1870-02-14
ST. VALENTINES DAY.
The Great ''Pairing" Day-fjhat il
Means-Where it Comes From
Whom Il Belongs 10 and
Where it Is Going TO.
II you love roe ss love you
No knife can cut our love In two.

An interesting anniversary, the true origin OF
which Is both vague and tradltonary occurs to-day,
being the recurrence Of the ancient annual feastins
and trysting season OF 81. Valentine. When or why
II was Established has never been clearly ana
definitely traced, but t is established fact thas
II first received popular recognition ana was ex-
tensvely observed III and under the ancient Roman
empire II was under the CHRISTIAN Emperors or
Rome that the peculiar observance OF the day and
the day itself was dedicated to ST. Valentine ana
under that name it has since been observed and
known, ana is 80 generally accepted. Uu-
der that early domination the doweress ana
unmarried girls OF the realm were, POLITICALLY
at least, considered the wards OF the Emperor ana
that day IT was customary for them 10 assemble
and be provided with husbands by lot under tho
supervision Of the Emperor ana 10y him also to bo
presented with dover. The day usually ons
Of great ieasting, merry-maklng and rejoicing ana
ultimately became characterized by much immo-
rallty ana debauchery. This display OF viclousuess
It became desirable 70 cheek under the Christian
sway or the empire; and az 1t was found
that the day upon which this ceremony
annually took place was also about the
season OF the anniversary OF the martyrdom
OF st. Valentine ts annua, observance was by de-
cree fixed for that day. Ihs impaired the day
s0mew hat OF a religious character. AMI restrained
almost wholly the intenDerauce by which Its ceie-
bration had been forerly marked. In time 1t grad
uallv spread as poetcai custom among tue nations
along the southern central border OF Europe, and
became popular among the Franks and other scmi-
Darbaric peoples Thence II gradually spread until
Ii reached EDcand, and there the festival was
grasped ana diligently observed. Among the
AngioSaxons II became season OF jocuDd fcstiv-
lty conr,ship and matcnm aking. ana at last the
most marked feature OF the day was the idea or the
young men ana women either pghtng their troths
IN marriage or a. companions ana lovers lor the In
they were at liberty to renew the VOW II found mu-
tualy agreeable.
A ilv "a tie rau and ho.
undoubtedly much foundation as o fact IN natural
history, has been connected win the day, to the
effect that 10 Ii the paring' day of song BIRDS and
therefore peculiarly appropriate for the romance
and love making which both sexes Of the human
attach To IT, There Is very little question OF
the fact that II not the 1ith OF February, as
least about that time or the middle OF the month.
many u not all the members OF the eathery tribes
select their mates for the approaching GUNNER ana
| breeding time.
| OF course the presumption Is a far oneihas tho
custom this country from England with
s'our ancestors - ana 1t Il an equally safe PROPOSE
tion To assert that II the day was not more generally
observed ana enjoyed by them than by their success
sors they might well have LETT this custom among
other Improbable Things they lefS behind them. As
| the present time, as Is generally known. the only
feature or observance the sending OF tho lttlo
O,itet dOnL when have for some reason been called
valentines to coveted beaug and Deles, each paving
the unique compliment 10 the other OF striving 70
obscure the source whence the ten0cr missve ema-
| mates unless the valentine happens TO be O yery
costly one, which case the sender Is pretty sur3
To contrlve some method by which the rcciPen. may
divine VINO the sender Is and estimate the Affection
| OF which II IL the representative accordingly.
| II also affords the opportunity to malevolently
disposed persons To crafty q petty spite
fn pqnancy by transmitting very abusive
or sarcastic squibs. coupets and pictures
to parties who have at some time In
cnrrd the jealousy. dislike or ridlcule OF Others.
still there S rcdeeming eture about IT, as 1t
doubtedly aids In the dimnution OF the national
debt by increasing the United States revenues
through the postal department. The custom, it v
believed, win nave fallen OF very much thus year.
a. In fact 1t has been gradually falling for twenty
years past, and Will probably ere maRy years TO
come be mere memory. To be eXtolled as bygons
| halcyOn time.