Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-27
LOVE GIFTS.

Ancient and Modern Pledges of
AffectEOn-Dramat and Classic
"Reminiscences.
From time immemorial the usual love
gifts have been rings, bracelets of hair,
scented gloves, embroidered handker-
chiefs, and such like articles. Antoyles
has in his "peddler's pack"
Golden quoits and stomachers
For my lads to give their dears."
In ancient Greece pretty birds were
generally love gifts; Gagged birds were
sold in the market of Athens for that
purpose. Among the Romans rings were
exchanged, and this custom seems to have
prevailed in all ages and every country.
Chsucer describes Cressida in giving
Troilus ring with ''posy," and receiv-
ing one in exchange; and Shakespeare
frequently alluded to such tokens. The
rings that Portia and Nerissa presented to
their betrothed husbands play conspic-
uous part in the last act of "The Mer-
chant of Venice, and in ''The Two Gen.
tlemen of Verona" Julia ssys:
This ring gave him when he parted from
To bind him to remember my good will.
Swinburne in his Treatise ON Sponsa-
It's" gives the following reasons for the
ring being the chosen emblem of true
love: "The form of the ring being cir
cular, that's, being round and round with
out end importeth this much, that mutual
love and hearty affection should roundly
flow from one to the other as in circle,
and that continuously and forever" In
the most remote ages the ring or circle
was used as an emblem of eternity; in
Egypt and Greece, usual form of en-
blematic circle was the serpent with its
tail in its mouth, and this form has
been frequently adopted in rings and
bracelets.
The custom of breaking gold or silver
coin between lovers is also very ancient,
and may probably have been derived
from the old Athenian symbol. A piece
OF metal or wood was cut into two parts,
one half being retained by the native of
Attica, the other given to a stranger
whose acquaintance he had made. The
bearer of the symbol, whether one of the
original parties or only friend, was en-
| titled to all the rights of hospitality from
the owner of the other half. Not TO &C
knowledge this duty was considered scan
dalous and crime. Coins were no doubt
subsequently used because of the fac ility
of recognizing the token by the device.
A 'Fbowed" or crooked piece of money
was preferred as a love token, being con-
sidered more lucky. These broken coins,
pledges of love, are frequently referred
| to in poem and story.
Strut mentions small embroidered
haudkerchiefs among the love favors in
vogue in England in the olden time. They
were about three or four inches square,
wrought about with button or tassel
at each corner, and another in the centre.
Some were edged with narrow gold lace
or twist, and then folded so that the
middle might be seen; they were worn
by accepted lovers in their hats or at the
breast. These were so fashionable in
Queen Elizabeth's days that they were
sold in the shops at from six-pence to
sixteen pence piece.
| Camden, in his "Ancient and Modern
Manners of the Irish," speaks of lovers
presenting their mistresses with bracelets
of woven hair; and among Northern
nations knot was a symbol of love and
fidelity. The origin of the expression
'ttrue love knot" is not from true love, as
might be supposed, but from the Danish,
TruIofo fder1 do plight my troth.