The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-14
ST. Valentines Day.

This day, which quarter OF century
ago was looked forward TO with pleasurable
anticipations by all young men and women,
now arrives and passes without attracting
any attention except from a comparatively
small part OF the community Whereas then
a maiden who failed TO get handsome sup
ply Of valentines would have felt herself
neglected and would have sorrowed that
her charms had received no recognition,
nowadays the majority Of young ladies
would probably be surprised to receive such
an anonymous missivc, and many Of them
would look on its sending as impcrtnence.
Yet. as the Post ONCE clerks and the letter
carriers can give testimony, their work will
he greatly increased to-day 10y the thou
sands OF valentines which have been in
trusted TO the mails. There are publishers
IN this city and elsewhere who give large
part OF their attention to the manufacture
Of these Illuminated and pictorial mssives,
and for several weeks past the windows of the
print shops have been displaying all varie-
ties of them. Each year new kinds Of valen-
tines are invented and some of them arc
really very pretty, being far In advance, so
far as tasteful design and mechanical exc
cution go, Of those which were offered in the
days when the sending Of valentines was a
far more general custom than ii now Ia.
The comic valentines, however, seem to
change little from year TO year and main
tain, as Of old, their broad and frequently
rather vulgar caricature though some of
them are quite funny. The mittcn, Of an
cient memory, still retains its leading posi-
ton. The sour old maid is mereilossly
IL rfr1 10 La.
held up TO rdicule. The woman who talks
too much is depicted with an enormous
mouth. The vain coquette is reminded that
her wilcs are lost on her acquaintance. The
gossip is severely punished, and men and
women Of all trades and occupations are SO
caricatured that the simplest may I'M
derstand the meaning Of the gaudily col
ored pictures. Perhaps the receipt of some
OF these valentines may cause pain and
modification To very sensitive people, but
we fancy that, as a rule, they are taken In
good part by those to whom they arc sent.
The valentines of this year are chiefly of
home manufacture, and many Of them are
printed from plates which have done service
for several years; but some are imported
from France Germany. and England, and
others have been got up especially for this
season. The later varieties are printed on
cards, and tho decoration is graceful and
pretty; and then there are valentines in the
shape Of fans, which are very popular. II
Is noteworthy, also that the character OF
the verse on them, particularly the genu-
lnely sentimental ones, has much improved
OF recent years. Formerly the valentine
poets, pretguring in their love stanzas the
artless rhymes which the funereal muse OF
q. WASHINGTON CHMDs. A. NJ, has since
made so famous, contented themselves with
the simplest and most ordinary expression
Of the tender passion; but now different
order OF poetry is frequently used. Extracts
from the poems Of JEAN INGELow and other
English poets Of her class are brought into
requisitiQn. There are also many quota
tions from the productions of the large
number of anonymous authors who in these
days are writing verses Of sentiment which
stand the test Of a pretty severe criticism.
These card valentines, some Of them
beautiful specimens Of chrome printing, are
sold for a few cents each, and they are evil
IDENTIFY designed for the most part to please
the fancy Of very immature lovers, OF boys
and girls who desire 20 exchange compi-
ments on this day devoted 10 the memory
of the good Saint who Is the patron Of the
enamored. Probably a very large share of
the valentines at present sold are to those
passionless admirers TO whom the sending
and the receipt Of valentines may be great
fun, involved as the mssives are in mys-
terry 1t Is well, therefore, that the cards
offered them are so generally in good taste,
both in decoration and literary matter.
Of course there are also many more cx-
pensive valentines displayed, but they can
not be in very extensive demand. Some Of
the most elaborate of them come from Ger
many, and they are constructed in very
ingenious manner containing cupids who
spring into view by the pulling Of a string.
or bouquets OF pictured flowers, which are
suddenly disclosed by the lifting Of q motto
so much pains and expense would not be
laid out on their manufacture II there were
not people to buy them. 80 we suppose
there will be many sweethearts who will to-
day get valentines which have drawn sew
eral dollars from the purses Of their lovers
Orthodoxy in Danger.
II a house divided against itself cannot