The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-09


TIllSMSSAMISS devoting the day of
?HFkl1|SaIfFHSSl?tHe st. Valentine to the ex-
change Of love tokens
and the plghting of tender vows. ~
The poets say that the feathered songsters
OF the air are responsible for this annual out
break of sentiment at the approach of Spring,
and also appear to assume that u certain st.
Valentine, whoever he was so highly approved
OF the birds amatory example in his time, that
he must have entered into some sort OF secret
compact with them for the benefit Of humanity
ever after.
Old John Donne, for instance, the poet di.
vine of the 18th century thus irreverently apos
trophized the Saint:
6 Hail Bishop Valentine! whose day this is;
All the air Is thy diocese.
Aud all the chirping choriserS
And other birds thy parishoners:
| ~ ms day more cheerfully thRn ever shine:
This day which might infame thyself, Old
Valentine :"
And graceful Ella, who ought to have known
better utters this rhapsody: Z" Hail 10 thy re-
| turning festival, old Bishop Valentine. Great
is thy name in the rubric, thou venerable Arch
bishop of Hymen Immortal go-between; ;
who and what manner of person art thou! Q
Thou comest attended with thousands
and tens of thousands of little Loves and the
! air is
Brushd with the hiss of rusliDg wings
| Singing Cupids are thy choristers and pre-
centors; and instead of tho crosier, the mysti-
cal arrow is borne before thee"
Wheatley, in Illustration to Common Prayer,
published in 1913. coolly observes that "St
Valentine was SO famous for his love and char
| ity that the custom of choosing valentines took
| its rise from thence"
1t is needless to mention, however. that this
| explanation is quito unsatisfactory. Love and
charity are supposed to have been not unc0m-
mon attributes among reputable Saints.
Referring to history we only learn that Val.
entine, Bishop, or moro properly Presbyter of
| the third century, was cast into the Mamertine
Prison by the Emperor Claudius for too jealous
| proselyting hat while confined he cured his
jailer's daugh or Of blindness thereby convert
| ing both the maiden aud her father to Christi
anity, and that finally lie was hailed to death,
! being first beaten with clubs and then beheaded
| in the Forum. el'
Why, then, has postcrity presumed to take
such high h-handed liberties with the memory of
one who was nothing more than pious and
| devoted missionary priest?
| The true reason may be given in a few words.
| More than halfl0f the observances peculiar to
Christian holidays throughout the year are un.
deniable relics Of pagan festivals.
| Thus the Romans celebrated the feast of
| Lupercus OF Pan and the Februata Juno on
the 18th of February. 1t was popular usage
at this season for the young men to write the
names OF maidens an slips of paper, deposit
them in an urn consscrated to Juno, and after
wards draw forfiie same by lot.
! Naturally th6E early converts TO the Church
were perfectly familiar with the soft allure
! ments of this customyand, of course, the youth
/ full. at least, weref Highly averse to giving it
up.
! Towards the close of the fifth century, how
ever Pope Gelasius rose up in the majesty of
his wrath against the "orgies of Lnpercaia" and
pondered deeply on some means of suppressiHg
them. In the solitude of his closet he made
careful study of the roll of minor saints until
at length his efforts were rewarded by most
| fortunate discovery, namely. that st. Valentine
was put to death in the Forum close to the
spot where the altar to Pan originally stood.
| and that the event took place On the 18th of
February. 270.
| Scarcely able to conceal his piOus Joy the as.
| tute Gelasus forthwith issued decree that
| the 14th Of February should be duly held in
honor of st. Valentine, trusting thereby that
the pagan 18th would be completely overshad.
| owed and in the course Of time forgotten.
| Alas, for papal hopes! 1t was evidently fore.
ordained by some higher power that the mid
die Of February should be dedicated to the
little blind god, whether it be ostensibly known
as the festival of Pan and Juno or good st.
Valentine. for the spirit of the day has re-
mained the same through the lapse of ages,
and. with apologies to Pope Geasius. bids fair
to continue SO for many years to come.
Little is known Of the observances Of the
day during the Middle Ages. 1t is said that
st. Francois de Sales Bishop of Geneva, en-.
! deavored to sanctify the gushing missives of the
10th century by recommending an inscription
on the outside recording the title and suffer
| Jugs of the Saint. A laudabe idea, that, sad to
relate, did not find favor with the masses.
In the days of Chaucer We read that it was
customary for the ardent swains to write girls
names on paper bilets and place them in capa-
| L.. n1 ftar
| Roman style.
| 1t was devoutly believed in Scotland that the
| first bachelor who crossed the vision of blush
| ing maid on the morning of the 18th was bound
to be her future husband. Great care was
taken by the latter, however, to keep the shut
ters down and the doors closely barred until
| the right mans step was heard.
| Readers of Scott will remember how tho
mysterious cavalier impl0red the Fair Maid of
| Perth to await him at her window at the break
of day, in token that she would accept him as
her Valentine. but the sweet Catherine mis-
trusted the Prince of Scotland, and preferred to
bestOw a chaste kiss on the lips of the stalwart
Smith, as he slumbered lightly before her
| fathers fire in the morning; an unequivocal
| sign indeed Of her choice.
The children in some parts of England used
| to catch " each other for valentines in the
streets. The idea being for one to say: "G0od
morning Valentine" before the other had
| Chance 10 utIor Il WoTu. IL The former was
successful the victim had to give him present.
1t was necessary also to " catch before sun
rse otherwise the speaker was declared " sun
burnt" and loudly jeered at. The word oc.
ours in much Ago About Nothing" appar-
emily in the same sense.
Poor Robins Almanac for 1857 contains
| mine Of information anent old time observ-
ances in tho following charming and amusing
| lines: ltIE4m
"This month bright PhGebus enters Pisces,
The maids will have good store of kisses, q.
| For always when the comes there
| Valentines Day Ia drawing near,
And both the men aud maids incline
! To chuse them each valentine;
And if a man gets one he loves
| He gives herfirsta pair of gloves;
| Aud by the yay remember this,
To seal the favor with kiss. III
This kiss begetsmpre love. and then
That love beGets "a kiss again,
Until this trade the man doth catch,
| Aud then lie docs propose ths match;
The woman's willing, though She 5 shy,
She gives the man this soft reply:
I'll not resolve one thing other,
Uui! first consult my mother.
| Why she says so It's half a grant
And may he taken for CONSENT
Lord North, in writing to his brother in 1915,
| made some rather disparagng comment on st.
Valentines Day: " The custom and charge of
Valentines is not i'll left with many other such
costly and idle cnstomes, which by a tacit gen.
eral consent wee lay downe rs obsolete"
His Lordshp would hardly have been