The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-13
ST. VALENTINES DAY.
Tomorrow is st. Valentines Day,
All in the morning betime. y


Hamlet, Act w., Scene 3.
The approach OF st. Valentines Day is
annually heralded by the appearance OF
missives, both sentimental and burlesque,
In the windows of the stationers. Hearts
pierced by Cupid's darts, happy couples at
Hymens altar, and ridiculous caricatures
are all shown by the shop keepers, and
great is the business they do I'm this line,
for st. Valentines Day is one OF the most
popular festivals OF the year. Tomorrow
Is the day OF the good old Saint.
Valentine was holy priest in Rome
and with ST. Marius and his family as
sisted the martyrs in their persecution
under Claudius III, who was Emperor from
26S TO 2T. He was apprehended and sent
by the Emperor TO the Prefect of Rome by
whose orders ne was beaten with clubs
and afterward beheaded on Feb. IA, about
the year 270. Pope julius is said to have
built a church near Ponte Mole to his
memory. The name Of Valentine is cele-
brated as that of an illustrious martyr in
the sacrementary of st. Gregory, and in
the martyrologies.
Legends OF st. Valentine give no clue to
the reason for the present observance OF
the festival. The saint, so far as is known.
bad nothing to do with it. Perhaps the
custom OF choosing valentines originated
with a pagan custom OF the same kind
during the feasts OF the Lupercal in honor
of Pan and Juno, celebrated in the month
OF February by the Romans. On this oc-
casion the names OF young women were
placed in a box from which they were
drawn by the youths, who, in this
manner, chose their valentines. The
anniversary OF st. Valentine occurring in
Eel hn aarIxr ,.ta .f
Christianity placed the popular custom
under the patronage OF the saint in order
to eradicate the notion OF its pagan origin.
One of the early bishops, ST. Francis of
Sales, forbade the custom OF valentines
and changed it into the giving of billets
bearing the names Of certain saints which
were TO be honored and initiated.
Another explanation OF the choosing of
valentines may be found in the French
observance OF the feast. In France,
Valentines Day, or the valantin, was a
movable feast celebrated on the first
Sunday in Lent. IL was called the Jour
des brandons because the boys carried
about lighted torches on that day.
Among engaged couples, il the young man
failed to give his betrothed a present be-
tween the Valantin and mid-Lent, the
promise OF marriage was annulled.
Still third explanation of the manner
In which st. Valentines Day Is observed
Is given i'm the old belief that about the
time of the festival the birds begin to
choose their mates. This belief is al
luded to by both Shakespeare and Chau-
Ger. In "Midsummer Nights Dream"
Theseus says to the lover, est. Valentine
is past. Begin the wood birds but to
couple now?" And in the "Parliament OF
the Fowls" Chaucer writes that certain
happening was "On seynt Valentines day
Whan every bird cometh ther TO chese his
make"
Anciently a festival called the Mid
Giran was celebrated in Persia in Febru-
ary in honor OF the presiding angel,
lsfendarmuz, considered the guardian
angel of the fair sex, who on this occas ion
enjoyed very singular privileges, and were
vested with almost absolute power. This
Institution seems To bear some resem-
blance to the ancient gallantry of Valen-
tines Day in Europe.
In England the proper ceremony OF st.
Valentines Day was the drawing OF a kind
of lottery, followed by ceremonies not un-
like the game of forfeits. 1t was an old
custom for the young people to gather on
the eve Of st. Valentines and write their
names on billets and exchange them.
Each of the young men would call the
girl, whose name was on the billet he had
drawn, his valentine and would make her
presents. "Pepys' Diary" gives some il
lustrations of this old custom. On Valen-
tines Day, 1867, Mr.. Pepys wrote in his
diary: "rhis morning came up to my
wife's bedside Q being up dressing my
self little Will Mercer to be her valentine,
and brought her name written upon blue
paper in gold letters done by himself,
very pretty, and we were both we'll pleased
with il. But / was also this year my
wife's valentine, and IL will
cost me five pounds, but that
must have laid out II we had not been
Valentines Two days later Mr.. Pepys
made this entry, al find that Mrs. Pierce's
little girl is my valentine, she having
drawn me, which was not sorry for, il
easing me of something more that must
have given to others. But here, do first
observe the fashion OF drawing notices as
well as names, so that Pierce, who drew
my wife, did draw also motto, and this
girl drew another for me, what mine was
forget; but my wifes was, most courte-
ous and most fair, which. as II may be
used, or an anagram upon each name,
might be very pretty"
Some OF the presents made according TO
this old custom were very valuable. Soon
after making the entry just quoted Mr.
Pepys noticed the Jewels OF the cele-
bratcd Miss Stuart, who became Duchess
OF Richmond. and wrote, "The Duke OF
York, being once her valentine, did give
her Jewel OF about eight hundred