Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
318
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
·
James Wilson Hyde
96
The
customs
of
St
Valentine's
Day
have
passed
through
many
phases,
each
age
having
its
own
variation,
but
all
having
a
bearing
to
one
idea.
The
following
is
an
account
of
the
ceremony
in
our
own
country
as
observed
by
"Misson,"
a
learned
traveller
of
the
early
part
of
last
century:--"On
the
eve
of
St
Valentine's
Day
the
young
folks
of
England
and
Scotland,
by
a
very
ancient
custom,
celebrate
a
little
festival.
An
equal
number
of
maids
and
bachelors
get
together,
each
writes
their
true
or
some
feigned
name
upon
separate
billets,
which
they
roll
up
and
draw
by
way
of
lots,
the
maids
taking
the
men's
billets,
and
the
men's
the
maids';
so
that
each
of
the
young
men
lights
upon
a
girl
that
he
calls
his
Valentine,
and
each
of
the
girls
upon
a
young
man
whom
she
calls
hers.
By
this
means
each
has
two
Valentines,
but
the
man
sticks
faster
to
the
Valentine
that
has
fallen
to
him
than
to
the
Valentine
to
whom
he
has
fallen.
Fortune
having
thus
divided
the
company
into
so
many
couples,
the
Valentines
give
balls
and
treats
to
their
mistresses,
wear
their
billets
several
days
upon
their
bosoms
or
sleeves,
and
this
little
sport
often
ends
in
love."
Pennant
also,
in
writing
of
his
tour
in
Scotland
in
1769,
refers
to
the
observance
of
this
custom
in
the
north
of
Scotland
in
these
words:--"The
young
people
in
February
draw
Valentines,
and
from
them
collect
their
future
fortune
in
the
nuptial
state."
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
