VALENTINE'S DAY
Brushdwiththehissofrustlingwings.
SingingCupidsarethychoristersandthyprecentors;andinsteadofthecrosier,themysticalarrowisbornebeforethee.
Inotherwords,thisisthedayonwhichthosecharminglittlemissives,yclepedValentines,crossandintercrosseachotherateverystreetandturning.Thewearyandallfor-spenttwopennypostmansinksbeneathaloadofdelicateembarrassments,nothisown.Itisscarcelycredibletowhatanextentthisephemeralcourtshipiscarriedoninthislovingtown,tothegreatenrichmentofporters,anddetrimentofknockersandbell-wires.Intheselittlevisualinterpretations,noemblemissomonastheheart,——thatlittlethree-corneredexponentofallourhopesandfears,——thebestuckandbleedingheart;itistwistedandtorturedintomoreallegoriesandaffectationsthananoperahat.Whatauthoritywehaveinhistoryormythologyforplacingthehead-quartersandmetropolisofGodCupidinthisanatomicalseatratherthaninanyother,isnotveryclear;butwehavegotit,anditwillserveaswellasanyother.Elsewemighteasilyimagine,uponsomeothersystemwhichmighthaveprevailedforanythingwhichourpathologyknowstothecontrary,aloveraddressinghismistress,inperfectsimplicityoffeeling,"Madam,myliverandfortuneareentirelyatyourdisposal;"orputtingadelicatequestion,"Amanda,haveyouamidrifftobestow?"Butcustomhassettledthesethings,andawardedtheseatofsentimenttotheaforesaidtriangle,whileitslessfortunateneighbourswaitatanimalandanatomicaldistance.
Notmanysoundsinlife,andIincludeallurbanandallruralsounds,exceedininterestaknockatthedoor.It"givesaveryechotothethronewhereHopeisseated."Butitsissuesseldomanswertothisoraclewithin.Itissoseldomthatjustthepersonwewanttoseees.Butofalltheclamorousvisitationsthewelestinexpectationisthesoundthatushersin,orseemstousherin,aValentine.AstheravenhimselfwashoarsethatannouncedthefatalentranceofDuncan,sotheknockofthepostmanonthisdayislight,airy,confident,andbefittingonethatbringethgoodtidings.Itislessmechanicalthanonotherdays;youwillsay,"Thatisnotthepost,Iamsure."VisionsofLove,ofCupids,ofHymens——delightfuleternalmon-places,which"havingbeenwillalwaysbe"whichnoschool-boynorschoolmancanwriteaway;havingyourirreversiblethroneinthefancyandaffections——whatareyourtransports,whenthehappymaiden,openingwithcarefulfinger,carefulnottobreaktheemblematicseal,burstsuponthesightofsomewell-designedallegory,sometype,someyouthfulfancy,notwithoutverses-
Loversall,
Amadrigal,
orsomesuchdevice,notoverabundantinsense——youngLovedisclaimsit,——andnotquitesilly——somethingbetweenwindandwater,achoruswherethesheepmightalmostjointheShepherd,astheydid,orasIapprehendtheydid,inArcadia.AllValentinesarenotfoolish;andIshallnoteasilyforgetthine,mykindfriend(ifImayhaveleavetocallyouso)E.B——E.B.livedoppositeayoungmaiden,whomhehadoftenseen,unseen,fromhisparlourwindowinC——e-street.Shewasalljoyousnessandinnocence,andjustofanagetoenjoyreceivingaValentine,andjustofatempertobearthedisappointmentofmissingonewithgoodhumour.E.B.isanartistofnomonpowers;inthefancypartsofdesigning,perhapsinferiortonone;hisnameisknownatthebottomofmanyawellexecutedvignetteinthewayofhisprofession,butnofurther;forE.B.ismodest,andtheworldmeetsnobodyhalf-way.E.B.meditatedhowhecouldrepaythisyoungmaidenformanyafavourwhichshehaddonehimunknown;forwhenakindlyfacegreetsus,thoughbutpassingby,andneverknowsusagain,norweit,weshouldfeelitasanobligation;andE.B.did.Thisgoodartistsethimselfatworktopleasethedamsel.ItwasjustbeforeValentinesdaythreeyearssince.Hewrought,unseenandunsuspected,awondrouswork.Weneednotsayitwasonthefinestgiltpaperwithborders——full,notofmonheartsandheartlessallegory,butalltheprettieststoriesoflovefromOvid,andolderpoetsthanOvid(forE.B.isascholar.)TherewasPyramusandThisbe,andbesureDidowasnotforgot,norHeroandLeander,andswansmorethansanginCayster,withmottosandfancifuldevices,suchasbeseemed,——aworkinshortofmagic.Irisdiptthewoof.ThisonValentinesevehemendedtotheall-swallowingindiscriminateorifice——(Oignobletrust!)——ofthemonpost;butthehumblemediumdiditsduty,andfromhiswatchfulstand,the——nextmorning,hesawthecheerfulmessengerknock,andbyandbythepreciouschargedelivered.Hesaw,unseen,thehappygirlunfoldtheValentine,danceabout,clapherhands,asoneafteronetheprettyemblemsunfoldedthemselves.Shedancedabout,notwithlightlove,orfoolishexpectations,forshehadnolover;or,ifshehad,nonesheknewthatcouldhavecreatedthosebrightimageswhichdelightedher.Itwasmorelikesomefairypresent;aGod-send,asourfamiliarlypiousancestorstermedabenefitreceived,wherethebenefactorwasunknown.Itwoulddohernoharm.Itwoulddohergoodforeverafter.Itisgoodtolovetheunknown.IonlygivethisasaspecimenofE.B.andhismodestwayofdoingaconcealedkindness.
Good-morrowtomyValentine,singspoorOphelia;andnobetterwish,butwithbetterauspices,wewishtoallfaithfullovers,whoarenottoowisetodespiseoldlegends,butarecontenttorankthemselveshumblediocesansofoldBishopValentine,andhistruechurch.