A Valentine from 1825 by Elwood Jones

Inspire: An 1825 Valentine

By Elwood Jones Archivist Trent Valley

Archives & Editor Heritage Gazette of Trent Valley

There is a delightful commonplace book at the Trent Valley Archives. To me it is a scrapbook, containing material copied from sources that I cannot always identify, but that nonetheless captures the world of two sisters in Montreal in 1825. The spinsters still had lots of interest in boys, fashions and courtship. They also seemed quite captivated by political and historical stories. It is absolutely exciting to turn the pages of this delightful volume illustrated frequently with fine water colours, little games, clever epigrams, and stories. There were also some valentine items.

Oh do, Kind Cupid, aid me pray And make fair Jamesima kind; Great joy and mirth shall crown the day,

That Hymen doth us bind. Say, lovely Jamesima, cruel maid, Oh! astry, beguil’d in ffriendship’s name, Thou hast my heart a captive made,

And bound me fast in Cupid’s chain. Thou sweet offender, may’st thou prove, Enthral’d, like me, in Cupid’s snare; Repay thy victim love, for love, And thus the tender crime repair.

This is perhaps typical of the love poetry and tales that punctuate the commonplace book. Love has its downside.

No tales of love to you I send, No hidden flame discover, I glory in the Name of Friend, Disclaiming that of Lover.

And now, while each fond sighing Youth, Repeats his Vow of Love and Truth, Attend to this Advice of Mine B With caution choose a Valentine.

However, women can also make men nice. All ill stories of the Sex are false; To temper man B we had been Brutes without her. Angels are painted fair to look like her; There’s in her all that we conceive of Heaven, Amazing brightness, purity, and truth, Eternal joy and everlasting love!

No one said love would be easy. However, thank goodness for women who save such touching stories. How lucky that we can make contact with the past through archives. Will archives be able to keep pace with the new valentines?