Valentine

“ Sir Valentine,
Thou art a gentleman, and well derived;
Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.
VALENTINE.
I thank your Grace; the gift hath made me happy.
I now beseech you, for your daughter’s sake,
To grant one boon that I shall ask of you.
DUKE.
I grant it for thine own, whate’er it be.
VALENTINE.
These banished men, that I have kept withal,
Are men endued with worthy qualities.
Forgive them what they have committed here,
And let them be recalled from their exile.
They are reformed, civil, full of good,
And fit for great employment, worthy lord. ”

“ And now, Valentine, confess that there is nothing like well-directed indolence to imbue persons with energy, courage, and virtue."
"Farewell, Florence," said Madame d'Infreville, in a voice husky with tears, and throwing herself in her friend's arms, "farewell for ever!"
"What do you mean, Valentine?"
"A vague hope impelled me to come here,—a foolish, senseless hope. Once more, farewell! Be happy with Michel. Heaven created you for each other, and your happiness has been nobly earned." ”

“ My very gentle Valentine,
Since for me you were born too late,
And I for you was born too soon.
God forgives him who has estranged
Me from you for the whole year.
I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine. ”

“ VALENTINE. I pray thee, Launce, an if thou seest my boy,
Bid him make haste and meet me at the Northgate.
PROTEUS. Go, sirrah, find him out. Come, Valentine.
VALENTINE. O my dear Silvia! Hapless Valentine!
Exeunt VALENTINE and PROTEUS
LAUNCE. I am but a fool, look you, and yet I have the wit to
think
my master is a kind of a knave; but that's all one if he be
but
one knave. He lives not now that knows me to be in love; yet
I am
in love; but a team of horse shall not pluck that from me;
nor
who 'tis I love; and yet 'tis a woman ”

“ Valentine, I am not laboring under an illusion. I see danger; the world revolts against pure, unalloyed happiness; society pursues it as an offence; nature curses it because of its perfection; to her every perfect thing seems a monstrosity not to be borne—directly she suspects its existence, she gives the alarm and the elements unite in conspiring against this happiness; the thunder-bolt is warned and holds itself in readiness to burst over the radiant brow. ”

“ Would you lift me away from my low estate,
And carry me nearer you?
If you were the king among men,
And only my love were mine,
Would you single me out from all maidens on earth,
To choose me your Valentine? ”

“ And be my chosen Valentine.
What mortal on thee without rapture can gaze,
Whose form so angelic such graces displays?
Such virtue, such beauty, so noble an air,
Our heart must enslave, and our senses ensnare
O cease, then, dear maid, so enchanting to be,
O list to thy lover who doats upon thee.
When evening sets in, when the world is at rest,
Calm reflection we most can enjoy:
While the stillness around us at once gives a zest,
To the thoughts which no objects decoy.
Then how sweet ’tis to muse on the time that hath
If in love, or in friendship ’twere past ”

“ Let us, then, hope for the best; hope is so sweet a comforter. Meanwhile, Valentine, while reproaching me with selfishness, think a little what you have been to me—the beautiful but cold resemblance of a marble Venus. What promise of future reward have you made me for all the submission and obedience I have evinced?—none whatever. What granted me?—scarcely more. You tell me of M. Franz d’Épinay, your betrothed lover, and you shrink from the idea of being his wife; but tell me, Valentine, is there no other sorrow in your heart? ”

“ O time most accurst!
'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!
PROTEUS. My shame and guilt confounds me.
Forgive me, Valentine; if hearty sorrow
Be a sufficient ransom for offence,
I tender 't here; I do as truly suffer
As e'er I did commit.
VALENTINE. Then I am paid;
And once again I do receive thee honest.
Who by repentance is not satisfied
Is nor of heaven nor earth, for these are pleas'd;
By penitence th' Eternal's wrath's appeas'd.
And, that my love may appear plain and free,
All that was mine in Silvia I give thee.
JULIA. O me unhappy! ”

“ GENTLEMEN’S VALENTINE WRITER.
A love that’s firm, a heart that’s true,
Dear Ellen, here I offer you;
Do not the votive offering spurn,
But give affection in return.
A fervent affection I offer thee, dearest,
Say, will you the offering deign to receive?
’Tis promoted by love, by feeling sincerest,
’Twould ask thee, dear Mary, its truth to believe.
The pleasure which, I own, is mine,
In sending you this Valentine,
I trust, on its receipt, may be,
Participated, too, by thee;
And though but few the lines appear,
Their purport is not less sincere ”

“ No, Valentine, for I have foreseen all their plots; no, your enemy is conquered since we know her, and you will live, Valentine–live to be happy yourself, and to confer happiness upon a noble heart; but to insure this you must rely on me. ”

“ Valentine, the tender, loving wife, who, before a year of married life had rolled by, so often assured him that her affection had grown into a deep, confiding love, that her devotion had grown stronger every day, and that her only prayer was that God would take them both together, since life would be a burden without her noble husband to shield and cherish her—could she have been acting a lie for twenty years? ”

“ For such a help, my Valentine.
For me to write first to declare an odd passion,
Is an odd thing, I know, but odd things are in fashion:
I have an odd heart, pray let me have thine,
And we'll make an odd pair, my odd Valentine.
We'll be odd and merry, not needing odd weather,
And ne'er have odd tempers when we are together;
But be oddly merry, and true to our vows;
And love no odd person so well as our spouse. ”

“ In Valentine she portrays the impious and unfortunate marriage that the sacrilegious conventions of the world have imposed, and the results issuing therefrom. In all of these early works are seen an inventiveness, a lively allure, an exquisite style, a freshness and brilliancy, finesse and grace; but they show an undisciplined talent, giving vent to feelings that her unbounded enthusiasm would not allow to be checked—there is emotion, but no system. ”

“ To share with thee, dear Valentine, the virtuous embrace,
Such tender and such pure delight as often as I’ve proved,
So often have I felt how much and truly I have loved.
The charm that best can sweeten life,
Is found to be a faithful wife ”

“ Valentine is commended to the gentler affections of all, by the loveliness and beauty which his own purity and grace threw around the affections of the human heart, and the loftiness which his own goodness gave to the character of earthly love, assimilating that passion with our affections for things divine, and showing the intimate connection between the two—the difference being only in degree consequent upon the objects. ”

“ VALENTINE Last night she enjoined me to write some lines to
one she loves.
SPEED And have you?
VALENTINE I have.
SPEED Are they not lamely writ?
VALENTINE No, boy, but as well as I can do them. Peace!
here she comes.
SPEED [Aside] O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet!
Now will he interpret to her.
Enter SILVIA
VALENTINE Madam and mistress, a thousand good-morrows.
SPEED [Aside] O, give ye good even! here's a million of manners.
SILVIA Sir Valentine and servant, to you two thousand.
SPEED [Aside] He should give her interest and she gives it him. ”

“ No, Valentine, I assure you such is not the case. I was observing you both when you were walking in the garden, and, on my honor, without at all wishing to depreciate the beauty of Mademoiselle Danglars, I cannot understand how any man can really love her. ”

“ Proteus, unwilling to part with his friend, used many arguments to prevail upon Valentine not to leave him: but Valentine said, "Cease to persuade me, my loving Proteus. I will not, like a sluggard, wear out my youth in idleness at home. Home-keeping youths have ever homely wits. If your affection were not chained to the sweet glances of your honored Julia, I would entreat you to accompany me, to see the wonders of the world abroad; but since you are a lover, love on still, and may your love be prosperous!" ”

“ Fancy's enchanted palace had been shattered into a heap of shapeless ruin by those accidental scraps of hard worldly wisdom with which Valentine had pelted the fairy fabric. He a man to love, or to marry for love! ”

“ Valentine was rather below the medium height, and slightly but elegantly formed, with a stately little head, delicate aquiline features, a complexion dark as a Spaniard's, bluish-black hair falling in many well-trained curls around the dark face, and light-blue eyes so deeply veiled under their thicket of long, close lashes, that it was only in moments of excitement, when they suddenly lightened, that their strange, startling, almost terrible contrast to the blackness of the hair and darkness of the skin could be noticed. ”

“ Leaning forward on her elbow, in her mauve and silver tea gown, behind her silver tea tray, she looked very charming. Valentine thought that he had never known a woman who combined such perfection of appointments with such simplicity of manner. He had a strong instinct for the best in any art. It struck him that for a certain sort of thing this was the best.
She went on: "Perhaps you will think I should not have sent for you; but what could I do? I am so alone. My husband and I, as you perhaps know, are divorced." ”

“ But once more Valentine had the miraculous double sight of love. She had appealed to the only sentiment in that suffering heart which could assist him to live through the far too trying period that was to precede the ostensible rupture with the marquis. He could find the requisite strength only in his passionate craving to prove to him the depth of an affection which had never been more intensely alive. ”

“ With some enchanting Valentine.
Thou breaker of the rules of sense;
A studied beau, a very fool:
To wit or wisdom no pretence,
But merely thou art Folly's tool!
Thou'lt ne'er be loved by woman-kind,
They won't to thee incline;
No one like you was e'er designed,
To be a Valentine.
Fling by your frippery, if you can,
And act and look just like a man.
I thought you honest and sincere,
But you're a hypocrite, I hear;
I thought you had delightful hair,
But 'tis a wig, as they declare. ”

“ Here comes Valentine, in search of us, doubtless.
Val. Let us drain the parting cup, comrades, It is time we were on the road.
Wag. What sayst thou? Why this sorrowful farewell?
Val. Like you, I soon must quit these scenes, Leaving behind me Marguerite. Alas! my mother no longer lives, To care for and protect her.
Sie. More than one friend hast thou Who faithfully will thy place supply. ”

“ Valentine, and I'm in scribbling mood.
Pray, are you, sir, in love, or not? what's more, in love with me?
Pray, answer, for I'll frankly own I feel a love for thee.
Love has dropt in,—I know not how,—so, 'tis my heart's design
To choose you, sir, to be my beau, my constant Valentine.
What eyes, mouth, and nose! who d'ye think, would incline
To choose such an object for—Sweet Valentine.
From such a grim figure, I'm sure, any day,
I can't wonder Cupid is riding away.
E'en the donkey he rides appears frightened to see
An ugly old fellow, so much uglier than he. ”

“ A faint cry of mingled pleasure and surprise escaped from the lips of Valentine, who almost instantly said, in a saddened tone, as though some envious cloud darkened the joy which illumined her heart:
“Alas, no, Maximilian, this must not be, for many reasons. We should presume too much on our own strength, and, like others, perhaps, be led astray by our blind confidence in each other’s prudence.”
“How can you for an instant entertain so unworthy a thought, dear Valentine? ”

“ Each hour I pray that I may meet
The faithful love of thine.
Ye gentle gales that waft my sighs.
Go to the youth for whom they rise,
And win him to approve my prayer,
That he will love and end my care.
Oh! would he deign on me to smile,
All my wo it would beguile;
Blest indeed the days of mine,
When passed with such a Valentine.
Sweet youth, be mine, thy charms divine
Subdue my stubborn heart;
At Hymen’s shrine, oh! call me thine,
And never, never part.
Let sordid mortals search for wealth,—
This never shall be my employ ”

“ Was Valentine very good, and is it his birthday as Christmas is Christ's birthday?"
"Mercy, no! What queer things you do ask when you get going, Polly! Valentine's Day is just Valentine's Day, when folks send these poetry and picture things for fun, and don't sign their own names, only 'Your Valentine,' and that means somebody who has chosen—chosen to be your—well, your beau, maybe."
"What's a beau?" asked innocent Polly.
"Polly, you don't know anything!" cried Jane, in an exasperated tone. "A beau is—is somebody who likes you better 'n anybody else." ”

“ I will tell him the ties which bind me to Mademoiselle Valentine; if he be a sensible man, he will prove it by renouncing of his own accord the hand of his betrothed, and will secure my friendship, and love until death; if he refuse, either through interest or ridiculous pride, after I have proved to him that he would be forcing my wife from me, that Valentine loves me, and will have no other, I will fight with him, give him every advantage, and I shall kill him, or he will kill me; if I am victorious, he will not marry Valentine, and if I die, I am very sure Valentine will not marry him. ”

“ Who carries a whip and an eye-glass combined,
Like one who could ride and was almost purblind;
For the rest—but enough—I've this Valentine sent,
Supposing no other but you could be meant.
And so you think, because you vow,
That you're to be believed? ”