As regards ourself, we very strongly object to all these "ready cut and dried " effusions. They are tasteless-spiritless-meaningless. They have no point. They will do for one; they will do for all. Over-grown Cupids rolling over clouds, their cheeks bedaubed with vermillion-ugly little hump-backed churches, botched with imitation-ivy (where no sane mortal could ever think of getting married); and top-heavy chariots shining in ochre-such attempts at heart-stealing as these, delight us not. Nor have we ever been seriously smitten by those hosts of little nude Cupids,who so mysteriously creep out of fullblown cabbage-roses, making the best of their way to large over-grown hearts, stuffed with

double-headed arrows-these said hearts uttering dolorous complaints in SO -called verse, whilst frying in their own flames. These never took our fancy.

We believe we were the first to originate the idea, of sending the girl of our heart an emblematical device on pasteboard of a closed cabinet, with a latch attached. On lifting this, the doors flew open; and an elegant silvered mirror, concealed by a veil of silver gauze, was seen suspended in the front. Beneath it was written :

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Remove this veil with care, and see
The ONLY girl who's dear to me;
If she will let me call her "mine,"
I'll seek NO OTHER Valentine.

This, though a boyish effusion, was, we remember, a dead shot. The idea was a pretty one; we were suspected, accepted, beloved, and caressed (of course).

HURDIS says, writing of this memorable day :

This day doth herald in St. Valentine!
Now maids are brisk, and at the break of day
Start up and turn their pillows, curious all
To know what happy swain the fates provide
A mate for life. Then follows thick discharge
Of true-love knots, and sonnets nicely penned;
But to the learned critic's eye no verse,
But prose distracted.

We have not made much progress since the days of Hurdis. If ladies' hearts fall before the poetry of modern Valentines, they must, we think, be indeed made of " melting

stuff!"

It is said that the sweet air of "Rousseau's Dream" was first imported into this country some fifty years ago; and that the first English words ever written to it were in the form of a serenade from a lover to his betrothed, on the morning of St. Valentine's Day. We have a copy of the lines in our possession, and we subjoin them :-

Health to thee, mine own sweet lady!

Health and blessing, first and last! Now may Heaven, all bounteous, aid me Round thy path new spells to cast.

Blessed be thine early morning!

Blessed be thine evening close! Blessed thy going and returning,

Summer hours and winter snows!

Not to thee, all undeceiving,

Pure of spirit, frank of heart, Shall the Muse, her fictions weaving, Act the faithless flatterer's part. Win and wear thy prize, fair lady! Faith as true, as pure as thine, Love and service ever ready,

From thy well-known Valentine.

We must confess that, as we grow older, we cling more to the poetry of love than to the rattling jingle of School-boy sonnets. Love is an expansive element-not a mere simpering look of yes or no. It is a deep stream, into which the lower you plunge the sweeter the feeling. We could write on this subject for ever; but we forget that this is a mere pièce de circonstance. Let us conclude, therefore, with the "Valentine Wreath," by Montgomery. It is a gem worth "setting" in OUR OWN JOURNAL:

19

GULLS AND THEIR VICTIMS,—

OR THE

MYSTERY OF AN ADVERTISEMENT.

Ir is a curious fact connected with our race, that whilst one part is progressing with railway speed towards perfection, the other part is retrograding in intellect in an inverse ratio. If any proof of this be wanting, see it in the blind allegiance paid by the million to newspaper advertisementsall of them just so many "shams."

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Let us take up any one of the daily sheets of the Times newspaper. What see we there? Why, advertisements innumerable of every kind of "want"--whether applied to things, people, or money. It has been said, that the public may be divided into ten parts. Nine of these parts are fools, the tenth consists of wise men. It has been further said, and truly-that the tenth part swallows up the other nine! This is a fact !

The tenth part of the public, then, are those who live by putting specious advertisements into the " Times," so artfully worded as to work upon the passions or the weak point of an erring mortal. The hook is, for the most part, so nicely, so temptingly baited, that it is sure of securing a victim: when secured, bis "fate" may be guessed: ex.

gr.

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It is well known that many of our work ing clergy are very poor (all "worthy" clergymen must be very poor. This is nature's law). Well; to meet their views," money is advertised as forthcoming 66 on easy terms.' The poor clergyman sees the bait; swallows it; corresponds; sends up his acceptance on blank paper, gets no money in return; finds himself "done" on coming up to town, and his acceptance originally sent for £100 altered to £400. The bill is passed away; it becomes due; the clergyman is sued; persecuted; ruined! The same trick, in different disguises, fills the columns of the "Times" daily. The advertisers live in style; whilst their victims are plundered, and frequently commit suicide.

As for the simple who believe every thing on a small scale, they are plundered very easily. Thus, if a man be bald headed, he reads, in the advertisement of a swindling advertiser," hair is perfectly restored after seven years baldness." Miss Dean tells him the "fact" so positively, that he cannot but believe her. He pays 2s. for the "elegantly scented compound," and finds himself "done,"―besides being more bald than ever he was. He is exhorted to "persevere." He does so; buys some dozen pots, and finds himself without a single hair on his head! The same with quack medicines,-in fact with nearly all the marvellous advertise

ments. The greater the fabrication, the more impossible the cure,-the greater the credit given to the wonderful heal-all! One "Professor" tells us daily in the "Times," that his ointment cures broken legs, after two or three applications; and that his pills will make an old man young again. He says so; and people believe him. They take his physic and die; he takes their money and laughs at them. The fact is, none of these advertisements can be believed. "They lie like truth."

It is vain for us, to hope to effect much good by any expose that we might make; still if we only save one intended victim, we shall be more than satisfied. We will now introduce a brief account of a recent case of extortion made by a "Matrimonial Alliance Association," who had volunteered by advertisement to procure wives or hus"done" on bands "to order." The person this occasion, was MR. PELLAS-a merchant of Fenchurch Street; but it turned out, case of "the biter bit." subsequently, a We record the circumstances of the trial in OUR JOURNAL, by way of a warning to all who want wives, or husbands "by proxy." Rely on it, good people, the old way is best. If a woman is not worth winning and wooing, she is not worth having :—

An action was brought in the Westminster County Court, by a foreigner named Pellas, a merchant, of Fenchurch Street, City, against a person of the name of Hunter, a manager of the Legal Matrimonial Alliance Association, the offices of which were stated to be at No. 2, Portsmouth-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, to recover the sum of £10, which he had paid under a promise of being introduced by the "Society" to a lady destined to be his wife, but which promise had not been performed.

From the statement of Mr. De Jersey, who detailed the facts in an unusually humorous style, it appeared that in September last his client, who was a native of Genoa, observed in a weekly newspaper an article headed "Important to Bachelors and Spinsters," wherein all who were single were invited to become members, if they riage to be of mutual advantage. The plaintiff desired to taste the joys of wedlock; the marBeresford, to whom applications were to be made wishing to try such an event, wrote to Mr. Hugo at the above address, he being secretary, the following letter:

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"Sept. 3, 1852. "Sir,-Some time ago, the writer saw advertisement of yours in the London paper, under the title of The Matrimonial Alliance Association,' and now should feel obliged by your letting him know, at the earliest convenience, what you think you could really do for him, most honorable and respectable he being a unmarried gentleman desirous of getting married to a respectable lady-no matter her age -possessing a handsome fortune, and who, after satisfactory inquiries, might be disposed to help him with a loan of £2,000, purposely to increase

his business which is most lucrative, and presents the greatest security. He has for several years been an established foreign commissionmerchant in the city of London, enjoys great respectability and credit in the trade, is banking with a first-rate firm in Lombard-street, and in fact, can give the best references for the period of the last twenty years. He is only hardly a middle-aged gentleman, foreigner by birth, and is living in London. He has a dwelling-house for himself, entirely for him, and it is furnished the same as any lady or gentleman of style can wish. With the rest, please to state your terms, as these must be settled beforehand. Enclosed you will find five postage stamps. I remain yours truly, A B. - P.S. Please address the letters only Mr. W. Jones, No. 10, the Grove, Claphamroad, Surrey."

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A prompt reply from Mr. Hugo Beresford was sent, asking for the usual registration fee of 5s. in postage stamps, on the receipt of which a printed form of application would be forwarded. The stamps were sent, the plaintiff in exchange being supplied with the said form. In this he was to state his age, weight, height, complexion, color of hair and eyes; and, in fact, describe himself as he would a horse he had to dispose of laughter). He did all that, after which Mr. Hugo Beresford again wrote to him, intimating that he had a very choice collection of ladies on hand, the charge on an engagement with either of which would be between £30 and £40; and that a small deposit was required, which, if, after forwarding, the plaintiff should not be "suited," it would be placed to his credit, and deducted from the gross amount when he was. Plaintiff thereupon enclosed in an envelope to Mr. Beresford a cheque upon Messrs. Glynn, his bankers, for £5, which had the effect of causing Mr. Beresford to make another demand upon plaintiff's purse, at the same time intimating that the Christian name of the lady he was to be introduced to was “Fanny" (loud laughter). His client, still under the impression that this was only the legalised ordeal of bachelorship, and the name of his perspective wife invigorating him, transmitted another cheque of £5-hoping he should be introduced to the lady. Mr. Beresford, however, judged he had got a flat in plaintiff, to whom he made a communication that on the receipt of another £10, his wish should be gratified, but otherwise it could not be. The plaintiff then, for the first time, began to feel a little doubtful of the affair he had blindly embarked in, and resolved to go to the company's office, in Portsmouth-street, where on asking for Mr. Beresford, he was introduced to the defendant, who, having taken him into a dark, dirty apartment, more like a den than a room, asked him his business, which he told. Defendant upon that, having locked the door, said, Mr. Beresford's abroad; my name's Hunter; I have been corresponding with you for him, and I suppose you have come to pay the required £10." Plaintiff assured him that he meant no such thing, and should not advance any more money till he could see the lady, or have some reference given him as to the respectability and honor of the company he had entered into dealings with. On uttering these words, the defendant complained of the slur thus cast upon

an association having in its banker's hands upwards of £3,000; and his fierce looks frightening the plaintiff, he promised to send £10 on the morrow, and was allowed to depart. On reaching the street, he ran away; not stopping till within a few paces of his own residence. Thiswas on the 29th of September, and on the following day he sent a note, declining any further transactions with the Matrimonial Alliance Association. The Association was, however, not to be so easily disenthralled from a person who had got into their meshes, and threats of proceedings against him in the Sheriff's Court were made unless he paid the £10 by twelve o'clock on a certain day; when, if the lady, on an interview did not suit, it would be returned. His client was inflexible; and being on two occasions refused the £10, which had been fraudulently, as he considered, obtained from him, he instituted these proceedings. Subsequently to that event, Mr. Hugo Beresford was loth to lose his game in the person of the plaintiff, and sent him the following rich morceau:-"Mr. Beresford would be happy to arrange a meeting with a lady, another 'likely' character, with whom an interview can be given." Plaintiff was proof against this and other overtures made to alter the course he had adopted, and he was determined that, through an exposure by the press, the public should be put on their guard from being defrauded by an alleged bona fide association, not worth a straw.

The plaintiff, a good-looking gentlemanly young man, of mild demeanor, in broken English corroborated the facts in chief, as narrated by his solicitor.

Cross-examined by Mr. Roberts: He had never before speculated in marriage. His father wanted to bring him up a priest; but he did not like it, and came to this country. He was under thirty years of age. He did not care about his wife's age, as he wanted a companion in a woman, and money might give her a favorality (laughter). He should, he thought, have objected to marry

woman more than middle aged. On seeing the Matrimonial Alliance, he said let us try. He knew of no firm of that name (laughter), but said so to himself.

His honor observed, that no doubt the money had been obtained by fraud upon the plaintiff, and the defendant, who was the only person he had seen throughout the transaction, was liable, and he should, therefore, make an order for its payment.-I propose, then, ten shillings a month.

Mr. De Jersey: What!! By an association boasting of having in their banker's hands £3,000 (laughter)! I press for order was then made for immediate paymentpayment forthwith.-An

WITH ALL COSTS.