The action had nearly terminated by six o’clock, after a duration of four hours.  Daylight had disappeared unperceived, owing to the dense smoke of the cannonading, which, from the cessation of the firing, now began to clear away, and showed us a clouded sky.  The bay was illuminated in various quarters by the numerous burning ships, which rendered the sight one of the most sublime and magnificent that could be imagined.

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MEMORABLE DAYS.

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VALENTINE’S DAY.

  Seynte Valentine.  Of custome, yeere by yeere,
    Men have an usaunce, in this regioun,
  To loke and serche Cupide’s kalendere,
    And chose theyr choyse, by grete affeccioun;
    Such as ben move with Cupide’s mocioun,
  Taking theyr choyse as theyr sorte doth falle;
  But I love oon whyche excellith alle.

LYDGATE’S Poem of Queen Catherine, consort to Henry V., 1440.

In some villages in Kent there is a singular custom observed on St. Valentine’s day.  The young maidens, from five or six to eighteen years of age, assemble in a crowd, and burn an uncouth effigy, which they denominate a “holly boy,” and which they obtain from the boys; while in another part of the village the boys burn an equally ridiculous effigy, which they call an “ivy girl,” and which they steal from the girls.  The oldest inhabitants can give you no reason or account of this curious practice, though it is always a sport at this season.

Numerous are the sports and superstitions concerning the day in different parts of England.  In some parts of Dorsetshire the young folks purchase wax candles, and let them remain lighted all night in the bedroom.  I learned this from some old Dorsetshire friends of mine, who, however, could throw no further light upon the subject.  In the same county, I was also informed it was in many places customary for the maids to hang up in the kitchen a bunch of such flowers as were then in season, neatly suspended by a true lover’s knot of blue riband.  These innocent doings are prevalent in other parts of England, and elsewhere.

Misson, a learned traveller, relates an amusing practice which was kept up in his time:—­“On the eve of St. Valentine’s day, the young folks in England and Scotland, by a very ancient custom, celebrated a little festival.  An equal number of maids and bachelors assemble together; all write their true or some feigned name separately upon as many billets, which they rolled up, and drew by way of lots, the maids taking the men’s billets, and the men 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 which she calls her’s.  By this means each has two Valentines; but the man sticks faster to the Valentine that falls 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 fair mistresses, wear their billets several days upon their bosoms or sleeves, and this little sport often ends in love.”