Life, 1892-02-11 · page 6 of 22
Life — February 11, 1892 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Valentyne" - Life Magazine Page 82 This page presents a Valentine's Day poem by H.H. Bennett titled "Valentyne," playing on the archaic spelling. The illustration depicts a romantic scene with decorative cherubs surrounding a central text panel. The left side shows an elegantly dressed woman in Edwardian fashion holding a fan and cane—typical of early 1900s society lady portraiture. The right side shows a seated gentleman in period dress. Cherubs and cupids frame the composition, reinforcing the Valentine's theme. The poem itself is romantic verse exploring the speaker's inability to adequately express their love: "What can I fend for Valentyne... What can I lend?" The satire lies in the grandiose, flowery language attempting to capture love's complexity, typical of Life's gentle mockery of sentimental conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ne Valentyne rs y mR Bhat can | fend for Valentyne What can I fend, Ob! fweetheart mine, To tell the love I have for you. To fhow y* fill my love if true jyAnd ever to you doth inchne? é What fancie can I now entwyne Toftelle my love inne evere line? ‘To*prove iny love. fo old yet new. Se What can I fend? ob To fend my heart | did defign, | > ., But fownd it not. twaf long fynce thine Gi And fince thou art ¥ myflreff. too, t2! OF all I thynke, or fay, or do,- Of everie thyng | am, inne Fyne.- rl What can I fend? HH. Bennett: comicbooks.com