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Show - 4$- Royal blush: Valentines show By JESSICA BALDWIN Associated Press Writer LONDON (AP) King Henry VIII's love letters to Anne Boleyn eight years before he ordered her beheaded are part of a display of royal valentines that show the soppy side of Britain's rulers. bican center. King Edward VII, who reigned was known as "Edfrom ward the Caresser," for his involvement with mistresses, including actress Lillie Langtry, Ms. Brown said. "While you'd expect him to be "Mine own sweetheart, these the great wooer with words, and his shall be to advertise you of the letters an absolute hotbed of pasgreat aloneness that I find here sion and love, all he talks about is since your departing," said Henry's the weather," she said. letter, signed H.R. and dated 1528. However, his mother and father, The R stands for Rex, Latin for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, king. exchanged letters that contradict The impulsive king's testaments the sometimes icy image of the of ardor are among 100 transcribed couple, the curator said. documents on view that span more "The textbook view is that Victothan 450 years. ria was absolutely besotted by ASome of the letters are steamy, lbert and he was a cold fish and laid some heartfelt and many dispel back and thought about England all historical cliches, said Michele of the time, but the letters are very Brown, curator of the valentine revealing," Ms. Brown said. Albert wrote to Victoria just bedisplay, which is part of the Royal Britain exhibition at London's Bar fore they were married in 1840: - 1901-191- 0, Oldest valentine penned by royalty valentine verses secretly composed for him by John Lydgate, the first anonymous writer of standard love rhymes. Valentines reached their peak -- size and elegance in 18th Century France. They were decorated with cut-ohearts, paper fountains, tiny birds, Cupids, flower reproductions and romantic scenes on cardboard hinges, set in a framework of expensive Venetian lace. ut Valentines came to America during the Revolutionary War. Often drawthey were simple ings illustrating elaborate verses in flowing Spencerian script. After 1723, exchanging valentines became mere popular with the import of booklets containing verses and messages that could be copied onto letter paper. pen-and-i- gilt-edg- Commercial valentines appeared about 1800, and around 1840, the first "mechanical" valentines were created. By pulling a tab, a figure or object on the card could be made to move. Some valentines contained elaborate honeycomb or pop-ou- ts al "Dearest, best beloved Victoria Already another dar, dear, letter from you which has wholly charmed me, for it once again tells me you love me, and proves that you love me truly and faithfully ... Do you remember how I warmed your dear little hands every day in the lovely little blue room? In quiet hours I live on such memories. Good, dear, charming Victoria, in my thoughts I am very much with you." The most recent letters in the exhibition are those of King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. Addressing her as "my own darling peaches," Edward wrote before they married: "God! I love you my Wallis my beloved sweetheart, more and more and more. I'm holding so tight all the time until that dear lovely precious day. Oh! God make it come quickly and bless WE (Wallis and Edward) this year and always!" The letters were published after the Duchess of Windsor died in 1986 because she wanted to correct the impression that she had lured the king from his throne. The copies were made from love letters found in the Public Record and Office, the Royal Collection other repositories, Ms. Brown said. Dear Readers: Today is Valentine's Day. You forgot? Well, so did a few million other folks, but take heart, all is not lost. Here's a simple, inexpensive and effective way out. Pick up the phone and say, "Honey, I'm calling to say Happy Valentine's Day. I think you are wonderful. Thanks for what you have added to my life." Simple, wasn't it? It didn't take much time or energy, and it cost you nothing. Forgive me if I sound corny, but being thoughtful and expressing appreciation is the best gift you can give. You never need worry about size or color, and it goes with everything. So, I'm taking my own advice "Happy Valentine's Day." Last year on this very day, I printed the following letter: Dear Ann Landers: Fifty-fiv- e years ago when I was in the fourth grade, my family moved from an area where I attended a small country school to the city, where I went to a large school. The move took place seven weeks before Valentine's Day. My class in the new school had a valentine box, the contents of which were distributed on Valentine's Day. The valentines were displayed by the students on their desks. The teacher had the students line up and walk up and down the aisles observing the valentines. Since I was new in the school and very shy, I received only three. the teacher named the three students who received the most valentines and told the number received by each. She then mentioned the person who had received the least number, which was me. I will never forget the humiliation and - z& M )j I Ikan lever though: This rniuvtomymmd tin-- fiaher the poles mou SMithoniis cut rromrhe sun .norwirhsraiidiini.rite v ttic hear. Thus tr is with Our love: absence has placed v. disrance between il fenvw mcitases.af rhe same iron Mi.tbvimju) never nnHc. ieasren mv pair. I hop rharm mf ca5C rh( avouch cf absence issonTar that it would be luTolembie, were tr nor for die fmn hope I hare of jour indissoluble atjtcriou tenants m. ijCnt "The letters from Henry VIII to Boleyn are in the Vatican library because they were relevant to his divorce, which led to the split of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England," Ms. Brown explained. Ms. Brown said she believes today's royals are unlikely to leave behind many interesting love In oilier remminct vjou of tc.avnt because l can norm' rite riiuiijrtiacT percent be in ijcmr piiSence.I end uOu cenus ucamx tJiar L pcssiMc - char is rosav im the wiidt device, which jpcu eutra&j tawwoj; str in bnuxla5tihuu myself in their place when it pier-iu?,O- rJvKv-ci-r Thic i rht Jtmul F...rtwr p,. -- Xlwo-sovauraiultK- C Jui J atii r AP Lascrphoto L.A. TIMES & CREATORS One of King Henry VIII's love letters to Anne Boleyn is on display at the Royal Britain exhibition. SYNDICATE can still see those three small Woolworth's penny valentines. My heart remembers the pain. I hope and pray that this sort of thing is not being done anywhere today. - Missouri Memories Within days after the above letter appeared in print, I received dozens of letters from teachers all over the United States and Canada expressing outrage that such a thing could have happened. Several teachers said they were not going to permit any exchanging of valentines in their classrooms, and no display of valentines received would be allowed. Are schools promoting greater sensitivity and tolerance? I believe the answer is yes. Hallelujah! Dear Ann Landers: I have two children, a girl 7 and a boy 5. I have not heard from my husband in three months. He moved to another state to find work, and the kids and I moved in with my folks. "Gerry" was never much of a father, but the kids love him and talk about him all the time. I have told them that he is working someplace far away, which seems to satisfy them. My daughter's birthday was three it h. weeks ago. I bought a beautiful card and signed her father's name. She was thrilled and talked of nothing else for days. The boy's birthday is coming up soon, and now I must do the same for him. My mother does not think this is a good idea. In fact, she is upset. We both value your judgment. Please express an opinion. Just -Somewhere in Sunny California Dear Sunny Cal.: I agree with your mother. Duplicity is never a good idea. You have now heightened your daughter's expectations, which is going to pose a more serious problem. Don't do the same to your son. The ragged truth is always better than the best-dress- lie. W(D)(D)JW(D)B0t to 61 WEST CENTER PROVO, UTAH fjn v;nrn 9 Dear Ann Landers: Please tell the dress and blouse manufacturers if buttonholes were placed horizontally instead of vertically they'd be a lot less likely to pop open. I am a buxom woman who knows that horizontal is better. - Alexandria, Va. Dear Alexandria: I Egree this would be a boon to all women, whether they are buxom or not. If any manufacturer will tell me why they prefer the vertical I'd like to I even I) 2 Open Monday Through Saturday 9:30 - 7:00 mm ., - J -- 7 f I HELD BACK Univ. Pkwy (Neil lo Albertson OPEN M F 9 30 7. Sat 30 373-503- know. 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(tT M15TR6S5 ATvlD if g iour hands, and we supplicate" to be commended r? pur tvYt qmxs. and ritarh absence vtra!juTiot matf nor be diminished tons, Anne So you forgot it's Valentine's Day! iy i WNlttJ Vlll TOVNNt monarch's composed passion The oldest known valentine was penned by the Duke of Orleans to his French wife after he had been taken prisoner in the Tower of London by the English during 'the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 A.D. Several years later, King Henry V wooed Catherine of Valois with Wednesday cD. 14. Lifestvte Also in this section: Weddings C6 UES IflSTi ALL SALES FINAL! |