A child's nurse holds an infant, and a young boy stands next to her and waves. She wears an apron, bonnet, and dress, and she sticks out her tongue., Text: A gay jolly soldier I always delight in, / He's ready for dancing, or singing, or fighting; / But when ladies essay it, I firmly decline, / As I see you have joined the infant-ry line., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The housemaid looks in the mirror and ties her bonnet. Her crinoline is visible through the skirt she wears, and a broom rests against a bureau. The maid probably wears her mistress's clothing. The valentine satirizes the house maid's vanity., Text: O, my missus! don't I beat her? / Ain't the pink upon me sweeter? / I should sit upon the sophy, / And Missus Jones should make the coffee., Cf. 2.13., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The house-maid blacks a boot in a kitchen, where the tea pot and kettle have faces. "To have one's swing" means "to allow oneself every freedom." The valentine possibly accuses the maid of having more energy for playing with sweethearts than for her work., Text: Dirty, ugly, vulgar, pert, / So begrimed with grease and dirt, / I vow that I should afraid of, / Seeing what that MAID is MADE of / Tho' call'd MAID OF ALL WORK! they / Say you're often MADE OF PLAY. / And when sweethearts you've your swing / The MAID is quite a different thing., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The valentine shows a woman pulling a sheet over a bed. She smiles and wears a dress and apron. There is a bucket by her foot. The text quotes an old proverb to suggest a literal meaning for the figurative expression., Text: What pleases you so? you have caught a new beau, / I know by the glance of your eye! / I hope you'll not rue it, but you know it is true, / "As you make your bed so you must lie.", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The angry woman beats her philandering lover with a broom as he lies across her lap. A speech bubble by her head reads " HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH THE SERVANT?" as he cries, "Oh! Oh!" The positioning suggests both that he is a child, and she is domineering. The man is contorted, and the woman appears larger than him., Text: It's evident, my angry fair, / Whate'er your wrongs, how much you (bare) bear, / Tho' I would rather not be sharing / My lot with on who's so for-bareing: / Such wives as thee who ever's got 'em, / Will find they're very hard at BOTTOM! / So I for my part would decline / Such a very striking Valentine., Cf. 1.20., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Her crinoline pulls up the fabric of the Irish domestic's dress as she leans forward and reveals her legs and behind. The verse shames the biddy for her immodesty and does not blame the men watching., Text: An! biddy, dear, do cease to scrub, / And mount a box, bench, chair or tub, / For while you're dusting off the blind, / The boys are peeping up behind., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
An Irish woman wears a cap and has bucked yellow teeth. She holds a toaster rack as if it were a harp. Above her is written "Harp of Erin," which is a symbol for Ireland. The text suggests that after she sings, the rack/harp will take on new symbolism as a body, and she'll grill meat on its "buzzum" [i.e., bosom]., Text: Sweet harp of me counthry, in sadness I touch thee, / To strains that are plainitive, though ould as the hills, / And bime by when me song is sung out, I will clutch thee, / And brile on thy buzzum some beautiful grills!, Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
A maid polishes a pair of boots. The valentine plays on the words work and play to suggest that the maid is promiscuous., Text: Dirty, ugly, vulgar, pert, / So begrimed with grease and dirt, / I vow that I should be afraid of, / Seeing what that maid is made of, / Tho’ call’d maid of all work! They / Say you’re often made of play, / And when with sweethearts you’ve your swing / The maid is quite a different thing!, Provenance: Helfand, William H..
A maid wearing an apron is holding a bed-warmer. The word "empty" is written over her head. The valentine suggests that her lack of brains means she is condemned to a life a menial tasks., Text: The reason why you don’t get on in life-- / Is the Sending of the Valentine to you a hollow mockery?, Cf. Valentine 14.42., Provenance: Helfand, William H..
The angry woman beats her philandering lover with a broom as he lies across her lap. A speech balloon by her head reads " HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH THE SERVANT?" as he cries, "Oh! Oh!", Text: It’s evident, my angry fair, / Whate’er your wrongs, How much you (bare) bear; / Tho’ I would rather not be sharing / My lot with one who’s so for bareing; / Such wives as thee who ever’s got ‘em, / Will find they’re very bad at BOTTOM! / So I for my part would decline. / Such a very STRIKING Valentine., Cf. Valentines 1.19, 1.20., Provenance: Helfand, William H..
A woman wearing a apron carries a full tray. "I declare I am quite the Slave of the Ring," reads a speech bubble., Text: You think no doubt you’re quite the style / When you put on that silly smile, / But no one likes such affectation / From one in a servant’s situation / You give yourself too many airs / your proper place should be downstairs / To skim the pot and make the gravy / For after all you’re but a slavey. / To your tea and coffee I don’t incline / So goodbye my waiting Valentine., 145, Provenance: Helfand, William H..
A chambermaid holds a candle and shows a room to a man. The text suggests that she is promiscuous., Text: A chambermaid! Pray what’s the use, / Of such a giggling, silly goose? / Whose chief employment, so ‘tis said, / Is showing folks the way to bed!, Provenance: Helfand, William H..
A female domestic servant peers over a wall and gossips with another servant. A magpie in the background emphasizes the irritating nature of the servants' chatter and suggests that, like the magpie, the servants may also be thieves. Spleen refers to anger or a foul mood. Hecate is a Greek goddess associated with magic and crossroads and is often depicted as a hag or crone., Text: A chattering magpie is a hateful creature, / With spleen and malice marked in every feature, / Forever gossiping with thy hateful crew, / I’d sooner wed old Hecate than love you., Provenance: Helfand, William H..
