12. Victorian gentlemen didn’t have to write their own Valentine’s messages – they could buy a bestselling book full of them
In 1797, an enterprising English publisher saw a business opportunity – penning romantic messages for tongue-tied (or simply illiterate) men. Their book, entitled The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, was an instant bestseller. It contained not only single lines or romantic prose but entire sentimental verses and whole poems. At first, men would have to copy these words of romance out of the guidebook and into a card. Before long, however, factories began producing so-called ‘Mechanical Valentine’s’ or cards with romantic messages already printed inside them.
