Produced by Mardi Desjardins & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net * * * * * [Illustration: THE VALENTINE. Engraved expressly for Graham’s Magazine by W. E. Tucker.] * * * * * GRAHAM’S MAGAZINE. VOL. XXXVI. February, 1850. No. 2. Table of Contents Fiction, Literature and Articles February Patrick O’Brien The Young Artist Love’s Influence The Two Portraits Myrrah Of Tangiers The Wilkinsons Fanny Day’s Presentiment Gems From Moore’s Irish Melodies. No. II.—The Last Rose of Summer The Revealings of a Heart Life of General Joseph Warren Editor’s Table Review of New Books Poetry, Music, and Fashion Wit And Beauty A Household Dirge The Pirate Sonnets.—at Twilight Song Night Thoughts Ballads of the Campaign in Mexico A Spanish Romance To A. R. The Pale Thinker The Evil Eye Fancies About a Portrait The Dream of Youth Le Follet Wissahikon Waltz Transcriber’s Notes can be found at the end of this eBook. * * * * * GRAHAM’S MAGAZINE. VOL. XXXVI. PHILADELPHIA, February, 1850. NO. 2. * * * * * FEBRUARY. The flowers which cold in prison kept Now laugh the frost to scorn. RICHARD EDWARDS. 1523. AMONG the ancient manuscripts in the British Museum there is one of Saxon origin, written by Ethelgar, a writer of some note in the tenth century. Commenting on the months, he speaks of February, which he calls _Sprout kele_, because colewort, a kind of cabbage, which was the chief sustenance of the husbandmen in those days, began to yield wholesome young sprouts during this month. Some centuries after, this name was modernized by the Romans, who offered their expiatory sacrifices at this season of the year, and called _Februalia_. Frequently during this month the cold is abated for a short time, and fine days and hasty thaws take the place of rigid frost. From this peculiarity, this month has often been called by ancient writers by the expressive name of “_February fill dike_.” Clare’s verses are sweetly descriptive of this changing season—