Following on from my previous post about which Heyer hero most closely resembles Mr Darcy …
Both Mr Darcy and Mr Beaumaris initially make a good impression. Both are subsequently, however,  discovered to be insufferably proud and to hold an inflated opinion of their own importance!
Mr Darcy:
Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for two dances; and during part of that time, Mr. Darcy had been standing near enough for her to overhear a conversation between him and Mr. Bingley, who came from the dance for a few minutes to press his friend to join it.
"Come, Darcy,'' said he, "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance.''
"I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.''
"I would not be so fastidious as you are,'' cried Bingley, "for a kingdom! Upon my honour I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening; and there are several of them, you see, uncommonly pretty.''
"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,'' said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
"Oh! she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.''
"Which do you mean?'' and turning round, he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.''
Mr. Bingley followed his advice. Mr. Darcy walked off; and Elizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings towards him. She told the story however with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in any thing ridiculous.
Mr Beaumaris:
Across the lower hall, the door into the library stood ajar. Lord Fleetwood’s voice, speaking in rallying tones, assailed the ladies’ ears.  ‘I swear you are incorrigible!’ said his lordship. ‘The loveliest of creatures drops into your lap, like a veritable honey-fall, and you behave as though a gull-groper had forced his way into your house!’
Mr Beaumaris replied with disastrous clarity: ‘My dear Charles, when you have been hunted by every trick known to the ingenuity of the female mind, you may more readily partake of my sentiments upon this occasion! I have beauties hopeful of wedding my fortune swoon in my arms, break their bootlaces outside my London house, sprain their ankles when my arm is there to support them, and now it appears that I am to be pursued even into Leicestershire! An accident to her coach! Famous! What a greenhorn she must believe me to be!’
Of course, both men, as the story unfolds, fall in love with the heroine. Arabella and Lizzie are both spirited, pretty and ‘unusual’ but there are differences between the two heroines as well.
I think the main difference between Mr Darcy and Mr Beaumaris is less to do with their personalities and more to do with the way the author reveals their character to us. In Arabella, we hear Mr Beaumaris’s point of view, we get to know that he is falling in love with Arabella and we get delightful glimpses of his character through his humorous interactions with Ulysses (the stray dog Arabella persuades him to adopt). Darcy is much less open to the reader, although we get an occasional glimpse of his changing feelings.
This post attracted a lot of comment and a strong argument was put forward that there is another Heyer hero who is more like Darcy … Sylvester. I must admit, that did get me thinking! Sylvester is one of the wittiest  Heyer novels and I love the heroine, Phoebe.
There was also another lively debate on the Georgette Heyer Appreciation Group (on Facebook) about Worth. Regency Buck was Georgette Heyer’s first Regency and it seems to be like Marmite, you either love it or loathe it! I feel a whole new post coming on … 

The history of Valentine's greetings, songs and verses, goes back to medieval times. One of the earliest written Valentine's greetings (that we know of) was sent in 1415 from Charles, the Duke of Orleans, to his wife, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Some 18th century Valentine’s traditions included:
Drawing Lots
In 1725, clergyman Henry Bourne explained the tradition of drawing lots to find your valentine. On the eve of St Valentine's Day, an equal number of maidens and bachelors would get together (sometimes in the local churchyard). They would each write their name on a separate billet. Sometimes they would use an alias in order to remain anonymous. The billets would then be rolled up and lots would be drawn, ‘the maids taking the men’s billets, and the men the maids’. Having thus allowed fate to decide on their partners, tradition dictated that the suitors should wear their mistresses billets ‘several days upon their bosoms or sleeves’ and lavish them with tokens of affection.
Gloves
Towards the end of the Elizabethan era, gloves became a traditional Valentine’s Day gift for women. It became customary for a young woman to approach the man of her choice and say, “Good-morrow Valentine, I go today; To wear for you, what you must pay; A pair of gloves next Easter Day,”. The man, if he returned the maiden’s regard, would then send her a gift of gloves to wear on Easter Sunday. Sometimes a man would show his love by sending gloves without any encouragement. If the lady wore his gloves on Easter Sunday, it was a sign that she returned his feelings.
There is also a superstition that, if you find a glove on Valentine’s Day, your true love will have its partner.
Leaves
If you catch a falling leaf on Valentine’s Day, your love life will be blessed with a whole year of happiness.
In England in the 1700s, a young English woman might pin five bay leaves to her pillow on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Other accounts state that two bay leaves, placed in a cross on the pillow would do the trick. By doing so she would see her future husband in her dreams.
To improve her chances further of dreaming of her valentine, she could wear her nightgown inside out and, once in bed,  say softly to herself, ‘Good Valentine, be kind to me, In dreams let me my true love see’.
Written tokens and cards
Although written valentines and verses were given earlier, these became more popular in the late 18th Century. In 1797 ‘The Young Man’s Valentine Writer’ was published, which suggested verses for young men to send to their sweethearts. 
As postal services became cheaper and more reliable, Valentines were sent by post and could, of course, be kept anonymous. A great deal of thought went into these tokens which were embellished with fabric and lace, ribbons and paper flowers and included a heart-felt verse.

Valentine's Day Pinterest Board: 
http://www.pinterest.com/JaneGodman/valentines-day/