Penny Dreadfuls

In the mid-nineteenth century, romantic cynics sent inexpensively-printed insult greetings on Valentine’s Day, often labeled by profession and typically featuring a short riff on the classic four-line verse. Called Penny Dreadfuls (because they cost a penny) and sometimes referred to as “Vinegar Valentines,” they were funny and mean — and because of this, were often sent anonymously.

Such gestures remind us, as others have said, that nothing says “I Love You” like a mass-produced sentiment written by somebody else: Herewith, our very own collection.