A Charade from the Pages of Ladies’ Needlework Crochet

From the pages of Ladies’ Needlework; Crochet; Tales and Poetry: A Melange of Instructions and Amusements, originally published in 1849 and available as a PieceWork eBook. In celebration of “Those Weird Victorians,” we offer up a “Charade” to delight and amuse you. Share it with your stitching group, guild, or on social media.

Leaf and Pine Edging from Ladies’ Needlework; Crochet; Tales and Poetry: A Melange of Instructions and Amusements. This is one of the 22 patterns for crochet found in this PieceWork eBook.

CHARADE.
My first in music oft appears,
And also in declining years;
And further too, I’ll prove it clear,
It often may proceed from fear.
My second oft will cause my first,
And likewise evils most accurst;
Emblem of war, where’er it goes,
‘Tis followed by unnumber’d woes.
My whole a pleasing contrast forms,
A nation’s pride his tomb adorns;
His memory with love we cherish:
Genius like his can never perish.

ANSWER TO CHARADE.
In music it is very common to make,
The end of a song turn off with a shake;
And a spear will bring with, wherever it toes,
A train of oppression, and unnumbered woes:
Put these together, and there will appear
The name that we cherish—immortal Shakespear.

*The “Charade” is presented exactly how it was in the original with no corrections.