Charade No. 12

You may lie on my first by the side of a stream,
And my second compose to the nymph you adore,
But if, when you've none of my whole, her esteem
And affection diminish -- think of her no more!

This one is by Jane Austen; it's in the Austen family collection described in the previous post.

The Austen family charade collection

The Austen family created a collection of charades; each was written by Jane Austen or someone in her immediate family. The collection was published under the name "Charades &c. Written a hundred years ago by Jane Austen and Her Family" in 1895, long after Jane Austen's lifetime. There is an image of the cover at http://www.flickr.com/photos/praytellme/.

One of the charades I posted is from this collection; I will post more of these. Stay tuned!

Charade No. 11

My first makes all nature appear with one face,
My second has music, and beauty, and grace;
And if this charade is not easily said,
My whole you deserve to have thrown at your head.

Enjoy!

Charade No. 10

My first is equality,
My second inferiority,
And my whole is superiority.

Hint: there are two possible answers.

Charade no. 9

My first (most strange!) is always wicked,
Yet ne'er committed sin;
My total for my first is fitted
Compos'd of brass or tin.

Enjoy!