Regency Trivia – Charades

The came of charades was developed in the 18th century. However, it wasn’t the acting a word game that we’re so familiar with. It was instead a literary riddle that was popular in France. The game is played by describing a word enigmatically as a separate word before the word as a whole was similarly described.

Written forms of the game were printed in books, magazines, and on the backs of Regency fans.

Here is a charade written by Jane Austen.

One charade composed by Jane Austen goes as follows:

When my first is a task to a young girl of spirit, And my second confines her to finish the piece, How hard is her fate! but how great is her merit If by taking my whole she effects her release!

The answer is “hem-lock”.

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