“Charge, Chester! charge! On, Stanley, on! Were the last words of Marmion.”
These lines suggested the following enigma:—
Were I in noble Stanley’s place, When Marmion urged him to the charge; The word you then might all descry Would bring a tear to every eye.
21.
Round the house—in the corners, Down the stairs—behind the door!
22. I’m reckoned only fifty, but for centuries have been, In every age, in every clime, among the living seen; Mute, though incessantly in talk, I give to silence sound; And single ’tis my fate to be, whilst fast in wedlock bound. The learned place me at their head, tho’ oft unknown to fame, And eloquence itself delights to sound abroad my name; Though plunged in guilt, the tenant of a prison’s gloomy cell, Yet, twice invoked, my potent aid concludes the wizard’s spell. I ride upon the whirlwind—point the lightning thro’ the storm; And mine the power, with but a word, another world to form; I, too, alone, can kindle fame, and, what is very odd, The veriest miser can prevent from making gold his god. I usher in the morning, yet shun the face of day; A stranger to the voice of mirth, yet join in every play. The fabled liquid I, with which poor Tantalus was cursed; For, in the proffered goblet seen, I mock the wretch’s thirst. The rich secure me for their wealth, the cunning for their wiles; And, ’reft of me, ah! changed how soon were beauty’s sweetest smiles! I lurk within the brilliant glance that flashes from her eye, Rest on her ruby lip, and in her laughing dimples lie; I breathe the first soft sound of love, in the maiden’s willing ear, And mingle in the rising blush that tells that love is dear; I lead the laugh, I swell the glee amid the festal hall, But a truant from the banquet, and a laggard in the ball. First in the martial lists I ride, with mail, and lance and shield; And, foremost of the line, I charge upon the battle-field. And yet, though ranked among the bold, I scarcely join the fight; When, foul disgrace to manhood’s race, I turn at once to flight. From greatness thus removed, I make acquaintanceship with evil; And, (in your ear a word) maintain alliance with the devil!
23.
We are little airy creatures, All of different voice and natures; One of us in glass is set, One of us you’ll find in jet; The other you may see in tin, And the fourth a box within; If the fifth you should pursue, It can never fly from you.
24.
My parent bred me to the sea, I’ve been where never man could be; Long time I’ve ranged the ocean wide, And all the rage of storms defied; The lowering clouds obscured the sky, And foaming billows mounted high; Tho’ winds with almost fury blew, And thunders roll’d, and lightnings flew; Waves, winds and thunders all in vain Opposed my passage thro’ the main. At length, my parent died, and I On shore would fain my fortune try; I left the sea, grew fond of show, Dress’d neat, and soon became a beau. My body’s taper, tall and straight, I chiefly dwell among the great; Am like a bridegroom, clad in white, And much the ladies I delight; Attend when Chloe goes to rest, She’s always by my presence blest; No ghost or goblin can she fear, Nor midnight hag, if I am near. No more a seaman, bold and rough, I shine at balls, am fond of snuff To gay assemblies I repair, And make a brilliant figure there. At last, a burning fever came, That quite dissolved my tender frame; I wasted fast, light-headed grew; Of all my friends, not one I knew; Great drops of sweat ran down my side, And I, alas! by inches died.
25.
A word there is of plural number, Foe to peace and tranquil slumber; Add but to this the letter S, And though strange the metamorphosis, There soon will meet your wond’ring view One syllable transposed to two; Plural is plural now no more, And sweet what bitter was before.
26.
My first two letters make a man, My three first a woman; My four first letters make a great man My whole a great woman.
27.
My first is myself, a very short word; My second’s a puppet, and you are my third.
28.
Cut off my head, singular I am; Cut off my tail, and plural I appear; Cut off my head and tail, and you will find That though my body’s left, yet nought is there. What is my head cut off? a sounding sea; What is my tail? a mighty river, Within whose peaceful depths my whole doth play, And parent of sweet sounds is mute forever.
29.
We left our little ones at home, And whither went we did not know; We for the church’s sake did roam, And lost our lives in doing so. We went right onward on the road, With all the wicked full in view; We lived to man, we died to God, Yet nothing of religion knew.
30.
My first is a famous watering place in England, My second is a city where a mighty queen did dwell; My whole is the name of a queen famous in ancient history.
31.
My first gives light to man; My second you’ll find in woman; My third belongs to woman; My whole is a Christian name.
32.
To run and draw, In peace or war, My first have long been used; And pleased or vex’d, Have, by my next, Been petted and abused: Upon the seas, In many a breeze, My third may oft be seen; My whole is an art Known in each part Where my two first have been.
33.
My whole is that which lightning does, Beheaded, that which horses fear; Behead again, and lo! a tree, A forest tree, will then appear.
