I Love my Love

This game is taken from 'The Girls Own Book' by Mrs Child, 1864

'This game may be played by any number, each taking a letter as it comes to her turn. Any mistake or hesitation incurs the penalty of a forfeit. She that begins may say:

A. I love my love with an A because he is Artless. I hate him with and A because he is Avaricious. He took me to the sign of the Anchor, and treated me to Apples and Almonds. His name is Abraham, and he comes from Alnwick.

B. I love my love with a B because he is Brave. I hate him with a B because he is Boisterous. He took me to the sign of the Bell, and treated me to Biscuits and Buns. His name is Benjamin, and he comes from Buxton.

C. I love my love with a C because he is Candid. I hate him with a C because he is Capricious. He took me to the sign of the Crow, and treated me to Cherries and Custards. His name is Charles, and he comes from Cheltenham.

D. I love my love with a D because he is Diligent. I hate him with a D because he is Distainful. He took me to the sign of the Drum, and treated me to Damsons and Dough-nuts. His name is David, and he comes from Devizes.

E. I love my love with an E because he is Elegant. I hate him with an E because he is Envious. He took me to the sign of the Eagle, and treated me to Eels and Eggs. His name is Edward, and he comes from Exmouth.

F. I love my love with an F because he is Faithful. I hate him with an F because he is Foolish. He took me to the sign of the Fox, and treated me to Filberts and Figs. His name is Francis, and he comes from Farnham.

G. I love my love with a G because he is Generous. I hate him with a G because he is Graceless. He took me to the sign of the Grecian, and treated me to Grapes and Goosberries. His name is Gustavus, and he comes from Gosport.

H. I love my love with an H because he is Handsome. I hate him with an H because he is Haughty. He took me to the sign of the Hunter, and treated me to Ham and Hash. His name is Henry, and he comes from Harwich.

I. I love my love with an I because he is Ingenuous. I hate him with an I because he is Impertinent. He took me to the sign of the Indian, and treated me to Ice-cream and Isinglass-jelly. His name is Isaac, and he comes from Ireland.

J. I love my love with a J because he is Judicious. I hate him with a J because he is Jealous. He took me to the sign of the Judge, and treated me to Jelly and Jam. His name is James, and he comes from Jersey.

K. I love my love with a K because he is Kind. I hate him with a K because he is Knavish. He took me to the sign of the King, and treated me to Kail and Kid. His name is Kenneth, and he comes from Kent.

L. I love my love with an L because he is Liberal. I hate him with an L because he is Listless. He took me to the sign of the Lion, and treated me to Lobster and Lamb. His name is Lewis, and he comes from Llangollen.

M. I love my love with an M because he is Modest. I hate him with an M because he is Mischievous. He took me to the sign of the Mermaid, and treated me to Macaroons and Marmalade. His name is Martin, and he comes from Monmouth.

N. I love my love with an N because he is Neat. I hate him with an N because he is Noisy. He took me to the sign of the Nun, and treated me to Nuts and Nectarines. His name is Nathan, and he comes from Naseby.

O. I love my love with an O because he is Obliging. I hate him with an O because he is Officious. He took me to the sign of the Owl, and treated me to Oysters and Omelet. His name is Oliver, and he comes from Oxford.

P. I love my love with a P because he is Prudent. I hate him with a P because he is Petulant. He took me to the sign of the Peacock, and treated me to Peaches and Plums. His name is Peter, and he comes from Portsmouth.

Q. I love my love with a Q because he is Quiet. I hate him with a Q because he is Querulous. He took me to the sign of the Quinces, and treated me to Quinces and Queen-cake. His name is Quintin, and he comes from Queenborough.

R. I love my love with an R because he is Regular. I hate him with an R because he is Revengeful. He took me to the sign of the Rose, and treated me to Raisins and Rusk. His name is Richard, and he comes from Ramsgate.

S. I love my love with an S because he is Sensible. I hate him with an S because he is Scornful. He took me to the sign of the Swan, and treated me to Strawberries and Syllabub. His name is Simon, and he comes from Sandon.

T. I love my love with a T because he is Temperate. I hate him with a T because he is Treacherous. He took me to the sign of the Turk, and treated me to Truffles and Turtle. His name is Timothy, and he comes from Tenby.

U. I love my love with a U because he is Upright. I hate him with a U because he is Uncouth. He took me to the sign of the Union Jack, and treated me to Usquebaugh and Umbrina. His name is Ulric, and he comes from Ukraine.

V. I love my love with a V because he is Valiant. I hate him with a V because he is Vain. He took me to the sign of the Vine, and treated me to Venison and Veal. His name is Vivien, and he comes from Vauxhall.

W. I love my love with a W because he is Witty. I hate him with a W because he is Wild. He took me to the sign of the Waggon, and treated me to Water-melon and Walnuts. His name is William, and he comes from Worcester.

X. I love my love with an X because he is a Xylographer. I hate him with an X because he is a Xerophagian. He took me to the sign of the Xebec, and treated me to Xiphias-fish and Xeres wine. His name is Xavier, and he comes from Xalapa.

Y. I love my love with a Y because he is Yielding. I hate him with a Y because he Yodels. He took me to the sign of the Yeoman, and treated me to Yeast dumplings and Yarmouth bloaters. His name is Yusuf, and he comes from Yemen.

Z. I love my love with a Z because he is a Zoologist. I hate him with a Z because he is Zany-like. He took me to the sign of the Zephyr, and treated me to Zaag-fish and Zabucajo nuts. His name is Zeno, and he comes from Zante.'