White to Move, and Mate in four Moves.

The solutions to the problems are given at page 41, but the learner ought to try to discover them, especially the easy ones requiring only two or three moves.

"THE WHIRLPOOL."-This is an astounding problem, as check-mate is forced on the black player through all the varieties and combinations which the position is capable of, through ten moves.

MORALS OF CHESS.

BY DR. FRANKLIN,

PLAYING at chess is the most ancient and universal game known among men; for its original is beyond the memory of history, and it has, for numberless ages, been the amusement of all the civilised nations of Asia, the Persians, the Indians, and the Chinese. Europe has had it above a thousand years; the Spaniards have spread it over their part of America, and it begins to make its appearance in these States.* It is so interesting in itself, as not to need the view of gain to induce engaging in it; and hence it is never played for money. Those, therefore, who have leisure for such diversions cannot find one that is more innocent; and the following piece, written with a view to correct (among a few young friends) some little improprieties in the practice of it, shows, at the same time, that it may, in its effects on the mind, be not merely innocent, but advantageous to the vanquished as well as the victor.

The game of chess is not merely an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it, so as to become habits, ready on all occasions. For life is a kind of chess, in which we have points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effects of prudence or the want of it. By playing at chess, then, we learn

I. Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, considers the consequences that may attend an action; for it is continually occurring to the player, "If I move this piece, what will be the advantage of my new situation? What use can my adversary make of it to annoy me?

* The United States of America. What would Dr. Franklin say now? Not that it begins to make its appearance"-Paul Morphy, the wonderful chess genius, being an American.