That, even in Europe, the game may boast considerable antiquity, is proved by the existence of a book written by Dacciesole, a Dominican friar, so early, according to Hyde, as 1200. This book is the same as that translated by Caxton, from an edition published about the year 1460, in French, and now so rare; it having been amongst the first, if not the very first work printed by him on the introduction of the art into this country. The next in date, it having been published in the year 1512, is that by Damiano, a Portuguese, whose work was originally written in Spanish and Italian; it consists of the openings of the games, known by players as "the Giuoco Piano," and "the Queens pawn two;" and, although nearly four hundred years old, is considered a guide to the best play of that particular opening, and is the root from which the variations of the anonymous Modenese, Lolli, Dal Rio, &c., have been made to spring. The characters of his pieces in the Diagrams, containing "Ends of Games," or Problems difficult of solution, which conclude the volume, are so singular and obsolete in form as scarcely to be intelligible without the text; it is proper, however, to observe that these positions are from a still earlier work, by Lucena, printed at Salamanca, about the year 1495, which work is exceedingly scarce, and contains other positions than those given by Damiano; and it may not improbably be surmised that even Lucena had taken his positions from those by Vicent, published in the Catalan language, of a date, it is conjectured, somewhat earlier still.

A knowledge of the forms and names of pieces, as given in the above work, by Dacciesole, six hundred years ago, may not be uninteresting here. The king and queen alone possess the characters of our pieces; his alfin, or bishop, is a lawyer, seated with a book outspread on his knees; and the distinction is drawn, that he on the white is of civil, and he of the black of criminal law. The knights are on horseback, in full armour. The rooks are men on horseback, but unarmed. The king's rook's pawn is a husbandman, with billhook in hand, and a pruning knife in his girdle. The knight's pawn is a smith, with hammer and trowel. His bishop's pawn is armed with a pair of shears and a knife, with an ink-horn at his buttonhole, and a pen behind his ear. His own pawn is known by a wand-measure and

scale, and by a purse of gold. His queen's pawn is seated with a book in one hand, and a phial in the other, his girdle being furnished with divers surgical instruments. His queen's bishop's pawn bears in one hand a glass of wine, in the other a loaf, and at his girdle is suspended a bunch of keys. His queen's knight's pawn carries keys and compasses, and an open purse. And the queen's rook's pawn, with dishevelled hair, and in rags, displays four dice in one hand, and a crust of bread in the other; a bag being suspended from his shoulder. All which, Caxton, in his translation, has thus pithily defined :

Labourers, and tilinge of the erthe.

mythes, and other werkes in gron and metals.

Brapers and m kers of cloth, end notaries.

Marchaunts and chaungers.

Phisicpens and cirurgiens and apote= caries.

Taberners and hos ́elers.

Gardes of the cities. and tollers, and customers.

Kibaulds, players at dyse, aud the messagers.

It would, however, appear that the chess-boards of former times were on a much more extended scale than those of our era. Mention is made, by Twiss, of the remains of a set of pieces belonging to Charlemagne, in the eighth century, which he had seen at St. Denys; of these fifteen of the pieces, and one pawn only, were remaining, the latter six inches in height, representing a dwarf; but, of the former, excepting only the king, who was on a throne eight inches square at its base, and stood a foot high, he professes himself incapable of giving any description. It does not appear that any one has seen these pieces since his time, so that, probably, they have been lost or destroyed amidst the convulsions of the latter part of the last century. Those used by prince Eugene, and seen by Philidor, at Rotterdam, were three inches in height, and of solid silver, chased, no ways differing in color, but represented in the costumes of the European and Asiatic soldiery. A splendid set, even as works of art, were also in the possession of the celebrated Van der Werf, who had himself carved them, in box and ebony; and they are said to have supplied him with the occupation of his entire leisure during eighteen years. They were all busts, carved on pedestals; the kings with lions' skins

thrown over their shoulders, the paws crossing in front; the bishops with fools' caps and bells; the knights were horses' heads with flowing manes; and the pawns, eight whites, and eight negroes, of various expressions and ages. But, perhaps, the most splendid set on record was the one brought to this country for the purpose of sale, some years since; they were all of the purest red and white cornelian ;-but the price demanded was so large, that it is not believed that they met with any purchaser here: indeed, however fitted for the cabinet, or the boudoir, as ornaments or accessaries, chessmen so splendid can be of little use to the real player; and it has been generally observed of those who had expended considerable sums in the purchase of such, that, after the novelty had worn off, they have reverted with satisfaction, for all practical purposes, to their old, substantial, black and white, wooden ones.

Various attempts have been made by the learned-amongst whom Sir William Jones, and the late Mr. Christie, are most conspicuous--to assimilate the names of our pieces with those used in the east, without, however, much success. Caprice may, perhaps, have influenced the christening them, as much as intention; and it can matter very little, so long as their powers are universally retained. Connected with this subject, however, it does appear a little singular that the sober and religious English should have named the fou the fool, or madman-a bishop; whilst they have preserved the names of the king, the queen, the knight, and the foot-soldier, or pawn. To reconcile some apparent absurdities in this nomenclature, a small tract appeared some thirty years since, acknowledged, it is understood, by the painstaking player known as the anonymous editor of Philidor,-proposing to substitute for the queen, minister; for the pawn, commoner, &c., &c.; and to entitle the operation called "castling," "closeting," &c. This proposal, however, like all others that have been ostensibly made for varying the game, or its terms, from established usages, met with no encouragement; and now, like the same gentleman's" scale of powers," is only referred to for the purpose of a passing smile. It does not appear that, until the commencement of the last century, any considerable skill in the game was cultivated in England, whilst, amongst the Italians, its refinements had been most elaborately analysed, and its professors were establish

ing to themselves a fame which the skil! of players of a more recent date has in vain attempted to rival. In confirmation of this fact, the best players of the present century have done little more to elucidate the game than to give translations, occasionally, from the most esteemed amongst them. In this way have appeared, in an English dress, the works of Damiano, Salvio, Gianutio, Ruy Lopez, &c. &c., by Sarratt; and since, the very accurate and valuable translations by Lewis, of Greco, Carrera, &c., &c.; and that by Bingham, of Dal Rio, the most instructive, perhaps, of all; though it were certainly to be wished that it had been edited by a more experienced player. Up to the time of the appearance of these translations, the only standard work on the game, in England, was that by Philidor; but, treating on little more than one opening, he may perhaps be said to have fettered, rather than expanded, the genius of the English student, inasmuch as, professing as it does to be an analysis of the game, players were led to imagine all openings not recognized by him as bad play; and thus some of the most instructive, if by chance they occurred, were neglected or despised. Still, however, the knowledge was scattered over many volumes; a great portion of it was also much too refined for the mere student and a work that should convey just as much of instruction as he would be able to appreciate, has always been a desideratum. Players in this country will therefore have seen, with much satisfaction, the first portion of a work by Mr. Lewis,-to whose perseverance the game already owes so much, - which is intended to contain every information requisite for the perfect development of the pieces in all the usual openings. This work is preceded by a a few apt, but general, rules of great value; and, in the illustration of "the Bishops close game," the Kings Knight's Game," "the Queen's Bishops pawns game," and of "the Kings Gambit," so far as in the three first parts it has gone, leaves nothing to be desired.

:

Whilst it may be, however, doubted, whether the best players of late years have not been found in France, the question is one of comparative individual strength, that has never been tried; in number, the French certainly exceed us, and so, perhaps, of the generation that has passed away; for, without naming Philidor, in whose constitution the faux brillant appears to have been at least as evident as

the profound, the names of the marquis de Grosminy, the chevalier de Feron, the chevalier du Son, Verdon, and de Lagalle, amongst the players of the last century, and Du Bourblanc, Le Preton, and La Bourdonnaye, of this, are a host, against which we have only to oppose Sarratt, and Lewis, beyond dispute the two ablest players that England has produced. Notwithstanding, the game is perhaps played more generally by the Germans, than in either of the nations to which we have referred, eminently suited as it is to their peculiar temperament-wary, profound, cautious, and persevering-and, accordingly, that country has produced many fine players.

A singular instance of the estimation in which it has been heretofore held by them occurs in a work written by Silberschmidt, entitled "Chess Secrets," and referred to by Dr. Netto, in one lately published by him; by which it appears that a certain dignitary of the church of Halberstadt, in Prussia, had been, for some offence, banished from that city to the village of Stræbeck, when, for the amusement and occupation of his leisure, he took some pains to instruct the natives in the game of chess; finding apt scholars, and gratified with the opportunity of "improving their manners and morals,” he took much pains to render them creditable players, and, subsequently, when, after his recal, he became bishop of Halberstadt, he conferred certain municipal privileges on the village of his banishment, of which, according to another writer, they were to be deprived, if beaten at chess; but, in addition, he bestowed a more valuable benefit in the erection and endowment of a free-school, which still exists,and inwhich the game must be taught. The fame of their skill attracted thither, in the year 1651, Frederick William, of Brandenburg, who, in return for the amusement they had afforded him, and in token of the estimation in which he held their play, presented to them a magnificent carved chess-board, having on its obverse a table for the game of the "Courier," together with two sets of chessmen, the one of ivory, but the other of silver,-one half of the latter being gilt, by way of distinction this set, however, it is supposed, the churchmen of Halberstadt considered too valuable for a paltry village, accordingly, they were borrowed by them, and never returned. The necessity of protecting themselves from the

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impertinences of strangers, induces the inhabitants to decline playing, unless for money, and, accordingly, many persons have lost to them. It appears, however, that they have not been always equally fortunate; for, on a certain occasion, a friend of Silberschmidt, one N. N., indulging the knight errantry of a true chess-player, challenged their provost, and best players, and, after a contest of considerable duration, at the sign of the Chess-board and Marble, came off victorious. Now, it was natural that the aforesaid N. N. should be desirous of carrying off some trophy, and he therefore applied for a certificate; it was given, stating simply the fact; and, alas, to confess," such is the term, that N. N. had carried off the victory." This important document was signed and sealed with the corporation seal: but no sooner had he obtained it than, probably in alarm for their privileges, they were desirous of withdrawing it, and no intreaties were at first spared to recover possession of it. Fnding these of no avail, they offered money, increasing their estimate of its value, until, had he been so disposed, he might have realized to very considerable advantage. N. N., however, valued his honor too highly, and, not content with inflexibly bearing his certificate away, he has rather ungallantly published it to the world-" alas," to the utter discomfiture of the men of Stræbeck.

Meanwhile, the various works on art and science, the encyclopædias, &c., pro fessing to give instruction, and to contain knowledge on all matters within the circle of human attainment, contained no refet ence to the abundant works in Italian. German, &c., from which real information on the game of chess might have been acquired; but, contenting themselves with an elaborate rifacimento of Dr. Hydc's researches, and the addition of a few bald anecdotes from the French Encyclopédistes, they contrived to cover a certain portion of space, without affording, to such as might consult them, one sentence of real instruction or useful knowledge.

It has been a question amongst players how far the capacity for conducting a game without seeing the board-the moves of the pieces being indicated by a third personshould be admitted as evidenceof a superior, or first rate talent for the game Without affecting to decide that question, it is not to be doubted that players of a very inferior grade have frequently excelled in this particular exhibition of memorial tenacity,

whilst it is on record that many ancient players, Salvo, Paolo Boi, Zerone, Medrano, Ruy Lopez, &c. &c., notoriously first rate in their day, played under such restrictions up to within nearly a pawn of their strength; that Sacchieri could play equally well four games atte although Philidor's vanity led hin. onk the talent so highly, that, in his ostentatious notice of some of the games played by him, at Parsloes, &c., against three adversaries at a time, he prefaces it by an apology for a statement which he professes to give "lest posterity should not credit the possibility of the fact." Philidor probably did not, any more than other great men, calculate on the much slandered "march of intellect," or that it would take chess in its course. He either did not know, or never supposed that posterity would the works on the game then confined to the libraries of the curious. He was mistaken. The effect has been that an increased love for the game has spread over the country-that clubs have been formed that coffee houses and divans have been opened for the game-that hundreds play at it where it was scarcely possible, a few years since, to find an adversary, and that a liberal education can hardly be said to be complete without a knowledge of this "science" according to Leibnitz,-but, certainly, this most interesting and scientific of all games. March, 1831.

R. B.

ANTIQUITY OF CHESS-ORIGIN OF THE QUEEN.

[For the Year Book.]

There are, perhaps, as many countries which lay claim to the honor of the invention of chess, as there were cities which contended for the birth of Homer. I shall briefly enumerate a few of the numerous inventors of this most rational amusement, and then offer, with all due submission, a mere conjecture of my own.

(1.) Strutt (in his celebrated work, which has been lately edited by a particular friend to science, and to myself,) informs us that John de Vigney assigned the invention to a Babylonian philosopher -Xerxes-in the reign of evil Merodach, whose object it was "to eclaim a wicked king," &c. Strutt agrees that "it made its first appearance in Asia."

(2.) Seneca attributes the origin of the game to Chilo, the Spartan, one of the seven sages of Greece.

(3.) Sir William Jones has left us a poem entitled "Caissa," the first idea of which was taken from Vida," in which (says he) the invention of chess is practically ascribed to Mars, though it is certain that the gar e was originally brought from India."

(4.) Gibbon, treating upon the learning and wisdom of the Brahmins, continues, "To admonish kings that they are strong only in the strength of their subjects, the same Indians invented the game of chess, which was likewise introduced into Persia under the reign of Nushirvan." (5.) Chaucer tells us it was

"Athalus that made the game First of the chess, so was his name."And Cornelius Agrippa informs us that Attalus, king of Asia, is said to be the inventor of games of chance.

(6) Peter Texiras is certain it is of Persian origin, inasmuch as the name of every piece is derived from that language.

(7.) Kennett agrees with those who attribute the invention to Palamedes, prince of Euboea, during the siege of Troy, -an excellent time for becoming a proficient in the game!

(8.) Others will give the merit to Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, who is said to have devised the pastime to divert his idle army; to whom (I imagine) Burton alludes when he tells us that the game was "invented, some say, by the generall of an army in a famine, to keep souldiers from mutiny." He gives Bellonius as his authority.

(9.) The Arabians claim the honor for their countryman, Sissa, or Sida. And

(10.) A manuscript in the Harleian Collection pronounces Ulysses to be the inventor. In fact, so many were the competitors for the honor of the discovery, that Herodotus considered it worthy of record, that the Lydians did not lay claim to the merit of the invention f chess.

Among such a host of contending evidence it is impossible for us to decide the question: but we may fairly offer any conjecture which is founded upon the internal testimony of the game itself. I shall, at any rate, assume the permission of so doing. We must observe in the machinery of the game, that, strangely inconsistent with our ideas of propriety and probability, "the queen" is the chief character in the contest. She is not merely the soft excitement of the war,-the Helen for whom mighty monarchs will fight and fall; she is not the nigh

minded instigator of hostility, who bids her king go forth with her blessing to the battle: no, she is the active, undaunted, indefatigable leader of the army,-herself a host!

This occupation is, certainly, as inconsistent with the character of an Asiatic princess of the days of yore as with that of a modern belle; for all history informs us that the eastern queen was no more than the humble slave, and inanimate amusement, of her royal spouse. There is but one oriental lady in the pages of ancient annals who acted the part of the queen of chess,-who fought, and who conquered, and that lady is Semiramis. To her reign, therefore, do I attribute the invention of chess. It is indisputably of Asiatic origin, and of very great antiquity. The earliest writer upon the subject who appears to have given it any serious consideration places its birth (as we have seen above) in Babylon: and, moreover, the institution of the game would, at that particular period, have been not only probable in appearance, but politic in practice. It would have been, during that reign, not only a pleasant amusement, but a piece of most delicate flattery to the royal heroism; it would then have been an entertaining method of teaching her idle subjects that their empress was their lord and their leader,-the gainer of their glory, the palladium of their prosperity. I can discover no other way of explaining the extraordinary regulations of the game.

The objects, which have been assigned as contemplated by the inventors of chess, appear to me most unsatisfactory. "It was constructed (says one party) for the purpose of teaching a king humility: to show him he is supported solely by the exertions of his subjects." This is true; but it also instructs him that at the king's downfall the whole nation must perish; and it does any thing but teach him to submit to restraint, when it proves that the commonweal must be ruined when even the king is check'd on all sides. "It was invented (says another exposition) to withdraw the attention of the hungry from the contemplation of their hunger." But starvation has a voice, which, like every other ventriloquism, can be heard both far and near! Montaigne thought so lightly of the interest of the game, that he writes, "I hate and avoid it, because it is not play enough:" and as to the "moral" of the amusement, he declares

that it produces all the malevolent passions," and a vehement desire of getting the better in a concern, wherein it were more excusable to be ambitious of being overcome." Burton pronounces it to be "a testy, cholerick game, and very offensive to him that loseth the mate." The wife of Ferrand, count of Flanders, allowed her husband to remain in prison, when she could easily have procured his liberation, in consequence of their mutual hatred produced by chess-playing! And history gives us many other instances of the vindictive feeling which this "moral" pastime generates. Pliny informs us that Numidia Quadratilla used always to send her grandson out of the room when "she used to relax her mind with a game of chess."-And Ovid instructs the lover to be especially particular in allowing his lady-love to win the game: the triumph of his skill might cost him the heart of his indignant antagonist.

It will, probably, be objected to my humble conjecture," that the queen used not to be the leading piece upon the board; that the ancient name for that piece was fers," or 66 ferce," which, Hyde says, is obviously derived from the Persian "phez," or "pherzan," a general, or chief counsellor,-a title by which that piece was distinguished in the east and that must be the original name of the piece, because all the terms of the game were derived from the Persian To this, I shall briefly reply that I doubt the derivation from such a source: and, secondly, that the piece we call the " queen" has been supposed to be a female, as long as the game has been known in Europe.

First. It is asserted that the same terms in the game are used by all the world, and that those terms are of Persian origin: for instance "check-mate," which is derived from "shâk-mât,"—" the king is conquered." To this I must reply, that the French never used that term: their expression-indicative of the politeness of the nation-was 66 ave," "hail," to the king,-a Latin salutation; and the idea of deriving “check" from "shak" is too ridiculous to require further comment. In the oldest MSS. quoted by Strutt, the names of the men are as English as they are now. The bishop is called "the archer;" the castle is termed "rook," or "roc;" and if, indeed, "roc" be a Persian word, signifying (properly) a rock, I think we have a word very much like it in our own language.