The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-10-02
SOCIAL PASTIME-GAME OF TWENTY
QUESTIONS.

Whatever serves to make home cheerful, and draw
the social bonds closer, and render domestic plea
sures more attractive, can hardly be too highly
priced In this view we devote passing paragraph
10 an account OF pleasant, intellectual social and
instructive entertainment, called the " Game OF
Twenty Questions" When Rush was our Minister
at the Court of St james, he for the first time got an
inkling OF this game. He dned one day at the house
of Mr.. Panta, OF the Cabinet there were pre-
sent, Count Lieyen, the Russian Ambassador, Mr..
Secretary Canning, Mr.. Iiuskisson, Mr., Robinsout
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord G.. Bentick Lord
Granville, Lord Howard dc Walden, Mr.. Charles
Ellis, NJ. p and others We gain these items from
a published, but very narrowly circulated narrative
BY the American Ambassador himself The party
dined at -- Ten o'clock came, and one
seemed disposed TO rise from table Canning proposed
that Twenty Questions should be played The game
consists in one party mutually fixing upon OBJ
ect, which is TO be kept perdue by them--and
in The other finding out what the Objects by
asking twenty questions about il. The object is not
to be too abstract or secret-such as the company
would not probably be acquainted with-and the
questions put, not directly to what the object
is, but as to its qualities, attributes and crcumstau
ces connected with il. The following is account
of the game played by The personages whose names
we have given, from which readers will gain a
better idea than by any description. Mr.. Canning
and the Chancellor Of the Exchequer were TO inter
rogate-the American Minister and Lord Granville
to fix upon The object and answers--fUa Question,
by Mr.. Canning Does what you thought of belong
TO the animal or vegetable kingdom .ins,rer. 10
the vegetable. e. Is il manufactured or unmanu-
featured; "A. Manufactured. q IS it solid or Ii
quld; "A. Solid. GLOW could ii be liquid, said enc
of the company, silly, unless vegetable soupO q.
Is IT thing entire in itself, or in partI a. Entire
q Is it for public use n Yes. G. Does il exist
in England, out Of il a. Ia England. @ Is it single
there others of the same kind n. Single. q
Is it historical, or only existent at present; a.
Both, O. For ornament use n Both q
Has it any connection with the person Of the king
"A NJ IpIf
n. The former. q Does II pass 10y success. ion
Neither Lord Granville the Minister being quite
certain this point, the question not answered;
but the very doubt being supposed to throw some
light on the case ii agreed that the question
should be counted oge) Q-Was IT used 1.-THE Cor
ona,ion; .9-Yes Q-Wherc, in the Hall ~
the Abbey; a. Probably in both, certainly in Die
Hall q What is its shape (This question
objected TO- as too direct, and was withdrawn
Fifteen questions now asked, and the interest
had gone increasing, until each one OF the compa-
ny felt like looking at a race where the horses are
neck to neck. The remaining questions were now
asked, after manner similar 10 those have given,
until the whole twenty were exhausted. Mr.. Can
ming at the conclusion rolled his huge rich eyes about
and evidently under some doubt whether he had
got the thing BY the rule of the game, however, he
TO tell, and, if right, was the winneril not
the loser g think" said he it must be the uaad Of
the Lord High Stcard " lie was right; this wand was a
long white stick not much thicker than your middle hu
ger and, such taes with all the answers gwen II
may be well to say, that The questions and answers
are not put IN the rapid manner above given, but
have considerable intervals between some Of them,
,nliyened by the remarks and suggestions Of the com.
pany, and Of those asking the questions. The game
at the dinner lasted upwards Of an hour " Twenty
Questions" has many advantages social game
Ii be played by men, women, and childcu, oi all
and any classes Two three gathered together Of
an evening, at any quiet place, can take part IN It.
To such suppose II very easy, rather childish
recommend trial-and they will find il TO tax
their powers aud make a strong pull upon the intel
ect. Sometimes the object thought of may be Of on
historical character, either living dcad-Or an
event IN the past or present ages OF the world