The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-10-02
oOClAL PASTlME--GAME OF TWENTY
QUESTIONS

Whatever serves to make home cheerful, and draw
the social bonds closer, and render domestic plea
sures more attractive, hardly be too highly
priced In this view we devote a passing paragraph
TO 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 MIR. Panta, one Of the Cabinet there were pre-
sent, Count Lieven, the Russian Ambassador, MIR.
Secretary Canning, Mr.. Huskisson, Mr.. Robinson,
Chancellor Of the Exchequer, Lord G. Bentick Lord
Granville, Lord Howard de Walden, Mr.. Charles
Ellis, M. P and Others We gain these items frop,
published, but very narrowly circulated narrative
BY the American Ambassador himself The party
dined at Ten O'Clock came, and no one
seemed disposed to frop table Canning proposed
that Twenty Questions" should be played The game
consists in one party mutually fixing upon OBJ
ject, which is TO be kept perdue by them--and
in the other finding out what the object is by
asking twenty questions about it. The object is not
to be too abstract secret-such as the company
would not probably be acquainted wth---and the
questions put, not directly to what the object
is, but as to its qualities, attributes and circumstan
connected with it. The following is an account
of the game played by the personages whose names
we have gven from which readers will gain
better idea than by any description. Mr.. Canning
and the Chancellor Of the Exchequer to inter-
rogate--the American Minister and Lord Granville
to fix upon the object and answers-First Question,
by Mr. Canning Does what you thought of belong
to the animal or vegetable kingdom? .4nsaoeY. To
the vegetable. Q. Is it manufactured or unmanu-
factured' Il. Manufactured. g. Is it solid or Ii
quid? a. Solid. GLOW could it be liquid, said
of the company, silly, unless vegetable soup0 @.
Is it thing entire in ITSELF in part? a. Entire
Q Is it for public use' a. Yes. @. Does it exist
in England, or out Of A. In England. O. Is it SINGLE
there others Of the same kind A. Single. @.
Is it HISTORICAL only existent at presents a.
Both. G. For ornament or usei a Both. Q.
Has it any connection with the person of the king
4. No. @ Is it carried or does it support itseIf'
A. The former 9 Does it pass by succession
Neither Lord Granville or the Minister being quite
certain on this point the question not answered
but the very doubt being supposed TO throw some
light on the case, it was agreed that the question
should be counted one QmWas used at the Cor
the Abbey A. Probably in both, certainly in the
Hall @ What is its shape (Ths question was
objected to, as too direct, and was withdrawn -
Fifteen questions were now asked and the interest
had gone on increasing until each one Of the compa-
ny felt like looking at race where the horses
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 was evidently under some doubt whether he had
got the thing BY the rule of The game however, he
was now to tell, and il right the winner-f not
the loser " think said he, must be the rand of
the Lord High SLward." He right; this wand was a
long white stick not much thicker than your middle fin
ger and SUCH tallies with all the answers given 1t
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,
envened BY the remarks and suggestions of the CON-
pany, and Of those asking the questions. The game
at the dinner lasted upwards Of an hour. Twenty
Questions" has many advantages a social game
II can be played BY men, women, and children Of all
and any classes. Two or three gathered together Of
evening, at any quiet place, take part in it.
To such as suppose 1t very easy, or rather childish
we recommend a trial-and they will find it to tax
their powers, and make strong pull upon the intel
lect Sometimes the object thought of may be of an
historical character, either living or dead-or an
event in the past or present ages of the world