Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-03-09
Chess.

What is chess? \ game of mind A contest between individual intellects of no mean power. It is evidently pastime of study and of mental strength and cultiva- tlon Before moralizing on the subject, however, 1t may be as we'll to say some thing about the origin and antiquity of game, which has been in vain traced back for some knowledge of its first invention, into the mist and darkness of unrecorded ages. According to several authors, some of whom evidently drew upon imagination for their facts, Chess was invented about 6S0 5. C., while others contend that 1t was unknown until the fifth century of the Christian era. The learned Hyde and Sir William Jones were of opinion that 1t ori ginated in India, and that it is of immense antiquity. One tradition states that 1t was devised by the minister of a certain great king, for the purpose of teaching him, in the most delicate and agreeable manner possible, that a monarch was powerless, unless protected by his subjects. And this, Tn fact, Is one of the great lessons taught by the game, which is played with sixteen pieces on each side, mdelicet-one king, one queen, two castles or 'rooks,' two bishops, (called by other names in the east, two knights, and eight common sol diers termed pawnS, When the king is check mated,' that is, placed in such si- tuation that he can neither be protected by his subjects, nor move without the liabili- ty of capture, the game Is won by his op- ponents. Of himself he possesses very little power-but oriental galantry has madethe queen the most potential and formi dable piece on the board Throughout all time, chess has been a favorite pastime with men of mind And why? Because it so far absorbs the faculties and directs them into one channel, that with prohci- ents, the outer world and it's cares are for the time forgotten, and each champion thinks, reasons, and even dreams of little else than defeating his antagonist at the chequered board. Then it is seldom, if ever, played for money, so that gambling at chess is altogether out of the question Generals and other great commanders have ever patronized the amusement, as the movements and combinations required for succers, bear strong affinity to the Strdte- gle of war; and indeed, may in some mea- sure be said to suggest plans of military enterprise, both for attack and defence.- Philosophers have resorted to chess, be- cause 1t has tendency to strengthen the reasoning power; and while divines, states men, and eminent lawyers have adopted 1t as an amusement for the same reason.- Thus we have chess anecdotes of Napoleon l, of Wellington, of Dr. Franklin, with many other notabiities of the present and last generations, while of the times pre- cedlng their day, the personal illustrations are innumerable. Of the absorbing pow CT of the game, a striking incident is re- lated in the annals of the sixteenth centu- ". Two nobles, Baron and a Duke, were imprisoned in Germany in the same fortress, for a rebellion against their liege lord, the Emperor The Duke was con demned to die, and the Governor of the fortress was despatched to him with the deoth acarrant on a certain evening" He found the Duke engaged in a game of chess with his friend the Baron. and no sooner did the victim perceive his iailer with sealed parchment in hand than he said, "Stop, Mir. Governor. | know you have my sentence. But don't interrupt me now, for l am sure to vanquish the Baron in three moves morel" And so he did, and then cooly said, |" Now tell me on which day l am to die.' The Governor read the fatal document, and reported the scene and dialogue to the Emperor, who was so affected with the presence of mind dis played, that he pardoned both Duke and Baron, who thereafter ranked among the most royal of imperial supporters. China and India produce extraordinary players. "Oriental Morphys,'' even to this day; but then they apply their mental discipline to nothing beyond their profession. They are chess players only. Instances of serious illness have often been produced by defeats at chess, and 1t Is more than probable that the indisposition of distinguished oppo- nent of Mir. Morphy, the great American hero of the recent '' tournament in Eu- rope, has been caused by his being van i quished. In conclusion, we may add that chess steadies the mind, soothes the pas slons, restraints the impulse of unbecoming haste, improves the reasoning faculties by positive action, promotes inductive philo- sophy in its relation between cause and eff feet, teaches foresight, circumspection, eau ton and self-reliance, occupies the tours of recreation in way that prevents their em- | ployment Tn frivolous amusements of dissi- patton, and in some measure indoctrinates its disciples with those truths and that in- tellectual practice of combined logic and the mathematics, taught in the highest classes of education. Therefore it is, that we hail the revival of chess as a favorable feature in our country, and as good omen for society at large.