The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-29
PAUL MORPHY.

"Reminiscences OF His Great Triumphs.
Paul Morphy, the once celebrated chess
player, is successfully practicing the law in
his native city, New Orleans. The Boston
Globe recalls some Of bis triumphs, when, ten
or dozen years ago, he was noted as the
abest chess-player in the world"
At the time to which We refer. when he won
;,is victories over such famous players as
Anderson, Owen, Hsrrwitz, Mongredier and
many others, Morphy was no. yet twenty-on
wears OF age, and as we then remember him.
Re added so extraordinary degree OF modesty
70 his demeanor in all OF his triumphs as to
challenge universal admiration. Many OF our
citizen will easily recall his youthful but quiet
manner and appearance when ne was court
ed guest in this city in 1853, II our memory
serve US correctly. In England young Morphy
was received with disting guished marks OF con-
sidera,ion by the best people, while the press
accorded him unstlnted praise for his peculiar
genius, gentlemanly bearing and courteous
manner, The remark Of o famous player at
the London clubs OF that date is still fresh in
our memory: "This young gentleman from
America said the famous chess champion,
sis the only person to whom could ever ac-
cord victory without sense OF anger in hay
ing been beaten at my fayorlte game" But it
was reserved for the enthusiastic French to
give unboupded praise and expression Of ad'
miration to the modest young American. The
Cafe de la Regence, the famous resort Of The
Partisan chess-players, ten years ago, was
daily and nightly thronged to witness his
games, and the papers of the day we're filled
with the details # his encounters with noted
men from all parts of the Continent, drawn to
Paris solely from curiosity to witness his mar
yellous performances. 1t was in che Cafe de
la Regence that Morphy performed one OF the
most wonderful feats on record, that OF playing
eight games, blindfolded, at the same time ]
The audience at the opera rose to receive him
on his enterance to the theatre, and he was feted
By dukes and applauded by men of genius.
The famous sculptor Lequesne executed his
bust in marble, and at grand banquet given
in his honor, tho veteran chess-player, st.
Amant, crowned the bust with laurels amid the
most deafening plaudIts of the whole company.
We might recall many such scenes. Through
all of this most hsttering experience, young
Morphy bore himself with the same quiet I'M
assuming and modest demeanor which won for
kim At the outset hosts of friends wherever he
appeared. Thus he came home bearing honors
rarely bestowed upon one 30 young, and which
we believe were most justly accorded. Many
OF our readers will recall the banquet given to
him in this city, whereat such representative
men as Everett, Longfelow, Holmes, Sparks,
Lowell and Agassiz assisted. ALI this must
now seem very much like dream to the in-
dustrious New Orleans lawyer. We were e1-
ercised at the time by sense VI pride IN the
career of the young champion, ana the reallza
tion that America has produced the pest chess
player in the world, tor no living man woul6 pre-
tend at that time to stand as master Oh ths
game before Paul Morphy.