, 1873-03-02
PAUL MORPHY.
The Chess-Cha11pion Of the
World.
In Interview with f[inl---E!is Career
and Character.

An 1uttTslCH With i1tA"exIo Ne23tSI
and Character.
IT Paul Morphy, sc Rue Dauphine, Now Or
yesns. is not forgotten it has not been his fault.
n he is, it shall not be mine. For fifteen years
Ia hiss lived life OF obstinate obscurity. he
has scarcely appeared in public. He has avoided
his friends, until they ha7e, with less than q
dozen exceptions, disappeared into acquaint-
ances His name, oven, is never seen in the
annual city-dirccto1ics. Two publications OF his
death have pleased him moro than al Of his e1-
ploits.
It WAS not deemed worth New York newBpa-
pe1 item when Paul Morpay sailed for Europe,
slthough he had won 97 out OF 100 games OF
chess against the strongest players in the
United States. The Southern youth went
unhe1a1ded and unnoticed, save by the few
farewel1s Of his friends, and flying rumors
unknown to Paul Morphy, Gentloman,) Of
unlimited amountn staked by fow audacious
sporting men on tho continuance Of his SUCCESS
abroad. But, when it was demonstrated TINT
every one must so down before him; that the
best chess talent Of the Old World avoided him
after the hrst meeting that his superiority left
no breath in competitor, and not one series of
games was finished; that, whoever sat against
themysterious object OF our then boyish admira-
ton, his victory WIS inevitable, then it WAS
plain to all on this side Of the water that genius
has no favorite habitut.
How marvellous wero his after games, when
in the very willfulness OF power, he began those
hithe1to-unheard-of toutnamerts single-handed
agninst two. b1indfo1d against three, then blind
fold against whc1e clubs, in London, in Birming-
ham, in Edinburgh, in Paris, against
the most renowned and accomplished talent Of
the Old World! He had one companion, and
one nation's victory was more than complete,
when, at the final protracted tournament, the
men Of traditional power yielded not only the
first place to Morphy, Of Louisiana, but tho Sac
ond to Paulsen, Of Iowa.
Then, even those who knew nothing Of chess
felt somehow that great victory had been won,
in q field whence competition had hitherto
ehrank, and the enthusiasm with which tho
young Morphy was returned to his New Orleans
home Was long ti1no in subsiding.
PAUL MonrHY AT noazE.
Thirty-six Rue Danph1nc is simple, two
story, brick structure, fanked by storehouses.
The court into which the little street-door opens,
paved With broad. moss embroidered flag
stones, is perfumed With q fine fragrance
from parterres of fower-beds, over
hung by oranSe-trees and uaagnolias. 4 fight
OF low stairs le.ds up to the dwelling-rooms. I
had never seen Paul Morphy, but knew him
the moment he stood quietly before me, simply
dressed, slight, smooth md melancholy
with q head and brow oyerhanging with their
own weight So full OF dignity, SO empty Of
self-consciouaness, WAS his presence, that was
almost prepared by it for the quick answer he
r. 1,,.A
nrcrse to rotoriety. But the passion OF the
Creole eyos orerspoko the tutored voice ut . re-
mark made about the contrast between what
he said and what he had done. by imperfect
French ndded to the embarrassment OF the mo-
ment, md his thin self-control gave way to one
of those sudden paro1ygms of passion to which
I have since learned he is constantly subject.
Happily, the coming Of his mother soon divested
him of the strange suspicion that thought him
to be professional gambler; and, afterwards,
friend, and the best public player to-day in New
Orleans, all Of these misunderstanding we're
removed. ehal1 long hold In pleasant re-
nembrance that brilliant circle, among whom
were Morphy. Maurian, James M'ConnelI, E. A.
Halsey, P. N. Strong, md Durant LaPonte,-
names Of note among all chcss-circles-
CA1ADdOOO AM 41pE4dA
Paul MoTphy comes from q chess-family. His
father, Alonzo Morphy, Judge of the Supreme
Court Of Louisiana, was caess-p1ayer OF great
reputation; and his uncle, Ernest Morphy, long
Was the strongest player in the South. His
mother is better known IS q composer OF music,
under her maiden namo Of LIE Carpenter.
He was born in New Orloane, and will
be s6 years old On the ed day Of June. He has
1ro{A {AaAT af nar..
chant and two sisters Mrs. syDrandt, ut present
in Paris, and Helena, at homo, unmarried
Both his parents are Roman Catholics. He
does not observe the duties Of any church.
1t must be remembered that New Orleans, at
the time OF which speak, gave to the game Of
chess the only public prominence ii received in
this country. It Was exclusively the game OF
Morphy's childhood, and, when he WAS but
years OF age, his skil1 WAS the wonder Of tho
fa1nily-acquaintance. 1t 10, he had local rep
utstion which gained frequent public mention.
His parents tried to wean him from 80 absorb
ing passion; but, when the miniature board
which accompanied him to his meals was taken
away, he would be found, after being missed for
hours, perched in the outhouse rude diagram
sketched on the waste-paper, with chips for men,
studying ont some new combination His play
ut this time was characterized by q recklessuess
only brilliant because successful. He would
throw away his pawns for nothing, the sooner
to bring his ARTILLERY" as he called it, into the
field. And though, in after years, he abandoned
such perilous generosity, yet he vas always
making some startling sacrifice, which, in the
end, showed almost preternaturl insight into
the lair where lay SUCCESS. At the age of 49,. he
beat in two straight games the famous Hun
garian, Loewenthal. Afterws1d, he was sent to
spring-H Hill College, near Mobile, and soon be-
came, BY long distance, the foremost student
In the school He took the degree Of A. B., and
followed it with that OF II. 4. In this course,