The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-10-08

In the +" Utopia " Raphael lythloday
Jumps tennis with "boules and cheese MS " leudo
and unlawful games ~ ana refuses 70 admit any one
Of the three a legitimate pastinc Tor the model
ctigcn; but hc would he bold rctormcr who would
offer 10 exclude lawn lcnnis from nineteenth century
Utopia Though hut q growth VI Yesterday All
innovations, II ~ said, are, "bclng tho bittl OF
tlmc, at nrs msshapen this procoriuus thug has
thtiycd like very lacks bntnstnlk and has shot NJ
aud developed branches which reach into all classes
In society aud struck out roots ~ long as ila top
growth into the heat Of tho people, Though thorc "
always a c0ug0niN soil IN England for any form NJ
tat sport, no game has cvct hoioro attained such
sudden aud universal popularity; aud u would no
dnco startling statistics II aomo curious Individual
wore to- inquire into tho number " thousands ot acres
which Ito to-day In England marked ont into lots OF
as foot by ~ foot. Tho gamO has developed mute
quickly Than a political complication, AMI though
stlli doubtless far from perfection II needs may
In soon In any championship tournament at Wimhlo-
don, combination NJ Hcicucc aud skin which hut fow
has by no means attained maturity H. shown Ivy the
frequent alterations which found necessary In the
measurements OF tho courts and unless another
change u shortly effected the universal
adoption VI the overland service bids fair to 50 re-
vplnluulzo tho game Us to mako II impossible fot
ladies' 10 play ut IT, AS VI Is there are two distinct
fOrWs Of the game, which arc rs different rs the
cricket of tho Australian team and the cricket that
was played with knobkcrrica and u sweet potato by
British Onicors In Afghnnislan. The lawn tonnls OF
q Wimbledon tournament bears the same relation TO
an ordinary garlen-Iaiy game as the battle OF the
Nile docs To a naval demonstration. And, as TIE
game grows older and Is developed Ia stlll higher
standard Of excellence, the process Of enforcement
can scarcely ial To continue anu Tue hchch lOEIOW
wider between tho two sports, TIL ladies' win have no
more recognized right To place In male ''sot
than they have to the smoking room, Aud this Is
wherein the greatest danger To tho game lies; for "
ladies forced ~ play only among themselves, the
game with them could not avoid becoming modified
and degenerate; while as an athletic exercise II was
side being elevated To the standard OF men, Its
other side would leyecd down to suit the weaker sex,
TIL II became fecblcr aud less energetic, and 50,
dnnly little preferable, perhaps, TO the scdontary
croQuct. Hut by this 1t would he robbed Of more than
halt It's virtue.
For lawn tennis has a mission to society, and an end
to perform. Ana 1t Is not merely for Its popuaryas
an amusement or Us an Index to temper OF the times
that the game s worthy NJ consideration. Mr.Sainuel
pcpys tells that the conclusion OF the game which
he witnessed when the King aud Sir Arthur Slingsby
defeated my Lnrdo vt Suiiolke and my I.orde Chester
Held to the tune Of three sets To two steelyard
brought 10 his Majesty In the court and his royal
weight taken, with the result that lie was found
IL have lost four and half pounds during tho game
u would ho vain now To inquire closely Into the
legality of the abstraction OF four and hair pounds Of
royalty, and II would he nice question which Of the
noble opponents was responsible for the Shylock-
larceny: 1t VIII suice to note the fact that the Merry
Monarch valued tennis means TO the preservation
OF health, well as for the merrment dervable from
It, Ana this is wherein the true value Of lawn tennis
to-day conssts.-PdN MIH gazette.