New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23
FAMOUS FRENCH BILLLIRD PA YERS.
From london TrUfh

Prom london Trtth.
I,Onis Quatorze delighted To honor billiard play
ers who could 90 on for any leugth of time making
CannOns against brilliant players, but who, at the
same time, proleSSed inability to beat the King.
Chamilart rose to be first Minister by suffering
himself to bc defeated each time he had the Grand
Monarch for an opponent. lt was IN the reign OK
Ludovico Magnus that billiards hrst rolled on green
baIze in France. His Majesty was gluttOnous
eater, and he wore high-heeled SHOES ana
bc-rbbOned garments, he could not trudge over
hill and dale gun in baud, in the shooting season.
lie rode IN a carriage when he followed stag hunt.
Heavy eating aud exercise to speak oi rritated
his peccant humOrs. Fagon did not dare to try
the effects of his medicines on so llustr0us per-
sonage, and was afraid to tell him 1isagreoable
truths. Ii would not have done for HIM to say
'Iou eat too much, sire, aud walk 100 httle:~ But
he had the ingenious idea TO hand nun a bllhafd-
cue, and to tell him that IL was " a lance OF Ach-
lilies, which would soon vanquish bile and spleen"
The King rsked pun on the occasion. " Ii what
am told" lac said be true, shall return to state
of nature and ne plus me separeT dc ma queue'"
He was IL man of his word On rising from
the table the first thing he dad was to seize hs hill
barbecue and play inteImInahle games with
Madame do MOnteSpan. Her eclipse was not so
much due to the art Ot her rival, Madame Scarron,
to her own want of tact IN allowing courtl'rs 10
Judge of her superiority over the King at the bill
mrd-tabc. His Majesty at hrSt Staked church ilY-
Ings, military grades civil functions against money!
Bat when he found that hls courtlers pre-
ferred rskng his dspeasure to losing their stakes,
he played for honor alono and gained easy victories:
In his old age LOUIS XIV. welded the lance or
Achilles against the Du Barry. The Nuncio used 20
ook on while the KING and his fayorltc played, and
was observed to blush at tho sayings OF the later
when she had lOstNttlcncc. Louis ANlll.lwas also
billiard-player until his obesity hndered bnu from
getting enough TO the table Ia be master of his
cue. Under tho Empire, pnblicans were encouraged
by Minis ors of the Interior to dcmocTatizo what
had been for nearly 200 years noisy game. BY its
noIsincss and the space the table and players occu-
pied, II prevented Villagers crow'ling into wine-
shops to talk politics. In old Court ,n lines,
French ladies were among tue best bliliafd
PLAYERS. | have seen, in an old curiosity
shop, staymaker's sgn-board, in which the
tradcswoman who hung 1t Oh claimed To make
corsets which did not hamper tho action OF tho
muscles in using the cue La belle Caram boleuse,D
or pretty Cannoneer," figuring on thu the board,
held IN her hand bc-ribboned cue, and hal her
hair dressed in the Du Barry style. Billiards arc
held in honor at the Elysee. Grevy's facility IN
calculating rcochets is phenomenal. aud ms hand
is def in striking bali at the exact point at winch
he wants to hit it. lie is one Of the rare men who
are iirst-rate players without having made billiards
q profession, or entirely devoted themselves to
them amusement. The owner of the Cafe de Ia
R6gence used to manmnvre to keep nam from tho
table there. because the length OF his breaks was
"a cause Of loss TO the house.