Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-16
OBSERVATIONS ON WHIST.
A Brief History of the Game-How Short
Whist Was First Played.

A Brief History of the Gamc-How Short
Whist Was First Played.
1t has taken centuries to form tho present
game Of whist The game first started, In all
probability, as early as the beginning OF the
Sixteenth century But the game OF those
days was as different from the game of today
as black is from white 1t was first known
as whisk The name trump also probably
came first from triumph, at least, all the evil
dence points that way.
1t was not. however, until the age Of Ed
mond Hoyle that the real game of whist can
have been said to be launched forth on the
world Hoyle was born in 1872, and is said
20 have been educated for the bar. York
shire has been called the county OF his birth,
but the present representative Of the York
shire Hoyles, who acquired estatS near Hall
fax, Mr.. Fretwell Hoyle, has taken great
pains over his genealogy, and has come 70
the conclusion tina. the Edmond Hoyle OF
whist celebrity was not in any way connected
with his family.
1t has been stated, again, that Hoyle was
registrar Of the prerogative court in Dublin
in 1y42, and that he held property there.
This, however, seems unlikely, though it Is
certain there was an Edmond Hoyle ap-
pointed to that post In that year, but our
Edmond Hoyle was then publishing and in
all probability living, in London He lived
afterwards undoubtedly in Queen square,
where he continued 10 write on games and TO
give lessons In whist. The name Edmond Tor
Edmund was common In both families OF
Hoyle In Yorkshire and In Ireland, 20 that
one Edmond might easily have been mistaken
for another. In 1879 our author first pub
lished his short Treatise on Whist" Il was
entered at Stationer's Hall Nov. IL, 1912, and
was signed by the author a. the sole proprie-
tor OF the copyright. No place Of publication
is named but one authority places It q. Bath.
It has been said that he received IS, coo for
his copyright, but this again seems unlikely,
for every copy, long after the first Issue, bore
his signature a. tho Proprietor Of the Treat
ise.n Hoyls's book brought forth a good
deal OF criticism, which took tbs shape Of
wit In some cases Here Is a piece Of verse
published shortly after the book was issued
which shows what some people Of those days
thought of the game:
Who would believe that man could here exist,
Who spent near half 81 age 10 studying whist
Grew gray with calculation labor hard,
AS IL Hes busioess conferred Ia q eArdf
That such thers H. le. me 70 saoSs appeal
Who With such liberal bands reward his zeal
Lot vhie be makes . scsezoe, and our peers
Deign 70 Turn school boys II their r,prr years
In iTo0 the Lawn Of the game were revised,
and after this date the revived hvs were
made part Of the standard HcylA. They
were called Eoyle's ia.I, and guided al wits.
co.e-ies FOR Io4 years They were then re-
vised by he Arlipgton and Portland clubs IN
lss4. and are now ID. standard in ali WIKI.
circles
Early in this century the points q the game
were altered frosn ten 20 Gre and calling
honors was abolished Cavsnflsh sayz that
IL Is doubtful wteths- this change wxs far
the better IL Its opinion long wh.E: ten up
is far finer game than short Whit 1--we up.
According 20 Clay, VITO ws coe Of tie finest
players IN his tine, and Il stsl . great an
thortty On the game, TIE alteration took pasos
under the following circumstances:
Some dirty or ssvsuty years. back, Lord
Peterborough. having one night lo<t . large
SUN Of rsooey, the frssn6s with whom hs
was playing propossd 20 make The game ETs
points, instead q Ten, IN order 20 give the
io~-r chance, q. O quicker Glase, II reoo7-
erinx his lonz TIE Few game was fouad 70
BE 80 lively, and uaoosy changed hands with
ssch inrsassd rapidiry, THAI them 1eu-.emsa
and their trieats, al of them Dsr-sb~rs u shs
lzading clubs Of The day, o0arssed 70 pay
&. Il became general In the cirss. th~ocs
rn introduced II private ho1ses, ;rATslsa
iaso tas country. went 70 Par;s x1s3 kAs sozx
s4ocs entirely r-per~sisd tie wkis- q E1ylss
day" Tex L-AszssS~