The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-03-22
A LOST ART REVIVED.
Ability Of Women to Play Whist
Young Men Should Learn the


Young Men Should Learn the
Game.
The fact that whist not only has
an able monthly publication Of its
own, but that many OF our leading
journals have a weekly column de-
voted to the subject evidences an in
creasing interest in what has been
Justly styled "the finest of all seden-
tary games"
This interest seems to be the fore
runner Of genuine revival Of a good
olden.time social amusement, which
has stood the test OF more than a
century, but which for many Of these
later years has been relegated al
most exclusively to the male sex aud
to- the clubs. To ladies, especially
those of society, it had become one
of the lost arts.
But change is being effected and
woman is again asserting her claim
to recognition in the one great social
and intellectual game which places
her on au equality with man in the
domain of mind and mental capacity.
Whether this present increasing
interest in whist is attributable to
the fact that the sex are just now en-
croaching upon so many of the fields
Of thought and labor which has
been considered exclusively mascu-
line, or whether they have cause to
feel and know that women have lost
much Of the sovereignty over men
once held by them, when men adj
mired women for intellectual attain
ments as well as for beauty and ac-
complishments, and have come to
the knowledge that what has been
lost may be regained by them.
Whether for these reasons or for
others which they care not to reveal,
! we are forced to leave the question
to the speculative philosopher Of
social science.
But this we certainly do know,
that while the Fictitious accomplish
ments of women may secure for
them collectively the passing admi-
ration OF men, together with the
customary amount OF nattery, yet
the qualities which man, the indivi.
dual, most admires in the woman of
his choice is her understanding aud
her ability to discern what is true.
II, then, she can place herself in
such social aud companionable re-.
lationship with man, even though
he be- her husband, as to gain and
hold his respect for her mental at
tainments, she has laid the surest
foundation for his permanent re-
gard, respect and esteem. Now pre-.
cisely in this most favorable attitude
does this intellectual and ennobling
game Of whist place woman with res
pect to man, her partner in the
game, whether for an evening or for
life.
The analogy Of whist in its mental,
moral and social relations to the
conditions OF ordinary life are felici-
tously pointed out by DR.. Pole IN his
introduction, perusal Of which we
would commend.
One OF our greatest whist author.
ities-Fisher Ames. him
self as follows in regard to the apti.
tude and capacity OF women rs whist
players:
at used to he the fashion to snee,
aud make fun OF lady whist players
and many comical articles have ap.
peared, purporting to give their ran
dom and careless chatter during the
progress Of the game. When ladies
play merely to help pass the time, OF
as part OF purely social function
il is natural enough that they should
care very little about the game and
u good deal about being enterta aiming
and agreeable. The game OF wits,
may be termed an amusing science
or a scientific amusement. That
ladies cannot play il we'll is an ali
surd proposition which was long
since disproved. They not only can
but do play we'll, many OF them re-
markably we'll. In fact, il is a gam,
in which the quickness OF observa
ton which is rat her characteristic 81
the feminine mind is a great natura
advantage. The education OF womer
in the game is usually very different
from that OF men. The former ar,
quite apt to take il up as a regu
lar study, reading carefully tn,
authorities and working hare
to master the rules. Their chic
difficulty is in obtaining prac
tice enough, and their principa
fault, il they have one, is IN think
ing too much about the rules ant
too little about the fall Of the cards
A mans education in whist is gen
orally very different. He takes 4
: hand, in the first place, without
knowing anything about the game
and by course Of blowing up from
his partner and ridicule from hi
opponent, he gradually gets an idei
! Of its meaning. As he advances, /
he wishes to be-, aud IL, in fact, h,
does become a good player, he gives
some time and attention to tn,
books, the more the better, to illus
trate his experience, settle doubtful
points and finish his knowledge o
the principles. He begins at tn,
practical end, finishing with tn,
theory, while the lady player gen
orally begins with the theory, hut il
unfortunately too apt to lack sufii
cient opportunities for the practica
part, Where lady OF good intelli
gence has both these helps she i
apt to make as good player as
man"
1t is even now becoming apparent