The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-12
pia,iur Ones Lite Away,

William SteinitZ who has won fame as
a chess expert. is said to be insane. the
immediate cause Of his arrangement be-
ing the refusal Of a book on chess which
he had written and wished 10 publish. The
chances are that the peculiar nature of the
employment in which he spent most Of his
time had something to do with the grad
ual unbslancing of his faculties.
This should not be taken to mean that
chess in itself tends 10 make people in
sane; on the contrary, it has been the fav-
orite recreation of many of the able and
wellbalsnced minds Of the world. But it
is a kind OF game to which it would be I'M
safe for any man TO devote his entire time
and thought The fascination Of the moves
and counter moves. the infinite diversity
and completely OF the game. are capable Of
absorbing the attention TO the exclusion
of everything else as anyone knows VINO
has watched two ardent chessplayers en-
gagged in their fayorite amusement: and
there is not enough variety in it TO en-
ploy more than a certain set of faculties.
which are exercised along one line con-
tinraIly. In golf baseball, or tennis. a
man may be an expert without harm com
ing to him. because the healthful influ-
eace OF the air and exercise counteracts the
evil effects OF a tendency to fixed ideas.
and the physical and mental faculties are
actively employed al the same time. II is
not at all a bad thing for young man to
become so thoroughly interested in one of
h.s haf he. do s,
Of his time to 1t for a year cd So
! He will probably gel over his craze with a
stronger body II not a stronger mind than
be would have had without the experience
But the youth who should devote himself
to chess for the same amount of time
would run some risk OF iniuring mis- health.
unless he happened TO have a good consti-
tuition to begin with. and were Obliged to
spend some time each day in active en-
ployment Any kind of monomania is apt
to be a bad thing for the human constitu-
ton, and an indoor monomania is worse
than any other kind.
Aside from the hygienic aspect of this
thing, IT seems rather absurd, 10 a normal
mind, that any reasonable being should
regard proficiency in games as a serious
object in life. The very essence of the
usefulness of a game IS its recreative
/ power. If il acts as a tonic on a system
wearied with other employment. it is a
healthful and life-preserving ththg and
economical in the end. even If 1t does take
a little time that might be otherwise spent
with more Immediate profit. But if it be-
! comes a serious employment, all this is
changed, and the very reason for its being
is gone. II would undoubtedly be a good
I thing II all work could be made into play
/ If employment could be so arranged that
each worker would enter upon the days
labor with the zest shown by the child in
building its mimic forts or planting its
garden. There are some men even now
who can do this; who feel a delight in do
ing the work to which they give their
lives. Such a man is the artisan who pa
tiently and lovingly caryes a bit of wood
and delights in the beauty of every line
which he makes. such worker is the ar
fist. striving earnestly TO realize his
/ ideal: such is often the housewife, happy
when she can make her home the pcrma-
nent abode OF comfort. beauty. aud that
nameless charm which We call coziness.
Too often, however, work is simply dull.
monotonous routine or q frantic striving
to accomplish task TOO heavy for the
strength. and 10 one engaged In such work
there can be no delight in the employment
itself. II must be done well from sense OF
duty. or for gain. or from some Interior mo-
tive. When recrestions are made matters
of professional gain, and men devote a
lifetime to them. that is making work out
OF play. which is decidedly a wrong or
dering OF things.
Aside from delight in work per Sc. there
| Is q satisfaction in knowing that one has