Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER I CHESS Section I The Origin Of Chess Chess is the most ancient and universal game known among men, for its original is beyond the memory of history. (Franklin's Essay on Chess.) In days of yore what time no bard has sung Or sung with truth -- the race called Chessic sprung; From Diomedes some the race derive, Some to Palamedes the honor give; This lived when cried for conquest Philip's boy And that when Priam perished with her Troy, Others suppose their founder (bane or boon) Dropped through some strange volcano from the moon; Others opine Prometheus (when his plan Of manufacturing and igniting man With life he first projected, he assayed Smaller game first experiment to aid) Found a huge tusk some elephant had cast; The tusk divided and its portions classed In equal sets; one set dyed black, and then With skill mechanic formed the Chessic men; Next from a moonbeam vivified the breed And gave them action as a sample deed; His mind investing with what might be done When mouldering clay he pilfered from the Sun. Fashioned and furnished thus the sage designed The Pigmy tribes as emblems of Mankind. (Dibdin's Chessiad.) That Chess comes to us from Arabia or Persia is clearly deducible from the words "Sha-mat"-- which, according to Sir William Jones, signify in Persian language "the King is dead." The Germans say "Shach-matt"; and the Anglo-Saxons "Check-mate," when the King is dead--the game is ended. (Enc. Brit.) It is well for us, therefore, to know the potential significance and the historical dignity of that remarkable intellectual pursuit, which, although it bears the look of an amusement, and its student uses toy-like instruments, as did the great inventor of logarithms, Napier of Merchiston, in the wellknown ivory bones or...
