these being lost with the missing portions, but the treatise itself
contains internal evidence of very high antiquity. The author, whoever
he was, tells us that he had travelled much through Persia and the
adjacent countries, from the age of fifteen until the middle period of
life, during which he gained the knowledge and experience which
enabled him to write his book. Besides which, he measured his strength
with many masters of the art of chess-playing, adding on each occasion
to his reputation as a conqueror: 'and whereas,' as he relates, 'the
greater number of professors were deficient in the art of playing
without looking at the board, I myself played so against four
adversaries at once, and at the same time against another opponent in
the usual manner, and, by divine favour, won all the games.' Here,
singularly enough, we find a Persian Staunton making himself famous
perhaps long before Norman William thought of invading Britain--so
true it is, that in mere intellectual achievements we have scarcely
surpassed bygone generations. He, the Persian, evidently entertained a
comfortable idea of his own abilities; for he boasts largely of the
improvements and new moves or positions which he has introduced into
the game. He disputes, too, the authenticity of the belief, that chess
was originally invented in India, and that it was first introduced
into Persia in the sixth century of our era by a physician, whom
Nushirwan had sent to seek for the work known as Pilpay's Fables. On
the contrary, he contends that chess, in its original and most
developed form, is purely a Persian invention, and that the modern
game is but an abridgment of the ancient one. In how far this
statement is borne out by the fact, we have at present no means of
knowing; and until some more complete manuscript or other work shall
be brought to light which may supply the want, we must rest content
with the account familiar to most readers--that chess was invented by
an Indian physician for the diversion of the monarch, his master, and