highly invigorating, though soothing also, is essentially
inexpensive and does not tend to the sort of excitement too often
occasioned by some other games where the temptation, too often
indulged, of spending money principally when losing, in hopes of
obtaining supposed stimulating consolation and nerve, is so
frequently manifested, that it appears at times to be so
irresistible an accompaniment of the game as to become almost a
condition and part of the play.

Chess in fact, affords the greatest maximum of enjoyment, with
the smallest minimum of expense; it is at the same time the most
pleasingly absorbing, yet the most scientific of games; it is
also looked upon as the most ancient, and with, perhaps, the
exception of Draughts probably is. The reason why it has been
for so many ages, and still is called the "Royal Game" is, because
it came to Europe from Persia, and took its name from Schach or
Shah, which, in that language signifies King, and Matt dead from
the Arabic language making combined "Schach Matt" the King is
dead, which is the derivation of our "Checkmate."

The degree of intellectual skill which chess admits of, has
been considered and pronounced so high, that Leibnitz declared
it to be far less a game than a science. Euler, Franklin, Buckle
and others have expressed similar views; and the Egyptians, the
Persians, and the Arabians according to many writers, including
Mr. Warton and the Rev. Mr. Lambe, have also so regarded it.

Chess is so ancient that, by that distinction alone, it seems
taken beyond the category of games altogether; and it has been
said that it probably would have perished long ago, if it had