declared that the chess player was ever absorbed in his chess
"and full of care" may have reflected the chess of his time, but
he did not live in the Nineteenth century and had never seen a
La Bourdonnais, a McDonnell or a Bird play or he might have
modified his views as to the undue seriousness of chess. The
Fortnightly Review in its article of December, 1886 devoted some
space to the fancy shirt fronts of Lowenthal, the unsavoury
cigars of Winawer, the distinguished friends of one of the
writers, the Foreign secretary, denial that Zukertort came over in
two ships, and other less momentous matters, so we may assume
that the authors who greatly control the destinies of chess
could even, themselves, at times appreciate a joke.

Despite however the preference so decidedly evinced on these
subjects, concerning which we are advised to say a little, the real
origin of chess, the opinions in regard to it and its traditions
and fables interest us more, and tempt a few remarks upon
prevailing misconceptions which it appears desirable as far as
possible to dispel, besides there may yet be a possibility that
some of the more learned who admire the game may produce a work
more worthy of the subject, which, though perhaps of trifling
importance to real science and profound literature, certainly
appears to merit, from its many marked epochs, and interesting
associations, somewhat more attention than it has ever yet received.

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CHESS AND OPINIONS IN REGARD TO ITS ORIGIN

Chess is the English name for the most intellectual as well as