Chess History And Reminiscences
for him on a busy fete day at the Champs de Elysees, in 1878, is
not just, that genial and courteous gentleman having volunteered
to do so under exceptional circumstances, and as all act of
sympathy, and perhaps on account of Bird's play, who though
suffering acutely from gout on that particular day won one of his
two best games of Anderssen. If Bird had a carriage and pair to
the barbers to get a shave (quite recently asserted) it was because
he could not find a conveyance with one horse in time to reach
his destination. When he made a late dinner solely off Pate
de Foie Grass at the Marquis d'Andigny's banquet at St. Germains,
Paris, in 1878, when there were any number of courses, he did so
because be liked the flavour (certainly did not find it savourless)
not comprehending the waiter's surprise or aware of its bilious
tendency till afterwards. Even a king once dined off goose livers
or something of the sort, and we have heard somewhere of a
"feast of snails."
Even assuming glasses of Lager, 20 Schnaps, and 30 plates
of bread and cheese were consumed at the village with the
unpronounceable name 70 miles this side of Nuremberg, one intensely
hot afternoon in July, 1883, on the eve of the International
Tournament in that city when the train unpolitely went on, leaving
him behind, Bird was not the only consumer nor responsible for
the food famine, which the Field and the Illustrated Sporting
and Dramatic say prevailed afterwards for the whole of the
inhabitants of the place (fifty souls) including the old lady ill in
bed, and her attendant who deserted her for the afternoon partook
thereof.
Neither Steinitz nor Bird are funny men; the latter most
reserved among his superiors, yet looks good humored. At the
Anglo-American Hotel, Hamilton, in 1860, he was honored by a
recognition each morning for a week from the Prince of Wales.
At the second Universities chess match, Perrott's, Milk Street,
1874, a young gentleman introduced himself to Bird, and a
pleasant chat was commenced, interrupted only by unreasonable
intrusion. This gentleman to Bird's surprise who thus honoured
him by interest in chess was H.R.H. Prince Leopold.
Professor Ruskin, Lord Randolph Churchill and many eminent
men have supported Bird's chess efforts with much approval; in
the far past J. P. Benjamin Esq., Q.C., and Sir Charles Russell
enjoyed an occasional game. Chief Justice Cockburn, and Sir
George Jessel seem to have liked chess. The list of highly
distinguished men reported to admire the game is varied and
significant.
Many working men have sought wrinkles from Bird; the late
Mr. Bradlaugh at intervals extending over thirty years has
ardently played occasionally chess or draught skirmishes with
much zest. He was singularly agreeable and good tempered and
a moderate player at both. Bird knew much of Ireland and the
people twenty to thirty years ago. Isaac Butt was fond of chess
but played it but indifferently. Chief Baron Pigott who also
knew it presided in the long trial Bartlett v. Lewis, Overend,
Gurney, etc., and seemed much surprised at a chess allusion. Said
Butt to me, "Come, you are not playing chess with me."
Whiteside and Sullivan two of the six Counsel on the other side,
almost simultaneously replied, "A good thing for you brother Butt, for
you would surely soon be checkmated."
The master hand who sketched Mason for the Fortnightly
Review scarcely did full justice to his vocal ability, dancing
proclivities and Christian friends, and Blackburne's marvellous
oracles and dictums pass unnoticed. Tinsley Lee, Van Vliet,
Muller and Jasnagrodzky all have their peculiarities which shall
remain untouched, for they are young and sensitive, whilst the
most amusing since the loss of Purssell's Lordship (next to the
Philosopher who happily very much survives) is the extremely
popular Monsieur.
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CHESS PATRONS
There have in recent years been annually about eight or ten
chess patrons who have contributed more to promote high class
chess than all the rest of her Majesty's subjects, and remarkable
as it may appear, with one exception there is not one titled, or
what would be deemed very distinguished name among them.
250 pounds to 300 pounds a year is an ample sum for necessary first
class chess competitions, but nothing like that has been raised
under present auspices in this great Metropolis since 1883, or on
the average for many years. There are some who will buy chess
books who would not care to play at least in a public room on any
conditions; there are, on the other hand, some who drop their
shillings freely at chess without the slightest instruction or
improvement who would scorn to buy a chess book. Even "California"
who greatly desired to improve and apparently cared little about
expense, and with his double or quits propensity in play would not
deign to notice a chess book. One said that this amateur possessed
all the requisites of a loser playing very fastly, very badly and
risking very rashly. One morning about twelve before chess hours
at the Cafe International, New York, whilst writing I was accosted
by a tall and fashionable looking American whom I had seen once
or twice before playing with Mackenzie or Mason, but had never
spoken to. "I see you are busy," said he. "It is not particularly
pressing for the moment," said I, placing my work aside. He
then commenced to interview me concerning Morphy, asking my
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