I recently bought an interesting antique book for 50 cents in a thrift store the other day entitled "The Book of Pearls: A choice Garland of Prose, Poetry, and Art" which was published in New York way back in 1849. The first short story in the book is entitled "A Scene at De Morville Park" by Clara Moreton. There is a scene in the story that mentions chess which I found pretty amusing. A character named Lady Margaret was trying to play matchmaker to a young aristocratic couple and so she "rolled a massively carved, richly enameled chess-table towards Lady Lucy and Lord Fitzhugh" and invited them to play each other.
"Shall we try our skill at chess?" said the Lady Lucy, motioning with her hand to the table.
"It would be useless," Lord Fitzhugh replied, "my knights would be of no avail in defending my castles, and even my bishops would bow to your beauty; and you would only finish the work you have commenced of complete destruction, by taking all I have in pawn." ("in pawn" is in italics, and I have no idea what the author meant by it).
The Lady Lucy's merry laugh rang out in silver tones as she gayly answered, "So let's play draughts then, as there are no knights or bishops there to lose themselves for chivalry!"
Historical note: 1849 was the year that Nathaniel Cook registered a chess set design which was promoted by Howard Staunton in his Illustrated London News chess column and which were eventually named after Staunton. Staunton is considered to have been the world's strongest player from 1843-1851.
Originally posted by homedepotovWho wouldn't melt for such an opening line
"It would be useless," Lord Fitzhugh replied, "my knights would be of no avail in defending my castles, and even my bishops would bow to your beauty; and you would only finish the work you have commenced of complete destruction, by taking all I have in pawn."
Originally posted by homedepotovinteresting read, thanks for sharing. about the pawn being italics, maybe he tried a wordplay there, as "in pawn" means "taken hostage" or something like that.
I recently bought an interesting antique book for 50 cents in a thrift store the other day entitled "The Book of Pearls: A choice Garland of Prose, Poetry, and Art" which was published in New York way back in 1849. The first short story in the book is entitled "A Scene at De Morville Park" by Clara Moreton. There is a scene in the story that mentions che ...[text shortened]... unton is considered to have been the world's strongest player from 1843-1851.
Originally posted by philidor positionThat sounds reasonable.
interesting read, thanks for sharing. about the pawn being italics, maybe he tried a wordplay there, as "in pawn" means "taken hostage" or something like that.
I wonder if there are any photos of mid-19th century "chess-tables" that can be rolled on the internet.
Originally posted by greenpawn34"Thou hast won the game, lady fair, what request can I grant thee?"
Don't stop there...Did he get laid?
The lady clasped her trembling hands over the chess-table, and her eyes were misty with love light, and pleadingly beautiful, as looking up into his face she said,
"Love me Arthur, it is all I desire."
Looks like he checkmated her heart, so it appears he did score.
Originally posted by homedepotovAnd verily, the lady was mounted, in the manner of the Mongols, having a saddle of beef tied to her underbelly, such that in the ecstasy of their unwinding of carnal knowledge, the meat should be tenderized to a high degree, and powerfully the couple thrashed, and verily the meat was tenderized to a high degree, and so in the afterglow of the thrashing the couple were emboldened to feast upon the richness of grilled meats tenderized to a high degree in the hopes that this would satiate their cravings.
"Thou hast won the game, lady fair, what request can I grant thee?"
The lady clasped her trembling hands over the chess-table, and her eyes were misty with love light, and pleadingly beautiful, as looking up into his face she said,
"Love me Arthur, it is all I desire."
Looks like he checkmated her heart, so it appears he did score.
Originally posted by PBE6I think you pretty much have the whole overwrought Victorian prose style down cold.
And verily, the lady was mounted, in the manner of the Mongols, having a saddle of beef tied to her underbelly, such that in the ecstasy of their unwinding of carnal knowledge, the meat should be tenderized to a high degree, and powerfully the couple thrashed, and verily the meat was tenderized to a high degree, and so in the afterglow of the thrashing the coup ...[text shortened]... f grilled meats tenderized to a high degree in the hopes that this would satiate their cravings.