deux ou trois choses, 12 february 2023
Last week, a redditor on r/chess has pulled out a quote out of a 19th century local newspaper in Augusta, Georgia.
The Chess Epidemic.—A lady correspondent writes me, and begs I will say something about this mania. I will, if it is only for her truant husband to see.
It is really frightful—the manner in which it has seized upon all sorts of people, exactly like an epidemic. Formerly, chess was confined to persons of antiquarian tendencies, and generally of wealth and leisure. Now, everybody talks learnedly of its mysteries, and every one plays, from Paul Morphy down to the junior clerk of a dry goods store. Until recently, I never heard of chess more than half a dozen times in my life, and always supposed it was confined to members of historical and zoological societies; but for the past year I have heard of nothing but chess. We have eaten chess, drank chess, and dream of it when we sleep. This mania for chess is not exactly the thing for gentlemen to pursue with ardor; it interferes too much with their domestic relations. It is too engrossing, monopolizes too much intellect for mere recreation, and is not profitable in a pecuniary sense.
I would advise "Marian" to try a counter movement, assume a deep interest in chess herself, insist on becoming one of the "lady members" of that club, be completely infatuated, neglect your domestic duties, keep your husband waiting for a dinner while you are solving the problem, never converse or, apparently, think of any other subject but chess, instruct the children, have chess boards all over the house—in a word, let him be satiated.
I find the advice correspondent in The Daily Constitutionalist to be very wise.
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Domenick Ammirati has a fun post up on
- the mix between notes from Amalia Ulman’s exhibition and cheap yet not too cheap wine situations allows you to feel a city.⁂
Tiny bliss packs - via
- Prada Beauty circa 2000.