Willing, at all times, to render full justice to the skill, style,
and play of others, he has been frequently heard to observe that the
"difference in force between the six leading chess-players
is so slight, that the result of a contest between two of them would
be always uncertain."
As a chess-player he is far from lacking modesty. No "head
and shoulders" comparison or claim of superiority has ever been
made by Steinitz. He is exceedingly courteous to young aspirants,
and fairly communicative to all; he is, when vexed, as likely, (or
more so), to offend his best friends as strangers. With all his
shortcomings, however, it is doubtful whether any real admirer of
chess from its highest aspect will feel aught but regret at the
remarks applied to him; the space devoted to these attacks
(exceeding that allotted to all the English players) might well have
been devoted to chess in its social aspect, to its advantages and
prospects, or to some more agreeable phase of it than extreme
personality. Even another page or two of chess-players' jokes
and eccentricities would have been less objectionable.
The personalities and lack of impartiality in the article cannot
but be regarded as a very serious drawback; it is not written in a
tone which is likely to benefit chess or advance its cause; and it is
to be feared, that it will afford but little instruction or lasting
interest and pleasure to its readers.
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