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Bird, H. E. (Henry Edward), 1830-1908

"Chess History and Reminiscences"


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The 4,098 name index already referred to includes Adam ten
times and even Jesus three times, used, as it appears to me,
rather for the purpose of irony, rather than valid or useful
argument.
When Forbes gives the earliest chess position, known from
British Museum M.S.S. Linde says Adam was the first chess
player (??) to Sir F. Madden about 1,150, for the time when
Gaimur wrote quoting the incident of the Earl of Devonshire and
his daughter being found playing chess together, (Edgar's reign
958 to 975). Linde says Madden about it "Keinen Pfifferling
werth." In another place he says, "Forbes natte der Freicheut,"
"Insolence, Impudence, Audaciousness, Boldness."
It is not pleasing to English ears to be told that George Walker
is a humbug and a snob. Professor Duncan Forbes the same, and
William Lewis something worse, and to find notes of exclamation
and of queries (! !! ?), instead of argument opposed to the
statements of such writers as Dr. Hyde, Sir William Jones, the
Rev. R. Lambe, Sir Frederic Madden, and Mr. Bland.
Linde's dealing with Forbes' statement concerning his
examination of the copies of the Shahnama in the British
Museum, puts a crowning touch on his arbitrary and insulting
style and furnishes an example of his notions of courtesy and
argument.


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