Shatran, Satran, Shash-rang and Sad-ranj, are offered as etymologies in support of the various orthographies.1

The 1st Chapter, " On the Invention of Chess," gives five stories, which are mostly those already known from other works; there is, however, one rather different from the usual accounts, relating it to have been invented for certain kings of Hind, who were wise men and unwilling to go to war, and for whom Chess was proposed as a sort of peace-arbitration by which to settle their disputes. Another version is that Nerd having been invented to prove to a king that mankind were slaves of chance, and their actions compulsory, some philosopher arranged the game of Chess to show that destiny was tempered by free will. The usual reward in corn is claimed by the inventor, and a separate section treats of its application in arithmetic, according to different methods. The first is the same given by Ibn Khallican; a second, with a diagram, is taken from a work called Muházarát ul Udaba; another is calculated in dirhems; a fourth, from the Durrat ul Muzīya, in lunar years, and the last, by another author, makes the calculation in distances of miles.

Chapter 2nd divides chess players into the usual five classes, of which the 'Aliya is said never to contain three in any one age. The Mutaķāriba, or second class, is inferior to the 'Aliya by a Knight's Pawn on the Queen's side, or by a Rook's Pawn; between the 3rd class and the highest there are the odds of a Queen; the 4th receives from the 1st something more than a Queen and less than a Knight; the 5th receives a Knight, and the 6th a Rook, and he who reqnires greater odds is not considered a player. Two other sections of this chapter describe the respective value of the pieces, and their powers.

Chapter 3rd gives an extract of eight pages from Al Suli's work, which it is difficult to abridge without injustice to the importance of its contents. Some of the maxims are those found in our treatise on the game, but there are also many practical rules applying only to Chess as modified by Eastern laws, and very interesting as a specimen of these peculiar tactics. Al Suli's instructions are commented by the author who has extracted them, showing in nine pages their illustration from war or history.

Chapter 4th sets forth the qualifications necessary for a chess

1 The origin of the word is simply Chaturanga; the above etymologies are mere puerilities.-F.

2 In the life of Abú Bekr al Súlī. See Vol. III of De Slane's Translation, p. 71.-B.

player, and especially treats of the proper times and seasons for playing, the best being considered to be when rain falls. The four temperaments1 are associated with four of the pieces, the King, Queen, Elephant, and Rukh; and Hippocrates and Galen are quoted for cures effected by Chess.

Chapter 5th is anthological, and contains extracts in prose and verse, from various authors, in praise or blame of Chess.

In the 6th chapter the Complete Chess is mentioned, the account of it being taken from the Arabic work last described, or probably, both from an earlier treatise. Another variety is called Shatranji Sa'īdīya, of which the arrangement is said to be similar to the Complete Chess, except that its squares are eight, as in the Indian or common game. In the Shatranji Sa'īdīya, the Pawns are not allowed to queen. Other games are the Shatranji Memdúda, and Rūmīya, of the former of which a diagram is given in the MS.

The second part of this chapter describes several ingenious games and amusements on the chess-board. The first is Mikhráķ ul Rukh, a trial of skill between two players, with one Rook each; another, with the two Knights. In a third, the Rook alone is played against all the Pawns. Two other games are, to take all the Pawns in as many moves with the Knight, the Pawns in one example being placed diagonally across the board. In the Mikhrāķ ul Afyál, the Bishops are to take all the men in a certain number of moves; and the last is the Mikhrāķ ul Bayādaķ, by Al Sūli, in which the eight Red Pawns placed on the line of the pieces, are to move, one by one, in four moves of the Knight each, into the corresponding squares on the Black side. A sequel to these games is the well-known problem of the Ship, first as described by Safadi, and then in other varieties. (Hyde, p. 23.)

The chapter following contains anecdotes of Chess, of which those of two blind players, and some others, have been already related by Hyde. The earlier part of the 8th chapter seems wanting, or at least does not correspond with the title; the few poetical extracts given are on the love of travel and its advantages, exemplified by the success of the Pawn, which becomes a chief when he leaves his own country. At the close of each of these eight chapters is found a selection of Manṣubas, in diagram and in explanation, though their distribution in different parts of the treatise does not

1The Warm, the Cold, the Wet, and the Dry, which correspond with the four component parts of the human frame, and are introduced by Arabian doctors into the whole system of Physics.-B.

seem regulated by any intention beyond that of dividing them in portions. The conclusion of the whole work is a Makāma Shatranjīya, in rhetorical prose, similar to that of the celebrated Makámahs or Discourses of Harīrī, and forming a curious addition to the numerous imitations of that style which have been composed on other subjects. This Chess Makámah is dedicated by the author to the Sultan Malik ul 'Adil, prince of Mārdīn, and was composed by him as a sequel to another Maķāma of his in honour of Al Malik ul Nasir Ḥasan.”

NOTE.-I stated, in page 83, that there was a "bare possibility" of my having the perusal of Dr. Lee's Arabic MSS. in time for the Appendix. Again my expectations have been disappointed. I have, therefore, here inserted Mr. Bland's description of them, which will serve two purposes at once. In the first place, the reader will be enabled to form some idea of their value; and secondly, this account of them may at some future period lead to their recovery should they by any chance be offered for sale either here or abroad.-D. F.

APPENDIX D.

Chess among the Irish.

THAT the Irish may have received the game of Chess from the Danes and Norwegians in the tenth or eleventh century is quite possible; but it is much more likely that it was introduced among them by the Anglo Normans in the twelfth or following century. To pretend, as their chroniclers do, that they were acquainted with the game in the first century of the Christian æra is simply absurd. As the subject, however, is very curious, to say the least of it, I here lay before the reader a few extracts to that effect from highly reputable Irish writers, to which I append a few notes and comments of my own; the same notes being marked F.

Let us commence then with an extract from the History of Ireland by the Abbé Mac-Geoghegan1 written in French some hundred years ago, and since then done into English. The Abbé, unlike most Hibernian chroniclers, contents himself with, comparatively speak

1 The History of Ireland, Ancient and Modern, taken from the most authentic Records, and dedicated to the Irish Brigade, by the Abbé Mac-Geoghegan; translated from the French, by Patrick O'Kelly, Esq.; large 8vo., Dublin, 1844.

2 For example, mark the laughable pretensions held forth in the announcement of a work published some forty years ago by "the O'Connor"-viz., "The Chronicles of Eri; being a faithful translation from Ancient Phoenician Manuscripts, containing the History of the Scythian-Iberian Colonies in Gallicia, from the years 1491 B.C. to 1006 B.C.; and in Ireland from 1006 B.C. to 15 B.C.; with the Laws, Religions, Manners, and the National and Political Events of that People, circumstantially narrated during 1,476 years, and in a general manner 4,000 years previously"!!! Well, now, here we have the authentic history of

ing, a very moderate point of antiquity at which he considers the authentic history of Ireland ought to begin. He starts from the reign of King Kimbaoth, only about 350 years before Christ, observing, with remarkable candour, that "the monuments of the Irish before that period1 are both uncertain and doubtful; " and to say the truth, we of this benighted land of the Saxon, would feel strongly inclined to apply a similar remark anent the said "monuments," even if the reverend author had commenced his story at a period some 1,500 years nearer our own time. To proceed, however, the Abbé tells us that there reigned in Ireland from A.D., 118, to A.D., 148, a king by name Cathir Mòr. This king, like a good Christian, left in writing a will or testament, whereof the following is an authentic copy. The Abbé states, p. 82.

"The will of Cathire More, cited by O'Flaherty, who mentions, to have seen it in writing, and to which Rossa Failge, his eldest son,2 was executor, is the only thing curious in the reign of this monarch. I merely introduce it here to show the singular taste of those ancient times: this will contains the different legacies he had left to his children, and the nobility of Leinster.3 To Breasal-Eineachglass, his son, he left five ships of burden; fifty embossed bucklers, ornamented with a border of gold and silver; five swords with golden handles, and five chariots drawn by horses. To Fiacha-Baiceada,

Ireland from 1,006 years before Christ, to 15 B.C., and, "in a general manner" 4,000 years previously-that is—this very Irish history commences 5,006 years before Christ, or about 1,000 years before the creation of the world! Here, I need not add any comment. This magniloquent notice is given out by the publisher, Sir Richard Phillips, in the fly-leaf to an edition of the "Poems of Ossian," 2 vols. 8vo., London, 1822; and we are there further told that "the ancient rolls from which these translations have been made, have for many centuries been in possession of the O'CONNOR family, and various specimens of them are deposited with the publisher for the inspection of the curious." In the preface to the "Chronicles,” page x. there is a very significant hint given to such Anglo-Saxon critics as may start objections to their authenticity, viz., "The objectors may rely upon it, that satisfactory answers shall be given to all doubts and suspicions."-F.

1 The reader will be pleased to bear in mind that Kimbaoth is the 77th in in the list of monarchs that reigned in Ireland since the first landing there of the Milesians. Let us allow the average duration of a reign to have been twenty-five years, we are led back to a period beyond the building of Babel; and consequently the Irish language is the pure idiom that was spoken by Noah and his predecessors up to Adam.-F.

2 It is not quite clear to me whether this be the eldest son of Cathir Mòr, or that of O'Flaherty. I think the latter the more likely.-F.

3 Ogyg. part 3, c. 59.