Philidor's ascendancy and popularity in the last century, owing
to his remarkable and perhaps unprecedented supremacy combined
with the liberality of his treatment and the chivalry and
enthusiasm of his opponents, tended to create an entirely new era in
chess and its support. An interest became aroused of a most
important character, unknown in any previous age in England,
and which, though not fully maintained after his death, and least
of all among the higher classes who ranked so largely among his
patrons, was yet destined to have a marked and lasting influence
on the future development and progress of the game, most apparent
at first in England, but later nearly equally manifested in Germany,
since in America and other countries, and not exclusively
confined to any country, class, or creed.
Several auspicious circumstances had greatly contributed to aid
Philidor in his London career. Prominent among which were his
introduction to Lord Sandwich at the Hague. His patronage
through the same source by the Duke of Cumberland and the
never ceasing liberality of General Conway, the inestimable Count
Bruhl, the Dowager Lady Holland, and the gallant Sir Gilbert
Elliot of Gibraltar fame.
Of the players who encountered Philidor, Sir Abraham Janssens,
who died in 1775, seems to have been the best, Mr. George Atwood,
a mathematician, one of Pitt's secretaries came next, he was of a
class which we should call third or two grades of odds below
Philidor, a high standard of excellence to which but few amateurs
attain.
Some indication of the varied and important character of
Philidor's patronage is afforded by the names on the cover of his
edition of 1777, dedicated to the Duke of Cumberland.
Twenty-six ladies of title grace the list, including the historic
chess names of Devonshire, Northumberland, Bedford, Marlborough,
Rutland, with upwards of 300 male names comprising heads of
the Church, men illustrious at the bar and on the bench, statesmen,
politicians, cabinet ministers, and many most distinguished in
science, both in England and in France, with a long list of our
nobility. Devonshire is the earliest name mentioned in old
Chronicles connected with English chess, Olgar or Orgar, Earl of
Devonshire is recorded to have been playing chess with his
daughter Elstreth or Elpida when King Edgar's messenger
Athelwold arrived to ascertain the truth of the reports of her
extraordinary beauty. Northumberland is mentioned two
centuries later as a house in which chess was played. Caxton's
"Booke of Chesse," Bruges 1474, said by some to be the first book
printed in London, was dedicated to the Duke of Clarence,
Rowbotham's, 1561, to the Earl of Leicester, Lucy, Countess of
Bedford accepted dedication of A. Saul's quaint work, 1597 and
and Barbiere's edition of the same, 1640. The early love poem
of Lydgate, emblematical of chess was dedicated to the admirers
of the game, and the Duke of Rutland in the last century took
sufficient interest in it to devise an extension of chess.
NOTE. The names of the subscribers on Philidor's Analysis of
Chess, 1777, include Lord Sandwich and the Duke of Cumberland
for 10 and 50 copies respectively.
The Duchess of Argyle, the Duchess of Bedford, the Duchess of
Buccleuch, R. H. Lady de Beauclerk, Viscountess Beauchamp,
Miss Sophia Bristow, Marchioness of Carmarthen, Marchioness of
Lothian, Duchess of Montrose, Duchess of Devonshire, Countess of
Derby, Lady Derby, Madame Dillon, La Countesse de Forbach,
Dowager Lady Hunt, Dowager Lady Holland, La Countesse de Hurst,
Miss Jennings, the Duchess of Manchester, the Countess of Ossery,
the Countess of Powis, Lady Payne, the Marchioness of Rockingham,
the Right Hon. Lady Cecil Rice, the Countess Spencer, Lady
Frances Scott, Miss Mary Sankey, Miss West, and the Countess
of Pembroke.
Notwithstanding the enormous advance in chess, appreciation and
practice generally, we have never since been able to boast of a
list at all of this kind. There are Dukes Argyle, Athol, Ancaster,
Bedford, Bolton, Buccleuch, Cumberland, Devonshire, Leeds,
Manchester, Marlborough, Montague, Northumberland, Richmond,
Roxburgh; Marquis Carmarthen, Rockingham; Earl Ashburnham,
Besborough, Dartmouth, Egremont, Gower, Holderness, Northington,
Ossory, Powis, Spencer, Shelburne, Waldegrave; Lords, E. Bentinck,
Bateman, Barrington, Beauchamp, Breadalbane, G. Cavendish, John
Cavendish, Clifford, Denbigh, Fitzmaurice, Fitzwilliam, Falmouth,
Harrowby, Hillsborough, Irwine, Kerry, Kinnaird, March,
Mountstenart, North, Oxford, Palmerston, Polnarth, Robert Spencer,
Temple, Tyrunnell, Warwick, Willoughby de Broke, Amherst, Petre.
Among statesmen and politicians we find such names as the Earl
of Chatham, Pitt, C. J. Fox, Lord Godolphin, Lord Sunderland,
St. John and Wedderburn.
Prominent as players as well as supporters were General Conway,
Count Bruhl, the French Ambassador, Duke de Mirepois, the
Turkish Ambassador, Dr. Black, Sir Abram Janssens, G. Atwood,
(one of Pitts' secretaries), Mr. Jennings, Mr. Cotter, and the
Rev. Mr. Bouldeer.
Voltaire and Roussca were friends of Philidor, so also was
David Garrick the actor; supporters in the musical world were
numerous. A combination of high appreciation for chess and
music combined is often found.
Philidor died in 1795. Sir Abram Janssens had already departed
in 1775, as the recognized best player and one of the greatest
enthusiasts, his loss left a great void in chess, Scandigh,
Benedict, Prout and Asfra are musicians with whom we have
ourselves played chess.
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