﻿GAME OF CHESS, &c. 485 



Instead of a boat, tliey have a chariot. How are we 

 to reconcile tliese contracliction.s - —I fear, in tlie pre- 

 sent state of our information, they are inexplicable. 

 At all events I shall attempt only as distinct an ac- 

 count as is in my power of the four principal games 

 and modes of playing chess in Asia, viz. first, the 

 one from the Pura/is, cited by Sir William J:;ncs as 

 above; second, the Chinese, descriljed by Mr. Irwin; 

 third, the Bunnha ; and lastly, the Persian or pre- 

 sent Hindoostafiec ; comparing them with each other 

 and the English game; and must leave it to some 

 more fortunate enquirer to detern]ine ^hich is the 

 original. 



I have given precedence to the game said to be 

 invented ac Lanca, as it appears to be the most an- 

 cient, according to the authorities adduced by Sir 

 Vv'iiliam Jones ; and as the Persians admit that they 

 received the game from India. 1 am aware that the 

 honourable ^Ir. Daines Barrington, in a paper pub- 

 lished in the Archteologia at London, gives it as his 

 opinion that the Chinese game is the most ancient ; 

 and has taken great pains to disprove the Grecian 

 claim to the invention, (vide 9th volume of the 

 Archa?ologia.) But, according to the C^hinese manu- 

 script, accompanying ^Jr. Irwin"s account in the 

 Tran>actions of 'the Royal Irish Academy, the 

 Chinese invalidate their claim of originality, by fixing 

 the date of the game, they assume the honour of in- 

 Tenting, 174 years before the Christian era. 



I I 3 



