﻿495 ON THE BURMIIA 



the army in general becnme impatient of their situa- 

 tion, and clam )rous to return home. liemsing, 

 upon this, revolved in his niind the bad consequeices 

 of complying with their wishes; and the necessity 

 of soothing his troops and reconciling them to their 

 position appeared urgent, in order to finish his ope- 

 ratims the ensuing year. He was a man of genius 

 as well as a good soldier, and having contemplated 

 some time on the subject, he invented the game of 

 chess, as well for an amusement to his men in their 

 vacant hours, as to inflame their military ardour, 

 the game being wholly founded on the principles of 

 war. The stratagem succeeded to his wish ; the 

 soldiery were delghted with the game, and forgot 

 in their daily contests for victory the inconvenience 

 of their post. In the spring tlie general took th€ 

 field again, and in a few months adried the rich 

 country of Shensi to the kingdom of Kiangnan, by 

 the defeat and capture of Choupayen, a famous war- 

 rior among the Chinese. On this conquest Hung 

 Cochee assumed the title of emperor, and Choupayen 

 put an end to his own life in despair." 



In the course of my reading I have met with a 

 similar tale among the Persians ; but such tales are 

 easily fabricated, and from the complaisance of na- 

 tional vanity as easily credited. 



That Hansing introduced this game with modi- 

 fications suited to the genius and manners of the 

 Chmese for the purposes ascribed above, I can readi- 

 ly believe; but the introduction of artillery or 

 rocket boys, the general perfection of the game, 

 similitude to the Hindoo game, and date of the sup- 

 T)Osed invention, are strong evidences against its 

 originalit}'. 



I am aware that there are many other games of 



chess played in Asia ; but I consider them merely 



as anomalies, unimportant or unworthy of note ; and 



3 the 



