1831.] An Essay on the Game of Billiards. 181 
failing, which a looker-on, aptly placed at a distance before the players, may 
clearly perceive ; and if not corrected early, grows into a confirmed habit ; yet 
its ill effects being confined to the active ball, and not materially taking 
place till after reflection, are therefore not preclusive even of eminence, in other 
executive departments of the game. All of this description (which is by far 
the more numerous), should invariably play back with the but-end of the cue, 
lateral accuracy being the less necessary on account of its breadth, as the middle 
of the ball must be struck by some part of it; and sudden opposition, which 
always promotes a tendency to twist, may be prevented by trailing. But the few, 
to whom a strict and timely attention has given established claim in the 
other class, should as uniformly play back with the point; because that 
power, which acts against the progressive motion, as has been already shown, 
and consequently makes a greater impetus necessary to drive the ball the same 
distance, may be prevented by a walking stroke also : and still more particularly 
where much force is required ; for, not only the cushion may be struck with mote 
exactness in the part designed, the eye being less detached from its object ; but, the 
bodily frame is less shaken, and the nerves thrown into less disorder ; on which 
account, for a little fanciful or doubtful advantage to be gained by a few strokes, 
it does not seem adviseable (where coolness and composure are so essentially 
necessary), lightly to use means that may disturb and unfit themselves for the 
rest of their play. 
Here it may be noted likewise, the point of the cue should be always a little 
round ; not only because it better serves the purpose of twisting, or walking ; 
but, the middle of the ball is more truly struck, by being thus formed : for, 
suppose (see Fig. 12) a, b , to represent one position of the cue, where the middle 
is exactly opposed to it, as in the progressive ; in that case, it is immaterial 
whether the point be round or flat ; but suppose the position changed in the act of 
striking, to c, rf; then, it appears, if the point be flat, the ball will be driven 
towards e; but if it should be round, it will be struck in an intermediate part 
with less aberration from that intended, and its motion be towards/: yet, 
as it is also more apt to slip from the ball, extremes should be avoided, making 
it at least sufficiently round, that all its parts may describe similar arches, when 
turned upon the bridge as a centre. 
Also a short bridge, if it admits of striking the ball with sufficient force, is 
preferable to a long one; this may be seen (in Fig. 13) where b, c, represent 
part of a cue, centrally in the line of direction, and d, the bridge ; there the 
hand which forms it, is supported by the table, and steadiness only is required : 
hut the chief difficulty rests upon the hack-hand, which is without support, 
and at the same time, to give the impetus in the line of direction. Suppose 
then, in striking the ball a, a variation from the original position (which very 
few players, if any, can altogether avoid) ; and the cue to occupy the place 
of the dotted lines ; it is obvious, the edge of the point would strike the ball 
in the middle : but if at twice the distance from the bridge, it is equally plain, 
the cue, without altering the angle, would vary twice as much ; that is, the 
whole breadth of the point, and miss the hall almost entirely. 
(To be continued.) 
