Retzsch's Game of Chess. —

 

 " Suppose it were perfectly certain that the life and fortune of every one of us would one day or other depend upon his winning or losing a game at chess. Don't you think we would all consider it a primary duty at least to learn the names and moves of the pieces? Yet it is plain that the life, fortune, and happiness of every one of us depend upon our knowing something of the rules of a game infinitely more difficult and complicated than chess. The chess-board is the world ; the pieces are the phenomena of the universe ; the rules are what we call the laws of nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. We know that this play is always fair, just, and patient ; but also we know, to our cost, that he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance. To the man who plays well, the highest stakes are paid ; and one who plays ill is check- mated, without haste, but without remorse. My metaphor will remind some of you of the famous picture in which Retzsch has depicted Satan playing at chess with man for his soul. Substitute for the mocking  fiend in that picture a calm, strong angel, who is playing for love, as we say, and would rather lose than win, and I would accept it as an image of human life." — Prof. Huxley in Lay Sermons, p. 31.