Excerpt from Solitaire

ET no one despise the game of Solitaire. Many are apt to do so, and to look down on it as altogether puerile, because it is humble among games; 'it knows no fierce altercations of' exultation or despair; it gives no scope for finesse; there is no adversary'to outwit and defeat; in short, there is no excitement about 'it of any sort. Nevertheless, it has its uses, and there are many overworked brains, lonely hearts, and pain-racked nerves, that can testify to them. Ladies living alone who have to sit through solitary evenings reading, writing or working, till their brains are dazed and fingers sore, have found it an immense relief to put books and work aside, get out the cards, and amuse themselves with a game of solitaire before going to bed. We know of hard-worked professional men who play it regularly every evening; it makes a break in their thoughts, and keeps them from dwelling at night on the business which has been absorbing them all day. Doctors say that in such cases it is most valuable, for that any unexciting game soothes the brain, and is the best remedy against insomnia. Many invalids, condemned to lie on a dreary couch the live-long day, look forward to their evening game of solitaire as the most enjoyable time of their sad existence.

The game has also another quality: it can be played alone. Often an invalid will lie wearying for a game to take her thoughts ofi her pain. But give her a small take and two packs of cards, and she will be able to amuse herself without interfering with anyone else, or feeling herself a. Bore to her companions.

But it does not always require overwork or invalidism to prove the value of this solitary game; there is yet another experience, probably within the knowledge of all. Who has not at some time or other known the utterdreariness of a wet day at a small seaside country place-the meach and streets deserted; nothing to be seen but a leaden sky and a leaden sea; nothing to be heard but the monotonous drip of the rain; the paper read through, even to the advertisements; the small stock of very ancient books at the library exhausted. Nothing to be done between meal-times but to yawn? Yes, cards can be bought anywhere. Let thefunhappy victim of ennui secure two packs and interest himself in the intricacies of one of the more difficult games as described in this volume, and he will find that Solitaire will prove in the full sense of the words a veritable pastime. Solitaire, therefore, claims to be not only of negative, but of positive merit; and one charm of the game - or, to speaw more correctly, ' the series of games - is the infinite' variety. There are some to suit every taste. The many players who like a hard nut to crack, and require a game which is interesting, and difficult of achievement, the successes bearing the proportion to the failures of about one in ten; the many others who do not care to puzzle their brains overmuch, but like a placid amusement with a happy ending - each of these will find games to suit them in this collection. The solitary student who has pored over his books till he can see no longer, the lonely lady, the husband and wife tired of whist and bridge, the young people home for the holidays who want a game that will take in several players - in short, whether it'is the old or the young, the one or the many.

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