representing the present Emperor Napo- | balladines to win their bread with; but leon and his elder brother as cherubim, the exercises that I would have you to complete the decoration of the little room. use, although but moderately, not making The bed, standing in an alcove, is the one a craft of them, are running, leaping, in which the queen died. In the adjoin- wrestling, fencing, dancing, and playing ing cabinet we gaze on the portrait of the at the caitch, or tennise, archerie, palle Empress Josephine looking out upon a malle, and such-like other fair and pleasmagnificent landscape, and a portrait of ant field games." This is, we believe, the amiable Madame de Broe, painted by almost the earliest date at which the game Hortense herself. This lady perished in was played in England: for in 1598, just the sight of the queen on June 10, 1813, five years before James I. ascended the when they were visiting the waterfall of throne, Sir Robert Dallington, in his Gresy, in Savoy, where she slipped in and book "A Method for Travel," writes: was drowned. "Among all the exercises of France, I prefer none before the paille maille, both because it is gentlemanlike sport, not violent, and yields good occasion and opportunity of discourse, as they walk from the one mark to the other. I marvel, among many more apish and foolish toys which we have brought out of France, that we have not brought this sport also into England." The game, however, was not generally played until the reign of Charles II.; as in a little work, "The French Garden for English Ladies', published in 1621, occurs the following passage: "A paille maille is a wooden hammer set to the end of a long stoppe, to strike about with, at which game noblemen and gentlemen in France doe play much." The emperor had an alabaster monument of his mother placed in the chapel of Arenenberg, which was sculptured by Bartolini of Florence in 1845. Hortense is represented in a kneeling posture, with her hands folded in prayer. The chapel, small though it is, arouses a feeling of devotion and elevation of mind, blended, however, with a certain gentle melancholy, which, indeed, floats round the entire building. London Society. A HISTORY OF CROQUÊT. PALL MALL, the head-quarters of the club world, a spacious thoroughfare be- | tween St. Jame's Street and the Haymarket, derives its name from the game of paille maille, which was introduced into England from France in the reign of James I. That this game was known and played in this country in the reign of the modern Solomon, is evident from the fact, that in the third book of that remarkable treatise, entitled "BAZIAIKON 4OPON," which the king wrote to the heir-apparent, Henry, Prince of Wales, as a set of rules for his nurture and conduct, it is recommended in the following manner: "Certainly," says the king, "bodily exercises and games are very commendable, as well for bannishing of idleness, the mother of all vice, as for making the body able and durable for travell, which is very necessary for a king. But from this court I debarre all rough and violent exercises; as the foote-ball, meeter for lameing than making able the uses thereof; as likewise such tumbling trickes as only serve for comedians and In 1670, however, the game was well known. In the edition for that year of Blount's "Glossographia" we are told that "paille maille is a game wherein a round bowle, is with a mallet struck through a high arch of iron (standing at either end of the alley), which he that can do at the fewest blows, or at the number agreed on, wins." This game was heretofore played in the long alley near St. James's, and vulgarly called Pell Mell. The Mall, which at present exists in St. James's Park, was arranged by Charles II.; but the Mall, on which now stands the street above mentioned, was used as a ground for this sport as early as the reign of James I. The Apple-tree Yard St. James's Square of the present day was then a piece of pastime ground known as Pell Mell Close, and evidently derived its name from the locality where the game was played. That the game was very popular during the reign of the Merry Monarch there can be no doubt, as the king is often described as excelling at pall mall, and evidently was a zealous player. The poet Waller, in his poem, St. James's Parke, as lately improved by his Majesty," witnesses to this fact in the following lines: "Here a well-polished mall gives us the joy Authorities differ considerably with regard to the regulations of this regal pastime. In an old book of French sports, however, the following account of the game is given: "This game which is said to have been played by the Gauls, To see our prince his matchless force employ, our ancestors, was so generally played in His manly posture and his graceful mien, former years, that the greater portion of Vigor and youth in all his members seem: No sooner has he touched the flying ball, the promenades adjoining many of our But 'tis already more than half them all: towns consisted of a long avenue, termed And such a fury from his arm has got, the mail, because it was set apart for the As from a smoking culverin 'twere shot." jeu de mail. In the game the players The Duke of York, afterwards James stood at one end of the Mall, and enII., was also a good player, as, in fact, deavored to strike the ball by hitting it were most of the courtiers; for Pepys with the mallet, through a ring which records in his diary for April 2d, 1661: was suspended at a certain distance from "To St James's Park, where I saw the them. Whoever first suceeeded in doDuke of York playing at pell mell, the ing this, won the game." It may perfirst time that ever I saw the sport in this haps be imagined that the dissolute galcountry." Taking Waller's poems as an lants at Charles II.'s court were not very authority, many writers state that Charles energetic or persevering in a game which II. introduced the game into this country, required so much exertion as pall mall. whereas we know it was occasionally Mr. Pepys, however, tells us that the conplayed in the reign of James I., as we tests were often so keen, that people have already recorded. Prince Henry, sometimes stripped to their shirts. On however, played on the ground now oc- the demise of the king, the game died cupied by the street, Pall Mall, which was out in England almost entirely, although then merely a walk made for the purpose, it continued to flourish in France, and and lined with trees. In Charles I.'s lives there to this present day. reign, however, the game seems to have the death of Charles II., all traces of fallen into desuetude, as during the Com- this pastime soon became lost in this monwealth the alley, or avenue, had al- country, until about thirty years ago, ready begun to be converted into a street, when a game sprang up in Ireland, and therefore Charles II. was compelled known as crokey, in which the operation to arrange the avenue in St. James's of cracking the balls seemed to be the Park, now known as the Mall, for the chief feature of the game, since the hoops purposes of the game, and also to appoint were almost left to themselves, and the men to keep it in good order. Our gos- cracking was considered of most imporsip, Samuel Pepys, in his diary for 15th tance. The game soon found many adof May, 1663, informs us how this was mirers, and was encouraged by ladies, managed. He writes: "I walked in the who took part in it. It is evident that Parke discoursing with the keeper of the in the reigns of the Stuarts, whatever Pell Mell, who was sweeping of it, who manly accomplishments Nell Gwynn and told me of what the earth is mixed that her companions possessed, a participado floor the Mall, and that over all there tion in the game of paille maille was not is cockle shells powdered, and spread to among them. From crokey to croquêt keep it fast, which, however, in dry weath--the latter a Gallic imitative manner of er, turns to dust and deads the ball." The Mall, too, was rolled regularly, and kept in beautiful condition with the greatest care, and was according to a contemporary author,* "of a reasonable good length, straight and even, and if one had a paille maille, it were good to play in the alley." On spelling the former-the transition is easy; and although the orthography of the title of the game and the French word for gingerbread are identical, it is almost certain that there is nothing synonymous in their meanings. That there are quite enough points of resemblance between the games of croquêt and pall mall, to justify our opinion that the ground-work * Nares' "French Garden for English Ladies." of croquêt is the older game, which we have already stated is so ancient that, is quite a secondary consideration. That the game of croquêt nas during the last few years become very popular, is simply a fact. A short time since but very few knew that there was such a game; and now, not only everybody seems aware of its existence, but almost every person can play at it, and, what is more to the point, finds very much enjoyment in the sport. The next question, therefore, to be considered is, what are the chief causes of the great popularity that this game has achieved in so short a time? Cynical old bachelors and mysogynists aver that the reason why men like the game, is, because in it girls show their ankles; and that the reason why women like it is, because it fosters their conceit, by allowing them to prove their equality with "the lords of the creation." This is the style of argument usually adopted by people who know little or nothing about this sport. The prevalent idea with regard to it, in the minds of such people, is that people play at it merely for the sake of flirtation, and that the process of knocking the balls about One of the late Mr. Leech's pictures in "Punch" stands recorded as a proof of this. The scene represents a croquêt party, in which six young ladies, armed with mallets, stand disconsolate, and declare it's no use playing if Captain Fairplay and Blanche go on in that absurd manner. The aforesaid couple are engaged in the mysteries of a deep flirtation at one end of the ground. Now in a game of croquêt, played by energetic people, such a state of things would be impossible, as each player would not only keep a watch on his ball, but would also pay attention to the progress of the game, and be unable to participate in a dialogue for even two or three minutes. For, although the subscriber would be the last to deny that the participation of ladies in the sport adds an indescribable charm to croquêt, yet it is manifestly absurd to say that their presence is the main attraction. Good players of either sex can find enjoyment in the game, whether it is played solely by gentlemen or solely by ladies; and most men would undoubtedly prefer playing entirely with people of their own sex, rather than have the interest of the game spoiled by a lady who knows little or nothing about the rules. The real cause of the great interest people, who know how to play, take in the game, is the pleasant excitement and sustained pleasure it produces-a feeling equally prevalent in, and equally enjoyable by either ladies or gentlemen. The fact that the game is never lost till it is won, and that as long as two players are at work the interest is sustained, as well as the fresh combinations each stroke produces, are in themselves sufficient to make croquêt popular. Besides, there is no other game in which ladies and gentlemen can amuse themselves. Some people may mention archery; but that sport means a large fortune and a large field. No toxophilite can shoot on a lawn, or purchase pleasure for eight people, as at croquêt, for a trifling sum. Add to this the fact that there is always the chance of a budding archer shooting somebody or himself; and remember the vast disparity between the expense and danger of the two games. One can then easily account for the increasing popularity of the one, and the corres ponding decrease in popular favor of the other. this time, too, Mr. Routledge, the publisher, considered that a croquêt manual would be a popular addition to his series. of sixpenny handbooks, and also issued a set of croquêt rules, which differed in many important points from both the other two. And now in the kingdom of croquêt anarchy reigned supreme. Not content with three different codes of laws, other writers published books of laws, and players invented sets of rules to suit their own peculiar cliques. Thus in lawn parties last summer it was almost impossible for strangers to play together; and so far did this independent system of croquêt regulation extend, that it may safely be said that in no two places was the game played in exactly the same manner. Cheating, it has always been allowed, is the prerogative of ladies who play croquêt; but now any person can defend any position in the game obtained unfairly by quoting some rule of the printed authorities. Not only, however, were the rules tampered with, but innovations on the implements became the order of the day. One nobleman had leather buffers placed at the heads It is naturally with a feeling of pleasure that we watch the rapidly-spreading knowledge and appreciation of eroquêt; but at the same time it is evident that at present the game seems to stand a chance of being destroyed by its innumerable devotees. When the game was re-christened croquêt, the toymaker, whose speculative genius induced him to make the game and print a short set of concise rules furnished to him, quietly introduced it as a nice out-door amusement. It therefore soon became known among aristocratic circles, and as it was a novelty, and served as a pastime, it was at once taken up. Rapidly it then spread, until the demand for it became great enough to induce the lawmaker to manufacture croquet sets sufficiently cheap to bring it within the reach of most classes; and now rose other lawgivers whose knowledge of the game induced them to trample upon the authorized laws, and make fresh rules to suit their own convenience. Towards the end of 1863, Captain Mayne Reid raised the standard of revolt, and published a most extraor- of the mallet; another altered the shape dinary manual of croquêt, containing 129 rules and 60 notes. The number of these rules, however, was not the chief obstacle. The fundamental propositions of the author on this subject were so entirely opposed, in the main, to the modest card of rules issued by the toymaker, that it became impossible for a follower of Mayne Reid to play with a follower of Jaques; and hence bickerings and disputes was the result, and the game began to be considered as somewhat difficult and not quite so nice as when one code only of rules existed. In Captain Reid's manual he sedulously abused the croquêt sets issued by Mr. Jaques, and recommended those made by another manufacturer, who, encouraged by the success of the game, had copied the implements as closely as he could without infringing the copyright law. This naturally had some effect upon the sale of the games; and there fore in the following spring Mr. Jaques deemed it advisable to issue a handbook, which not only differed from the captain's rules, but also contradicted those on the card previously issued by himself. About of the hoops; another the color of the balls; and another, thinking it derogatory to his dignity to be fettered with rules, had an entirely new set drawn up for his own especial use, and intrusted the literary task to a lady, who evidently had carried cheating in actual play to such an extent that she was compelled to adopt the same mode of proceeding in her book, for she copied the best part of Captain Reid's eccentric handbook, and then produced her Treatise as the rules of the Earl of Essex. The professional author, however, soon instructed the amateur in the mysteries of the art of copyright, in return for which lessons the noble pupil paid the small sum of £100., with a few trifling costs. We merely mention this circumstance to show in what a dangerous state the kingdom of croquêt is in at the present time. Nobody at present seems satisfied with any rules at all. If A likes one of Jaque's rules, he thinks that on other points Routledge's are better; and if B does approve of Mayne Reid's rendering of the croquêt itself, he thinks that in all other respects that author is wrong. In fact, it is generally admitted that, according to the present state of people's minds on the subject, none of the handbooks are of any use at all, and consequently none of the rules need be adopted by any one anywhere. Were we to quote the many instances in which the writers of the handbooks differ, we should require even more space than the indulgent Editor of London Society is willing to accord to us. There is, however, one point on which so much difference of opinion has been aroused, and about which so much has been said, that we take this opportunity of endeavoring to render it intelligible to those of our readers who indulge in the pursuit of croquet. The point we allude to is one which has derived its name from the title of the game itself; to wit, The Croquêt. This is the head and front of the offending of each author, and has, perhaps, caused more contention than any other feature of the game. The croquet is, as most know, supposed to be theoretically an accessory to the game, whereas, in reality, it is the fundamental basis. It is instituted to impede or assist the progress of the players; but in reality it is the progress itself, as nothing can be done without its assistWe need not tell our readers under what circumstances a player is privileged to practice the croquêt. The backbone of the discussions is how the croquet is to be practiced. We will see what the lawgivers say upon this subject. Mr. Jaques has : ance. "The croquet is done as follows: The player lays his own ball against the other, so that it touches it. He then places his foot on his own ball, which he strikes with the mallet. This will drive the ball with any strength, and in any direction he pleases. In croquetting a ball away, a player will hold his foot firmly on his own ball. In making a splitting, or following stroke, the foot is usually held lightly on one's own ball; but it is not obligatory to put the foot on at all. This is entirely at the option of the player. He is said to take a stroke off" when he places his own ball to touch the croquetted ball very lightly, so as to leave it when croquetted in nearly the same position; but in doing this the croquetted ball must be perceptibly moved." Captain Reid writes: "A ball having made roquet on another, is taken up and placed in contact with the ball in which it has roqued. The player sets foot on the former, presses firmly so as to hold it in place, and with a blow of the mallet drives the roqued ball in whatever direction may be desired. A ball having made roquet, is taken up, placed contiguous to the roqued ball, and without being held under the foot, is struck by the mallet, and driver, as also the roqued ball, in the direction desired." In reading the opinions of the two authors just quoted, one can not avoid the reflection that their directions would have produced a better effect if they had been somewhat briefer and not quite so discursive. The third lawgiver, Mr. Edmund Routledge, can not be accused of either of these faults in the following rule: "In croquing the ball, the player must keep his foot firmly upon his own ball, and if the stroke move it, the ball must afterwards be brought back to the position it occupied before it was struck." From these quotations it will be seen that the first two writers are in favor of what is technically known as the loose or slipping croquet, and that Mr. Routledge pins his faith upon the tight croquêt. Before our readers pass too severe an opinion upon the merits of this discussion-for it is the rules about the croquêt that have caused almost all the confusion that exists in the croquêt world— it is but fair to state that the rules originaily issued by Mr. Jaques were in favor of the tight croquêt, and that on no account was the ball of the croqueur to be moved when he performed the croquet. Captain Reid, the cause of the anarchy in the kingdom of croquêt, was the first to suggest the new mode of playing, which was half assented to by Mr. Jaques in his book at the request of some croquêt players. Since, however, the only way to render this game popular is to preserve its simplicity, and as the loose croquêt is the cause of endless complications and consequent disturbances, we can not but agree with the plain dictum enforced by Mr. Routledge, which experience has proved to be the most practicable. We have merely quoted these dif |