59 Great Peter Street,
Westminster London S.W.
April 3, 1859
My Dear Fiske,
Having nothing better to do (excuse this flattering commencement) I sit
down to take up my pen for the purpose of beginning a lengthy epistle. As
Paul Morphy will very shortly be back again in the
United States receiving the slobberifications of his countrymen, this
communication may be looked upon as an introductory act of transfer,
instruction of consignment, etc. etc. Do you remember
giving Paul Morphy a note for me when he was leaving New York, together
with documents for Preti and others? Well, when we were both in Paris in
the month of October last, he asked me to look in
his portmanteau for some thick underlinen, as the weather was becoming
cool. I searched as directed, and what should I find but these identical
notes; and had it not been for my discovery, they
would not now have been delivered. I mention the circumstances because I
wish you to understand that it was simply and purely de mon propre avis
that I stuck to him from the moment of his arrival.
Several reasons impelled me to this. Firstly, revenge against the American
players who had not recognised my exertions at the Congress. There was
only one way in which I would have received
any mark of recognition from them; that was by a vote of thanks of which I
should have been proud as long as I lived. I don't care about my duties
during the Meeting, altho you are well aware, Fiske, the other secretaries
did little or nothing: what I mean is - the publicity which my articles in
the Tribune, Frank Leslie's, etc. gave to the proceedings.
Secondly, pride. The English players laughed at me when I told them about
Morphy, and the St. George's in particular made merry at me, although I
did not allow my enthusiasm to get the better of my judgement. When Paul
Morphy arrived he, at first, was distant towards me; he thought, no doubt,
I was desirous of being his second and deriving eclat from his
feats. I soon set that thought to rest. But the greatest incentive of all
was the determination that he should beat Staunton. In the presence of the
London Chess Club, Mr. Mongredien said to our hero - "You must be very
careful, Mr. Morphy, what you say and do with regard to Staunton: he is a
wily customer and will find means to back out of this match and throw the
onus upon you". I immediately answered right out - "Mr. Morphy, Sir, has
come to Europe to beat Mr. Staunton and he will beat him with whatever
weapons that gentleman may choose". - I have never acted with so much
judgement and energy as in seconding Paul Morphy, and in future years I
shall always reflect upon this period of my life with pride. Staunton has
lorded it over the English chess world for many long years with the utmost
tyranny and where is he now? "Not one
soul to do him reverence". He does not go to the St. George's, and all the
members of that club are heart and soul for Morphy. Lord Lyttelton's
letter has damned him in history and write or say what
he will, he can never resume his position in the teeth of that epistle.
Would you think it possible, Fiske, that Morphy objected to have that
letter published, and that I was subsequently obliged to send it off to
the papers on my own responsibility, without his knowledge? Ah, I have had
a bitter, hard battle to fight with him all through. He objected for a
long, long time to having the letter sent to Staunton which commenced the
public correspondence between them. When S. sought to entrap him by
sending his private reply, Morphy preferred listening to anybody but me,
and was about answering
also privately. But, singly and alone, I managed to carry the day at last,
by dint of argument, entreaty and almost tears. And when Staunton
published M's letter, suppressing that important paragraph, I said that
the latter must now address the British Chess Association and claim
justice. Morphy laughed in my face, and replied "the matter need go no
further". What would you have thought of him and me if the affair had so
rested? I immediately sat down, boiling with rage, and penned the letter
to Lord Lyttelton. I took it right away and submitted it to Mr. Bryant
(Staunton's old Second) who returned to the hotel with me and induced
Morphy to sign it. Nor is this all. When Lord L. sent his capital reply,
P.M. declared that it should not be published. - Seeing it was vain to
hope for his consent, I waited until he was out of the way and then sent
it to the London papers. Ask Morphy if all this is not true, and then say,
Fiske, if I did not act as the very best of friends. Still further, am I
not the sole cause of his remaining in Europe and beating Anderssen,
without which he would have returned to
America uncrowned and unacknowledged?
You have, by this time, read my book. Have I sought my own glory or
avenged myself for any supposed wrong? Private feelings have nothing to do
with my admiration for his genius; and besides, there is a sweet
satisfaction in working heart and soul for a man who is unjust and
ungrateful to you. Fiske, how Christian-like one feels when his motives
are misjudged and his disinterested acts
supposed to cover an arriere pensee, and this is just my position.
Through chess in New York and working for your Congress, I lost a good
situation on the Herald. Through Morphy I lost an autumnal
tour in Russia, the confidence of my father, the affection of my family;
nearly broke my poor wife's heart by forsaking her for him, and to cap the
climax am now hated and maligned by himself. And
now, how stands the case? I see him safely out of Europe with the greatest
reputation that ever chess-player possessed, and I write a work which will
live as long as the game lives and will make him more famous than anything
he has ever done. And all for what? To be treated as Alexander served
Parmenio.
The main reason for Morphy's treatment is this: You know that any laborer
in the South is regarded as a slave: he has come so to think of me. I made
the proposition to him to accompany him to Paris as his secretary, etc.,
if he would pay my expenses, which I would pay at some future day. He
ultimately got to think me a nigger, actually telling me one day, "you
will write, you must write, you are paid to write". No other man but
myself would have forgiven him that. I did for he had not yet beaten
Anderssen and I was resolved he should. And now that he is at home, I
shall still guard his fame here
in Europe and woe be to him who dares say aught against Paul Morphy.
In anything I do for Morphy, I am admirably seconded by Lowenthal who
downright worships him. I am writing to you Fiske, purely confidentially,
and will therefore tell you a secret, which for Heaven's sake keep to
yourself. Staunton has got himself into such bad odour with his countrymen
that there is but one club throughout the length and breadth of the
kingdom which is favorable to him - viz, the Cambridge University C.C. S.
wants to right himself. He cannot get any games for the Ill. Lon. News
except those he copies second hand from other papers, and he does not show
himself anywhere in chess circles. Besides, he knows that the British
Association must, at its next meeting, take action upon Morphy's appeal to
its President, and he is now working to get the meeting held at Cambridge.
Lowenthal and I are watching him and we have discovered that he is
endeavouring to induce the
Worcester Club to give up its claims until next year and it is probable
they will. We shall then get the meeting in London and Staunton will be
outvoted 20 to 1. Lowenthal is very popular with all the London clubs, and
I have now some influence with the leading members and shall have much
more when my book is published. Besides, Walker, Boden and Falkbeer
are under obligations to me and I can use their columns when I wish.
Depend upon it, Staunton won't make anything by Morphy's departure, and
wherever the association may meet, I shall be present and face to face
with the portly Howard. He has been no match for me in diplomacy and
correspondence and he will be still less in
speechifying.
April 15th 1859
Morphy leaves for Liverpool today on his way to New York.
Before you receive this, you will have seen him and no doubt will have
heard his reasons for so acting towards me. Now Fiske, I ask you, what
reasons have I, or had I, for sticking to him? I was no chessplayer or
American. I could hope to gain nothing by friendship for him. I do not
wish to prejudice you against Morphy: if one must suffer, let it be me,
for he is your countryman, your co-editor and your friend. All I ask of
you is - do not wrong me also. I have done him naught but good, I have
served him as a Christian should his God. Judge me by my conduct since his
arrival in New York in '57 - and as I love and esteem you Fiske, show me
some generosity - which I have not received from your countrymen. Morphy
is gone. I must now devote my years to business. My father's affairs call
me constantly into the different great cities of Europe. I shall make a
point of visiting the chess clubs in my journeyings and you may rely upon
receiving occasional readable articles from me for the Monthly.
Hoping you are well and that you will receive Morphy as he really ought to
be received for the glory he has cast upon his country.
I remain, my dear Fiske,
Most Sincerely Yours
Fred'k Edge
P.S. - You ought to have the announcement of Morphy's
being on board in the Extras. I wrote to the Captain of the steamer to ask
him to do so.
