1Rue du Dauphin, Paris
18th November, 1858
My dear Fiske,
Will you have the -goodness- to forward the following immediately to
Mons. Jean Preti,
Café de la Régence
Paris?
2 Complete sets of the chess monthly
for 1858
and commencing with 1859, 5 numbers every month.
Préti is a capital fellow, we both like him much, and Morphy has appointed
him your agent here, as he has an immense acquaintance among chess
players throughout Europe, Particularly in the higher circles. Préti
wishes you to forward every number by post in a cover, and to save weight
you had, perhaps, better cut out adverstising ads. immediately on
rect. (receipt - sbc.) he will forward you the amount. Morphy holds himself responsible.
Please tell Préti what the cost of postage is per number and also
what commission you will allow him: he now goes on the principle of the
terms on the cover of the monthly, but he supposes you will allow him a
commission besides on all orders he gets- and they will be considerable.
Here are 5 to begin.
There is
nothing new. Morphy stays until spring, and Anderson comes here to play
match on 18th Dec. The universal state opinion of all Europe now is , that
Morphy is superior , not merely to all living players, but to
Labourdonnais &c. even. At the Régence, the old friends of Labourdonnais
openly declare this: They say that P.M.. is equally brilliant and much
more solide, and That he has reduced chess to " une science
exacte." You will recollect that Paulsen said the same thing last
year.
Morphy has this
week announced publicly that he will play no one in France ever except
Harrwitz: but Harrwitz has had too much already. The statement in last
ILL. London. N. that H. was about to challenge M to another contest is a
lie: H won't even play an off-hand game. Fancy Morphy giving all France
Pawn&move.
Mr. American Ambassador has become a warm friend of Morphy's, and, without
his knowledge has proposed and got him elected member of the
cercle imperial, to which only the Emperor, Princes Imperials, the
highest noblesse, ministers and foreign ambassadors belong. Morphy was
received by them with most distinguished honor. Mr. Mason is going
also to present him to the emperor. " Honors crowd thick upon him" but
they do not affect him.
Why do not write us as an epistle, and tell us about the N.Y. Club., Thompson,
Mead &c? You ought to, and Morphy is expecting it of you,
I remain yours most truly.
Fred Edge
