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Gaming in the Early 19th Century continued...
In the 17th century, the Puritans frowned
on gaming, associating it with other vices. But
there was little church elders could do to stem
a swelling tide as new immigrants brought favorite
pastimes from Restoration England. Lawn bowling,
shuffleboard, and quoits (a ring-toss game) were
played on Boston Common and side streets. In his
book "The Young Man's Guide through the Wilderness
of this World to the Heavenly Canaan (1672)",
decided to preach moderation. Games, he told young
men, "should be as Sauces to your Meat, to sharpen
your appetite onto the duties of your Calling,
and not to glut yourselves with them."
With a gradual rise in prosperity over the 17th
and 18th centuries, Americans had more and more
time to devote to leisure pursuits. Card games
and billiards proved the most popular pastimes
in both taverns and fashionable homes. Their popularity
increased even more dramatically in the decades
after the American Revolution. Specially designed
tables were introduced for card playing. By 1800,
having a pair of card tables in one's parlor became
particularly symbolic of a household's genteel
aspirations, even for middle-class families.
Whist, Loo, Piquet, and Vingt-Un (Twenty-One) were
among Americans' favorite card games. They adopted
these games directly from the English. The rule
book of Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769) first appeared
in 1742 and soon crossed the Atlantic. So popular
were his many editions that his name is synonymous
with game rules to this day. A 1796 Boston edition
(one of the first printed in America) was entitled,
Hoyle's Games, Improved: Being Practical Treatises
on the Following Fashionable Games, viz. Whist,
Quadrille, Piquet, Back-Gammon, Chess, Billiards,
and Tennis. By publication of the next edition
in 1814, the number of games described had multiplied
to 25 and included golf and cricket.
Billiards seems to have been a favorite of both
Christopher and Rebecca Gore. In 1802, while they
were living in England, the Gores looked after
the sons of their dear friends, Rufus and Mary
King, when the Kings made a tour of the Continent.
The anxious parents received frequent letters
from the Gores. "In all probability Frederick
will be a great billiard player," wrote Christopher
of their baby, "for he constantly attends, when
others play, and assists Mrs. G. mightily in aiming
the blow." Perhaps some of these happy memories
prompted the Gores to plan a billiard room for
their country house in Waltham. Frederick King
apparently continued to enjoy the game as he grew
up. He would take a break from his studies at
Harvard and walk to Gore Place with his friends
where they "amused themselves at Billiards." The
Gores' Boston-made billiard table is one of the
treasures on view in the mansion: it is the first
or second oldest American billiard table.
Chess, backgammon, cribbage, draughts (checkers),
and dominoes were a few of the older games revived
or played by an increasing number of people in
the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Printed
board games also made an appearance. "The Royall
& Most Pleasant Game of the Goose" was published
in London about 1770. "The Game of Human Life"
(1790) and "The Mansion of Happiness" (1800) are
two other popular race games from England that
also delivered messages for moral improvement
to young people.
The flourishing number of games were just part
of the significant changes in American social
life that mark the Federal era. During this period
people accepted new notions of childhood that
were more indulgent and encouraged play. Romantic
love became an acknowledged ideal in marriage.
Less restrictive styles of dress were adopted
for women and children. So notions of "liberty"
would seem to have grown beyond the purely political
definition, and games were one little expression
of Americans' new freedom to enjoy life.
Games of the Federal period will be on view in
the mansion through November 15, along with a
copy of Hoyle's Games (1814) on loan from Dartmouth
College. Reproduction cards and other games will
also be on hand for any who may wish to give them
a try.
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