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Literary
January 16, 1822
The Hillsborough Recorder
Hillsboro, Orange County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
A traveler recounts to friends his observation of strange men who sit obsessively around a table playing games late into the night, deaf and dumb to the world around them, displaying intense emotions. The friends puzzle over their motives, revealed as mere play. This is a translated moral apologue by German fabulist Mr. Luchtwehr.
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OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
THE GAMESTERS.
A man, after travelling for a considerable time about the world, returned to his native country. His friends gathered around him, and, according to custom, cried we are glad to see you in good health; come relate to us your adventures. Ha! How many miracles were in an instant described! Gentlemen, said he, among other things, you know the great distance there is between the country of Horons and the Curs: well, at twelve hundred leagues from that country, I have seen a species of men that appeared to me altogether singular. Frequently they remained seated round a table till very late at night; there is no table cloth, nor any thing like food on the table.—thunder might roar above their heads; two armies might fight between them; heaven might proclaim that the day of the last judgment is at hand; yet they would not quit their places: it would not occasion the least distraction among them—for they are deaf and dumb. At times, broken sounds are heard to come out of their mouths: these sounds have no connexion between them, and cannot express much; and yet they have the power to make the eyes of those men roll in a strange manner. I have often looked upon them with admiration; they are never in want of spectators who are drawn thither by curiosity: and believe me, my friends, I will never forget the terrible faces I saw on similar occasions,—Impatience, and sometimes a malignant joy, with uneasiness, were alternately impressed on those faces. Now, it was the fury of the Eumenides; then the serious and sullen mien of the judges of the infernal regions: now the pangs of a criminal conducted to execution.—But, asked the friends of the traveller, what can be the motives of those miserable beings to assemble thus! Have these devoted their time to work for the public good? No. Probably they are endeavouring to find out the square of the circle? No, much less. Do they meet to do penance for their crimes? No. no! You speak of real maniacs, without hearing, without speaking, without feeling: what then can they be doing—They play.
The above is a translation of an apologue of Mr. Luchtwehr, a German fabulist.
A man, after travelling for a considerable time about the world, returned to his native country. His friends gathered around him, and, according to custom, cried we are glad to see you in good health; come relate to us your adventures. Ha! How many miracles were in an instant described! Gentlemen, said he, among other things, you know the great distance there is between the country of Horons and the Curs: well, at twelve hundred leagues from that country, I have seen a species of men that appeared to me altogether singular. Frequently they remained seated round a table till very late at night; there is no table cloth, nor any thing like food on the table.—thunder might roar above their heads; two armies might fight between them; heaven might proclaim that the day of the last judgment is at hand; yet they would not quit their places: it would not occasion the least distraction among them—for they are deaf and dumb. At times, broken sounds are heard to come out of their mouths: these sounds have no connexion between them, and cannot express much; and yet they have the power to make the eyes of those men roll in a strange manner. I have often looked upon them with admiration; they are never in want of spectators who are drawn thither by curiosity: and believe me, my friends, I will never forget the terrible faces I saw on similar occasions,—Impatience, and sometimes a malignant joy, with uneasiness, were alternately impressed on those faces. Now, it was the fury of the Eumenides; then the serious and sullen mien of the judges of the infernal regions: now the pangs of a criminal conducted to execution.—But, asked the friends of the traveller, what can be the motives of those miserable beings to assemble thus! Have these devoted their time to work for the public good? No. Probably they are endeavouring to find out the square of the circle? No, much less. Do they meet to do penance for their crimes? No. no! You speak of real maniacs, without hearing, without speaking, without feeling: what then can they be doing—They play.
The above is a translation of an apologue of Mr. Luchtwehr, a German fabulist.
What sub-type of article is it?
Fable
Prose Fiction
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Gamblers
Moral Fable
Obsessive Play
Traveler Tale
Vice Critique
What entities or persons were involved?
Translation Of An Apologue Of Mr. Luchtwehr, A German Fabulist
Literary Details
Title
The Gamesters.
Author
Translation Of An Apologue Of Mr. Luchtwehr, A German Fabulist
Key Lines
Thunder Might Roar Above Their Heads; Two Armies Might Fight Between Them; Heaven Might Proclaim That The Day Of The Last Judgment Is At Hand; Yet They Would Not Quit Their Places
What Then Can They Be Doing—They Play.