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602 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1773
There are times when I am so unlike myself that I could be taken for someone else of an entirely opposite character.
I have always laughed at the false ingenuousness of Montaigne, who, feigning to confess his faults, takes great care not to give himself any, except such as are amiable; whilst I, who have ever thought, and still think myself, considering everything, the best of men, felt there is no human being, however pure he may be, who does not internally conceal some odious vice.
I know my heart, and have studied mankind; I am not made like anyone I have been acquainted with, perhaps like no one in existence; if not better, I am least claim originality, and whether Nature did wisely in breaking the mold with which she formed me, can only be determined after having read this work.
Toutes les fois qu鈥檃vec le livre de Philidor ou celui de Stamma j鈥檃i voulu m鈥檈xercer 脿 茅tudier des parties, la m锚me chose m鈥檈st arriv茅e; et apr猫s m鈥櫭猼re 茅puis茅 de fatigue, je me suis trouv茅 plus faible qu鈥檃uparavant. Du reste, que j鈥檃ie abandonn茅 les 茅checs, ou qu鈥檈n en jouant je me sois remis en haleine, je n鈥檃i jamais avanc茅 d鈥檜n cran depuis cette premi猫re s茅ance, et je me suis toujours retrouv茅 au m锚me point o霉 j鈥櫭﹖ais en la finissant.
Every time I tried to study the game using the books of Philidor or Stamma, the same thing happened; after tiring myself out, I found I played even worse than I had previously. And in general, whether I stopped playing or tried hard, I never got further than I had during that first session, and always found myself at the point I had reached on finishing it.