The Decline and Fall of Whist: An Old Fashioned View of New Fangled Play

The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Decline and Fall of Whist, by John Petch Hewby

THE DECLINE AND FALL OF WHIST
An Old Fashioned View of New Fangled Play BY THE AUTHOR OF “WHIST OR BUMBLEPUPPY” London G. E. WATERS 97 Westbourne Grove SIMPKIN MARSHALL & Co. Stationers’ Hall Court 1884


As it has been taken for granted, because no abhorrence of the recent proceedings of the New Academy has been openly expressed, such feeling is non-existent, this opuscule has been written in the confident belief that it expresses the opinions of a majority of civilized Whist-players.
London, Christmas, 1884 .

IF we only live long enough we all pass through at least three stages—one authority says seven;—we grow, we attain our prime, we decay; and Whist, apparently, is not exempt from the common lot.
Somewhat obscure in its origin, it gradually developed, it arrived at its zenith, then began to go down hill, and became the piteous spectacle we now see, until, flying from the whist-room as from a pest-house, the players are betaking themselves in shoals to other and unholy games.