Read Ebook: The Canadian Curler's Manual Or an account of curling as practised in Canada: with remarks on the history of the game by Bicket James

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Translator: K. Heino

LAELIUS eli YST?VYYDEST?

Kirj.

M. Tullius Cicero

Suom. K. Heino

Jyv?skyl?ss?, K. J. Gummerus, 1903.

Huomautus lukijalle.

Johdanto.

Vihdoin monenlaisten taistelujen ja huolien rasittamana julkisen el?m?n alalta vet?ytyneen? antautui Cicero kokonansa filosofialle ja tieteellisille harrastuksille. Siit? kirjoittaa h?n itse: "Miettiess?ni ja paljon sek? kauvan tuumaillessani, kuinka voisin hy?dytt?? mit? useimpia, etten milloinkaan herke?isi pit?m?st? huolta yhteisest? hyv?st?, ei johtunut mieleeni oivallisempaa keinoa, kuin jos tekisin tieteiden suunnat kansalaisilleni tunnetuiksi." . T?h?n tuli viel? lis?ksi perheellisi? suruja. H?nen tytt?rens? Tullia, "Tulliola, deliciae nostrae", jota h?n rakasti t?ydell? is?n syd?mmen hellyydell?, kuoli v. 45. Se isku mursi kovin h?nen mielt?ns?. Nytkin ottaa h?n pakonsa filosofian turviin, l?yt??ksens? sen satamassa lohdutusta ja lepoa. Syv?? suruansa lievent??ksens? kirjoitti h?n jo samana vuonna kirjan: "De consolatione sive De luctu minuendo", s.o. "Lohdutuksesta eli kuolemansurun lievent?misest?". Sitte seuraavana vuonna, paitsi muita filosofisia kirjoituksia, ilmestyi: "Cato Major sive De senectute" eli "Vanhuudesta", samoin t?m? k?sill? oleva teos: "Laelius sive De amicitia" -- "Laelius eli Yst?vyydest?", kumpainenkin keskustelun muodossa esiteltyn?, on Ciceronin hyv?lle yst?v?lle Titus Pomponius Atticukselle omistettu.

Kirja "Laelius eli Yst?vyydest?" on siis kirjoitettu v. 44 e.Kr.s., vuotta ennen Ciceronin kuolemaa . Keskustelun henkil?t ovat 1) Cajus Laelius, synt. v. 188 e.Kr.s., tunnettu l?heisest? yst?vyydest?ns? Scipio Africanus nuoremman kanssa. Filosofisista harrastuksistaan sek? seurustelustansa Stoalaisen Diogeneen ja Panaitioksen kanssa sai h?n lis?nimen "Sapiens" s.o. "Viisas". 2) Cajus Fannius, joka oli Scipionin kanssa sotaretkill? yhdess?, harrasti Stoalaista filosofiaa Panaitioksen johdolla ja oli tunnettu "Vuosikirjojen" kirjoittajana. 3) Qvintus Mucius -- Scaevola eroitukseksi samannimisest? aikalaisestaan, joka oli pontifex maximus eli ylimm?inen pappi -- "auguriksi" sanottu, oli kuuluisa laajoista lainopillisista tiedoistansa.

Keskustelu "Yst?vyydest?" on esitelty tapahtuneeksi Laeliuksen kotona, v?h?? j?lkeenp?in Scipio Africanus nuoremman kuoleman v. 129 e.Kr.s. -- Kirjanen, joka nyt ensi kerran ilmestyy Suomalaisessa muodossa, selitt?? ajattelevalle lukijalle itse l?hemmin tarkoituksensa.

Katso "Selityksi?" kirjan lopussa.

Min? jos sanoisin, etten ole Scipionin kaipauksesta liikutettu, kuinka oikein siin? teen, siit? pit?k??t viisaat huolta, mutta varmaankin valehtelisin. Sill? min? ik?v?itsen j??ty?ni orvoksi sellaisesta yst?v?st?, jollaista, niinkuin luulen, ei ket??n koskaan ole oleva, ei ket??n, niinkuin saatan vakuuttaa, varmaankaan ole ollut. Mutta min? en tarvitse mit??n l??kett?; min? lohdutan itse itse?ni, ja enimm?sti sill? lohdutuksella, ett? olen vapaa siit? erhetyksest?, joka useimpia vaivaa heid?n yst?viens? kuoleman t?hden. En luule mit??n pahaa tapahtuneen Scipionille; minulle on tapahtunut, jos jotakin on tapahtunut. Omista onnettomuuksistansa taas raskaasti sureminen ei ole yst?v??ns?, vaan omaa itse?ns? rakastavan ominaista.

Yst?vyys ei, n?ette, ole mit??n muuta, kuin hyv?ntahtoisuudella ja hellyydell? yhdistetty, kaikkia inhimillisi? ja jumalallisia asioita koskeva sopusointuisuus: enk? min? todellakaan tied?, ovatko kuolemattomat jumalat -- viisautta lukuun ottamatta -- mit??n parempaa, kuin t?m? on, antaneet ihmisille. Toiset pit?v?t rikkautta parempana, toiset hyv?? terveytt?, toiset valtaa, toiset kunniavirkoja, useat my?s nautintoja. El?inten tapaista on todellakin t?m? viimeksi mainittu; nuo taas edell? mainitut ovat katoavaisia ja ep?varmoja eiv?tk? riipu niin paljon meid?n suunnitelmistamme, kuin onnen h??lyv?isyydest?? Ne, jotka sit? vastoin perustavat hyveesen korkeimman onnen, tekev?t todellakin oivasti; mutta juuri t?m? hyve synnytt?? ja koossa pit?? yst?vyyden; eik? ilman hyvett? yst?vyytt? voi olla mill??n ehdolla olemassa.

T?m?n verran olen mielest?ni voinut sanoa, mit? ajattelen yst?vyydest?. Jos sit?paitsi on jotakin, ja uskon olevankin viel? paljo, kysyk??tte -- jos hyv?ksi n?kyy -- niilt?, jotka niit? tutkivat.

Minulle siis, hyvin usein ajatellessani yst?vyyng), to make a stone take an oblique direction by striking another on the side.

HISTORY OF CURLING

The earliest notice of Curling which has been discovered is in Cambden's Britannia, published in 1607. In it, Coppinsha, one of the Orkney islands, is mentioned as famous for "excellent stones for the game called Curling." This shows that it was then in considerable repute. In the "Life of William Guthrie", who in the year 1644 was ordained minister of Fenwick, in Ayrshire, it is stated that he was fond of the innocent recreations which then prevailed, "among which was Curling." In 1684, the game is taken notice of in Fountainhall's Decisions. Pennycuik, also in the seventeenth century, declares that

"To curl on the ice doth greatly please, Being a manly Scottish exercise."

And he celebrates the game as calculated

"To clear the brain, stir up the native heart, And give a gallant appetite for meat."

Ramsay has alluded to Curling. Burns, in "Tam Samson's Elegy" shows, in few words that he himself understood the game. Grahame, the author of the "Sabbath" has illumined the rink with the lustre of his own genius; and Curling forms the subject of a beautiful part of "Fisher's Winter Season."

Though the game has never been universal in Scotland, it has long been practised in almost every county south of the Forth and the Clyde. The shires of Ayr, Renfrew, Lanark and Dumfries are remarkable for their attachment to Curling. It is played in Perthshire, the Countess of Mansfield, being now patroness of the Scone and Perth Club; but we are not aware of its having been, until lately, practised farther north. In Aberdeen--that city of northern lights--it is unknown. The Editor of the Aberdeen Herald, who is a native of a Curling district, laments in his paper of 13th January, 1838--that all was then bound up in the icy stillness of the season, and that in a place abounding with the material for making admirable curling stones, and with arms strong enough to wield them,

"No friendly combatants contested the field."

The game was played near Inverness, in 1838, when Loch-na-Sanais , with the picturesque hills of Tomnahurich and Torvain, echoed, for the first time, to the booming of the stones over the ice.

"When rival parishes and shrievedoms keep, On upland loch, the long expected tryst, To play their yearly bonspiel, AGED MEN, Smit with the eagerness of youth, ARE THERE, While love of conquest lights their beamless eyes, New nerves their arms and makes them young once more."

On 20th January, 1838, the parish of Lesmahagow, in Lanarkshire, met the neighboring club of Avondale, on a sheet of ice, near Strathaven. Each club consisted of twenty-one rinks of eight players, making the number of players on each side one hundred and sixty-eight, so that three hundred and thirty-six Curlers were engaged in the match. Such a bonspiel as this may not take place every season, but this instance, which is referred to, as being of recent occurrence, is sufficient to shew the interest which in such districts is taken in the game, and, also, the excellence of the organization which could bring so many players together on a notice so short as that which can be given, where the continuance of hard frost cannot be depended on.

It is now about twenty years since Curling was introduced to Canada, and since that time the game has been regularly played at Quebec and Montreal. The Clubs of those Cities, in imitation of their friends on the other side of the Atlantic, have occasional contests with each other. The match which they last had, came off in March of the present year, and was played at both places on the same day--one-half of the players from each City having proceeded to the other--so that the result of the joint game could not be known at either place, until the parties had time to communicate. A few years ago, the Bonspiel took place at Three Rivers. The distance which, in those cases, the players had to travel, sufficiently shows how warmly they are devoted to the game.

The Fergus Club has been mentioned above, but is worthy of more particular notice, being perhaps, the first which was regularly organized in Upper Canada. The settlement of that neighborhood was begun in 1834, and the gloom of the first winter was dispelled by the introduction of the game. In the course of the winter following, the Honourable Adam Fergusson, who is the principal proprietor and the enlightened founder of the settlement, succeeded in forming the players into a club, of which he was the first President, and which now numbers upwards of thirty members. They play with blocks of hard wood, turned to the proper shape, which they have found to answer the purpose, except when the ice is dull. The experiment has been made of loading the blocks with lead, in order that the size and weight may bear about the same proportion to each other as in Curling stones, and this they consider a decided improvement.

Mr. John Graham, of New York, the best authority in the United States, in every matter connected with Scottish nationality, as existing there,--and who permits his name to be used on this occasion,--stated during his recent visit to Toronto, that the game was sometimes played at New York, but there being no Club, a special arrangement was always necessary before any meeting on the ice could take place. If the New York curlers were to unite, there can be no doubt that the game would "go a-head" there, and that in a few winters hence, we should hear of their having a bonspiel with their friends in Canada, either at Montreal or Toronto.

A few plain rules are sufficient for the government of a Curling Club. The following Constitution, which was agreed upon by the Toronto Curlers, has been found to answer every purpose for which it was intended. A few additional regulations have since been made, but these are only of a local or temporary nature.

CONSTITUTION OF THE TORONTO CURLING CLUB

ARTICLE 1st.--The Office-bearers of the Club shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, four Managers, and a Secretary and Treasurer, who, after the first election, shall be elected at the Annual Meeting in December, to be called as provided in Article 5th.

ARTICLE 2nd.--Any person wishing to become a Member, may be proposed at any regular Meeting of the Club, and if the proposal be seconded, the election shall proceed, when the votes of a majority of three-fourths of the Members present, and the payment of the Entrance Fee and of one year's subscription, as provided in Article 3rd, shall be required for the admission of the applicant.

ARTICLE 4th.--The Committee shall draw up the Rules of the Game according to the prevailing practice in Scotland; which Rules, when entered on the Books of the Club and read at a regular Meeting, shall regulate the playing, and shall be decisive in all disputes among the Members; and may also, in case of playing with other Clubs, regulate the match, unless objected to by such other Club.

ARTICLE 5th.--The Annual Meeting, when Office-bearers shall be elected, shall be held on the first Tuesday of December; and regular Meetings shall also be held on the first Tuesday in January, February and March in every year, at such place as the President may appoint; to be properly intimated to the Members; and occasional Meetings of the Club may also be called by the President, whenever he may consider it expedient.

ARTICLE 6th.--Members shall pay their annual subscription to the Treasurer within one month after the amount of the same shall be determined; and on failing to do so, they shall be considered as having withdrawn from the Club.

ARTICLE 7th.--The Rules of the Club may be altered or new rules added, with the consent of three-fourths of the Members present at any regular Meeting; such alterations or additions having been proposed at the regular Meeting preceding.

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