I had begun in 1733 to study languages; I soon made myself so much a master of the French as to be able to read the books with ease. I then undertook the Italian. An acquaintance, who was also learning it, us' d often to tempt me to play chess with him. Finding this took up too much of the time I had to spare for study, I at length refus' d to play any more, unless on this condition, that the victor in every game should have a right to impose a task, either in parts of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the vanquish' d was to perform upon honour, before our next meeting. As we play' d pretty equally, we thus beat one another into that language. I afterwards with a little painstaking, acquir' d as much of the Spanish as to read their books also.