Mr. Tinsley is native of Hertfordshire, and was born January 13th, 1847. His early days were spent entirely in the fields and woods, so to speak, miming wild among dogs, guns, pheasants, and all sorts of game and wild birds, animals and fishes. To put it mildly, he had no scrap of education, and has been obliged to pick up all he knows since he was suddenly transferred from country fields and woods to the dirt and bustle of London, in 1858. The process has been difficult and expensive, but an even disposition, constant thirst for knowledge and experience of all sorts, and very temperate habits, have kept him ever with the desire to rise up and go forward.

He learnt the moves of chess from younger brother when the real troubles of life began, at the age of about 20. Mr. Tinsley has found it, as many others have done, rather too much of fascination, but still, on the other hand, it has proved solace and welcome and healthful distraction when relief to the mind appeared necessity even of existence.

We do not think his forte is serious play, according to the modern plodding style, and until quite recent years he never played match game. He preferred innumerable skittle games, and played them too freely. He has reason to regret this, and now thinks serious games are in many respects beneficial, especially in regard to the cultivation of good style. He says this, as will be observed, rather against his own predisposition, for the benefit of younger men.

Mr. Tinsley has, however, occasionally played in serious contests, and, rather to his surprise, he beat Müller handsomely in two matches. Mr. Müller had just then come over from Berlin. Mr. Tinsley came out well at the Manchester International, and though unsuccessful in sense through bad luck and literary occupations, he played far better in the Hastings Tournament than hitherto. He came out, by the way, second (tie) in an important tourney, Black and White, 1893 and won second in very good first-class Divan tournament. 1892.