This article, in fact, reinforces the idea that chess has more commonly been seen as an intellectual pursuit. The amateur in historical criticism will point out

This article, in fact, reinforces the idea that chess has more commonly been seen as an intellectual pursuit. The amateur in historical criticism will point out that the existence of this article affirms the popular thing and milieu that it is objecting to, and in fact even says that "Chess has acquired a high reputation as being a means to discipline the mind, because it requires a strong memory and peculiar powers of combination. It is also generally believed that skill in playing it affords evidence of a superior intellect." hence we should not take this author's opinion of the general perception of the game in that period.