BILLIARDS, an indoor game of skill, played on a rectangular table, and consisting in the driving of small balls with a stick called a cue either against one another or into pockets ac cording to the methods described below. The revised rules of all the recognized games (as authorized by the Billiards Association and Control Council) can be obtained from all billiard table man ufacturers or the offices of billiard journals. The name probably originated in the Fr. bille (connected with Eng. "billet") signify ing a stick. Of the origin of the game comparatively little is known. In an American text-book, Modern Billiards, it is stated that Catkire More (Conn Cetchathach), king of Ireland in the and century, left behind him "fifty-five billiard balls, of brass, with the pools and cues of the same materials." The same book refers to the travels of Anacharsis through Greece, 400 B.e., dur ing which he saw a game analogous to billiards. French writers differ as to whether their country can claim its origin, though the name suggests this. While it is generally asserted that Henrique Devigne, an artist, who lived in the reign of Charles IX., gave form and rule to the pastime, the Dictionnaire universal and the Academie des jeux ascribe its invention to the English. Bouillet in the first work says : "Billiards appear to be derived from the game of bowls. It was anciently known in England, where, per haps, it was invented. It was brought into France by Louis XIV., whose physician recommended this exercise." In the other work mentioned we read: "It would seem that the game was invented in England." It was certainly known and played in France in the time of Louis XI. (1423-83). Strutt (Sports and Pastimes of the People of England) considers it probable that it was the ancient game of Paillemaille (Pall Mall) on a table instead of on the ground or floor—an improvement, he says, "which answered two good purposes : it precluded the necessity of the player to kneel or stoop exceedingly when he struck the bowl, and accommodated the game to the limits of a chamber." Whatever its origin, and whatever the manner in which it was originally played, it is cer tain that it was known in the time of Shakespeare, who makes Cleopatra, in the absence of Anthony, invite her attendant to join in the pastime— "Let us to billiards: come, Charmian." and Cleo. Act. ii. Sc. 5.
In Cotton's Co;npleat Gamester, published in 1674, we are told that this "most gentile, cleanly and ingenious game" was first played in Italy, though in another page he mentions Spain as its birthplace. At that date billiards must have been well enough known, for we are told that "for the excellency of the recreation, it is much approved of and played by most nations of Europe, especially in England, there being few towns of note therein which hath not a public billiard table, neither are they wanting in many noble and private families in the country."