I’ve wasted too much time upon it already
I just found this in todays Independent Newspaper quoting Scientific American from 1859
"A game of chess does not add a single new fact to the mind; it does not excite a single beautiful thought; nor does it serve a single purpose for polishing and improving the nobler faculties."
To be honest, I often think “I’ve wasted too much time upon it already … this is my last game”. I guess I’m continually foolishly led.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=90hGAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22a+pernicious+excitement+to+learn+and+play%22&pg=PA9&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false