American Eclipse vs. Henry 163 



of every true son of the South that his great knowledge 

 of his vocation should fail him. But we were all doomed 

 to sad disappointment. I believe we lost by the absence 

 on the occasion of one of Virginia's best sons, who had a 

 'rascally ague* at the time. I speak, Sir, of Samuel 

 Purdy, the rider of Eclipse! Had you witnessed the exul- 

 tation of the South when Henry came out ahead, on the 

 first heat of that memorable contest, you might form some 

 idea of the consternation which prevailed in our ranks 

 when it was announced that Samuel Purdy was to ride 

 Eclipse the next heat. The breathless anxiety and silence 

 with which we eyed him, as he threw his leg over the noble 

 animal, were only broken by the murmuring applause 

 with which the adverse party greeted his appearance. 

 The skill of the Virginia rider was undoubted, but it re- 

 quired something more than human to compete success- 

 fully with Samuel Purdy. The horses went off from the 

 score, and as all the world knows, Eclipse won. The re- 

 nown of the performance of that day will go down with 

 the history of civilized society, and transmit the name 

 of Samuel Purdy as the most skillful of jockeys to the 

 latest posterity." 



