11 



mence with the proceedings at the New Market Course at Charleston, 

 S. C, season of 1*786 ; and here it may be remarked, that if ever there 

 was "a golden age of racing" in South Carolina, or rather, if ever 

 there was a period destined to be the commencement of a new era in 

 the annals of racing in this State, that period is the one to which we 

 are now referring. 



Whether we consider the elevated character of the gentlemen of the 

 Turf, the attraction that the races possessed at that time, and for many 

 subsequent years, " for, all sorts and conditions of men " — youth antici- 

 pating its delights for weeks beforehand — the sternness of age relaxing 

 by their approach — lovers becoming more ardent, and young damsels 

 setting their (;aps with greater taste and dexterity — the qualiti/ of the 

 company in attendance — the splendid equipages — the liveried outriders 

 that were to be seen daily on the course — the gentlemen attending the 

 races in fashionably London made clothes — buckskin breeches and top 

 boots — the universal interest pervading all classes, from the judge upon 

 the bench to the little schoolboy with his satchel on his back — the kind 

 greetings of the town and country — the happy meetings of old friends 

 whose residences were at a distance, atfording occasions of happy inter- 

 course and festivity — the marked absence of all care^ except the care of 

 the horses — the total disregard of the value of time, except by the com- 

 petitors in the races, who did their best to save and economise it — 

 everything combined to render race-week in Charleston emphatically 

 the carnival of the State, when it was unpopular, if not impossible, to 

 be out of spirits, and not to mingle with the gay throng. 



The best idea we can give of the moral influence of race-week (as 

 exerted formerly), is to state that the courts of justice used daily to 

 adjourn, and all the schools were regularly let oict, as the hour for start- 

 ing the horses drew near ; with one consent the stores in Broad and 

 King streets were closed — all business being suspended on the joyous 

 occasion, the feelings of the good people partaking of the rapidity of 

 the races themselves — in fact, it was no uncommon sight to see the 

 most venerable and distinguished dignitaries of the land, clergymeyi and 

 judges, side by side on the course, taking a deep interest in the animated 

 and animating scene around them ! 



With such a stimulus to propriety and the preservation of good 

 morals, no wonder that order, and sobriety, and good fellovrship, pre- 

 vailed as abundantly as they did in those days. 



We must not omit to notice, that in the early days of racing in 

 South Carolina, the gentlemen of the Turf, like the ancient nobles 

 Hiero and others, never ran their horses for the pecuniary value of the 



