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but a good heartfelt joy — loud like tluinder, substantial, savoring of 

 flesh and blood. 



" A little nonsense now and then 

 Is relished by the best of men." 



We will not go on — ah, no ! for who can des(;ribe a laugh ? "Who 

 can," as Charles Lamb says, "carry away a rich thought with all its 

 bloom ? Where is the freshness of the jest that hangs iipon accident 

 or circumstance ? It cannot be done." 



It is proverbial that all who come to Charleston during race week, do 

 not find their way thei'e merely to see the races. Many choose that 

 time for a visit to the city, for the purpose of social enjoyment — to see 

 their acquaintances, nay, even with an eye to business, and the most 

 legitimate objects in view — to look on the world — on many of its follies, 

 many of its vices, it may be — but to look only that they may the better 

 shun them. Much money is foolishly spent (it is too true), but whatever 

 is spent in this way circulates freely ; and although it may sometimes, 

 in the first instance, get into the pockets of the undeserving — into the 

 purses of those (we will frankly admit this, if the reader pleases) who 

 act up to the advice given in the play of "The Man of the World," 

 "get money, honestly if you can, but get money ;" or, the hint of lago, 

 thrown out to Roderigo, " Put money in thy purse — make all the money 

 thou canst;" by which is meant, honestly if thou canst — at all events, 

 put moneij in thy purse ; yet these are an improvident class, and it soon 

 passes from them, to those who know how to make a good use of it, 

 E\en then, on this weak point, the races have something to recommend 

 them. 



In addition to what has been said, as a still further and rightful claim 

 upon the public respect, it should be borne in mind that no Carolina 

 Turfman prepares his horses, and brings them to the Starting Post, as a 

 business, but only as a recreation. Uorses are bred and trained in South 

 Carolina only by those who keep thorough bred stock on their planta- 

 tions, as a pastime, and for the promotion of a good breed of honses; 

 hence, all who assemble to witness our races, "dread not here deceit, 

 nor fear to suffer wrong," but indulge their judgment, and hack that 

 judgment freely on each event, confident that every horse entered and 

 started will try to win, and that the best horse will win. The conse- 

 quence of this is, that on the Charleston Race Ground there is never 

 any ill-concealed anxiety on the part of our people as to the issue of 

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