Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-09-23

,i,eir pockets filed with money, and their
hearts with exa,tation ; the losers execrate
b their bad luck, & hope 20 come off better an
other time. When 70 all this, YOU add a rich
aaruish of noise & dust, hard drinking, pro-
fame cnrsing and swearing qaarteling,
fighting, bloody noses, black eyes and frac-
tured limbs-the whole together forms a
scene so delicious, SD illustrioas. that it alb
solutely battles all power of description
And all these great things, you will re-
member, are bnt the ACCOMPLISHMENTS. the
under parts to that still more splendid fact,
that one horse runs faster than another
horse.
The ladies too---don't lift your eres with
that stare OF incredibly, for it IS positively
truc-thelad'es come in vast numbers. and
from great distances, to the race field. 70 en-
joy the scene. Fine ladies aud CO rise I'D es.
white, yellow and black ladies', some in car
riages, some on horse back * some on foot,
arc jumbled together Here with great so.a-
biDty, 10 sec one horse run faster thar other
horse.
they too, win and lose money nv the
races, as wei! as the gentlemen, nor are
they at All deficient in help ny forw ,rd the
obstreperons noise aud tustle OF the scene
You probanly suppose that the prcpersst
place for = woman. is the domestic fire side,
and That lady of delicate scnsibilities aud
CONSCIOUS dignity, cannot take a part IN the
boisterous tuinI't Of a race lield---but our
ladies have suplImer IDEAS your home
born delights arc most eagerly exchenged
by them, FOR the more exquisite and ration-
a! pleasure ~ seeing one hprse RIM faster
than aEother horsc.
II would surprise you TO learn how nte-
resting a topc of conversation the races II
ford to our fash enables, for weeks and
months alter they are over. Win una5at.
ing fervnr, they perpeta4liy recount the x.
PLOTS of the day. .rhc state of crops, the
prices OF wheat and tobacco, the news from
abroad, and even the political discussions of
home ali give way to The evcfts % ,hs races.
Courtsh'ps marriages, births. deaths and
scandal itself, are Tor time. left to sleep
quiet; while the merits OF the horses are
miiu ely discussed & the points ascerts n
ed hop manu- seconds louper onc q rse z0as
engaged running tFo0 or ournliies than an
ofhrr hSTse. And between ourselves, | /, N
Confident, there are some f. shiunable pen
PIE among as, whose tongues mus, beco,ae,
IN a great measure, US, less. for want of ra-
tlonal ideas, were it ndl. tiiat they ere en-
asled to peoome highly valuable, entertain
lng and ediiying, by thus inexhAustihe
theme Of oae horse running jasfer than
aRothtr hor8e.
There nfe, nevertheless, a few strange,
J.
ma, who pei empteriiy condemn n who.e
rsNing 5. s.cn Iheyassort tia, il is c. arg
a6'e va 81 the "a IL o. any other species
O. 544Hl1"5r that It IS a nursery of idleness
ana long rain Of dep'prabe vices and mi
series IN short, that II is an employment,
not only unit tr a christian, bu. even un-
%ol7ey o. arstionai being. they express
" tuTns' tite'r aston!shfncnt, taeIr ipt!Igna-
tioa a'5d lnelF pi.y, at the iufatualon. as
my c"'. sof their ghbors, whOeo IN tnie.
1.i sacr'Hee tneIr weltre, emporal and
e'Srnsl, Ior the satr f seeing one horse
Tlli J'4sfer tdan an9th = horse
haflhg thus PaFtiy severed ycuripqui-
~ mnFt.og the bsrbaritles e&eici.ed on p
H.ost uselhl animal, by the spurs and Whips
o. tue riders4-the great W tste # precious
tiiae 10 the ihdusrrious- citizcns O. large
to~ps--the entic.ng excitenebts 10 gaming,
dri'k'hg 10 excess, aud indeed, 10 every
species Of dissipation. ieaye you TO your
ewn reflections, srd am,
Dear Sir,
Yours, sc.