CHAPTER III.

_Theatre—Trollopes—Mrs Trollope’s Work—Customhouse Officer—Race-course— Westhouses Breeding Stud—Thunderstorm—Return to the Hotel—Excursion to Long Island—New town—Flushing—Agriculture in the neighbourhood of New York._

Miss Fanny Kemble taking her benefit on the night of our arrival, it was determined that we should visit the Park theatre. We found the house well attended, the ladies greatly outnumbering the gentlemen in the boxes, while the pit contained males only, apparently belonging to what is known in England by the operative classes, amongst whom people of colour were seen. Having peeped into Mrs Trollope’s work on the Domestic Manners of the Americans, and its illustrations of those witnessed at the Cincinnati theatre recurring to memory, I watched the behaviour of the audience.

At the end of the second act, I observed a gentleman in the second tier of boxes in an indelicate posture in front of the box. Three were similarly situated, at the end of the third act, when several voices in the pit called out, “A Trollope, a Trollope,” and a general hissing and hooting from the same quarter had the effect of inducing the offenders speedily to withdraw.

This incident at the theatre, amusing in itself, afforded me pleasure, by exhibiting the operatives in the pit enforcing chaste manners on those considering themselves higher in the scale of humanity; and proving that Mrs Trollope’s remarks had not been altogether lost on the Americans.

The clever, and to some people, amusing work of Mrs Trollope, will have different effects from what its admirers in Britain contemplate. The many sketches of low and incidental character which the book contains, and given as belonging to the people generally, wounded the feelings of the inhabitants of the United States; and by drawing attention to bad practices, led to the improvement of the people reviled. From much I saw and heard, the keen satire of this authoress is likely to produce, in a few years, the usual improvement of a century. On the other hand, her caricatures of manners and institutions fostered the prejudices of many of the inhabitants of Britain, and engendered dislike to political changes taking place in that country, more likely to be accelerated than retarded by intemperate opposition. When indelicacy flows from the pen of a female, though veiled by effusions of poetic fancy and garnished by wit, it is highly dangerous to youthful innocence, and the popularity of Mrs Trollope’s work may be regarded as evidence of want of discernment, if not of vitiated religious and moral feeling, in a portion of the reading population of Britain.

The piece of the evening was “The Wonder,” in which Miss Kemble did not appear to advantage. Having formerly seen her at Edinburgh in the play of the “Hunchback,” the contrast on the present occasion was painful. Whether my disappointment arose from the difference of character she represented, or a change of feeling on my part, cannot be determined, but I left the house long before the conclusion of the piece, for want of interest.

Next morning we applied at the customhouse for our luggage, and, on paying a trifle, obtained a permit for its inspection. The officer on board performed his duty in the most gentlemanlike manner; and in less than five minutes from the time of going on board, our luggage, under charge of a porter, was on the way to the Washington hotel.

The New York races take place on the Union Course, Long Island, twelve miles distant from the city, and this being the last day of them, we were anxious to embrace what we conceived so good an opportunity of seeing the different ranks of society. Accordingly, we crossed the river at Brooklyn ferry, and engaged a light four-wheeled waggon drawn by one horse. The individuals proceeding to the course in vehicles, and none were observed on foot, seemed under a racing mania, and rattled along the road expeditiously, many of the horses trotting in admirable style. On approaching the course, our horse and waggon were put into a court, and we proceeded on foot.

The Union Course is private property, and completely shut against the public by a fence of strong upright posts, or stakes, enclosing a considerable space of more ground than is occupied by the course. For a considerable distance on each side of the winning post, the exterior fence consists of strong boards impervious to vision, on the top of which are stands capable of containing many thousand people. The interior margin of the raceway is fenced by a low open paling, except opposite the winning-post, where high upright stakes are substituted. A portion of ground including part of the raceway is thus enclosed for the accommodation of the horses, and those more immediately interested in them, by the stands on one, and close upright stakes on three sides, with large gates crossing the raceway, which are kept open during the time of running. A quarter dollar was exacted on passing the outer barrier of the course, on entering which, we found the first race concluded. Inheriting a smack of the jockey, my first object was to obtain a view of the horses; and on applying for admission into the enclosure where they were walking, I learned a ticket was the only passport; but preparations for starting commenced, and the first two-mile heat was run, according to my watch, in three minutes and fifty-seven seconds. My anxiety for a sight of the horses increasing, I applied to a gentleman, seemingly of importance in the racing circle, to be allowed to approach them, and was informed that on paying three dollars, 12s. 9d. sterling, I would obtain a ticket of admission into the enclosure. The terms on which I could come near the horses appearing extravagant, I contented myself with peeping through the stakes at a distance. It would be unfair to attempt a minute description of the animals, under the circumstances in which I was placed, but they seemed not quite so strong as English race-horses, though more sprightly and graceful in the mode of carrying their heads and tails.

There are few finer sights in England than a well-attended race-course in good weather. All ranks, from the king to the beggar, male and female, assemble in their best equipages and gayest attire. Splendour and beauty seem to regard the occasion granted for display; and the more immediate actors in the scene harmonize with the general pageant, a well-trained horse and his rider being a perfect model of chaste neatness. All is, however, different at New York. In the interior of the race-course, there were a limited number of people, few equipages, and a total want of finery or display of any kind. The stands were crowded, but amongst the assembled multitude I could not have numbered more than thirty females who, from their appearance, had no pretensions to the epithet of lady. The jockeys were of all hues, generally coloured boys, whose black faces appeared very grotesque under their bright-coloured, ill-fitting dresses. One jockey, of small size and tender years, was clothed in shabby leather trowsers, which had formed knee-breeches to their original possessor; and a second had his spindle-shanks in old boots of the largest dimensions, with strings below his knees to prevent his trowsers and boots parting company. Bridles and saddles were covered with mould and rust, and in one instance a pair of stirrup-irons were warped with rope, to fit them for a little tawny foot. On coming up to start for the second heat, the horses displayed much impatience, being, generally, led by one, and sometimes two men on foot, as motley and grotesque in appearance as the riders. Two false starts were made; and at the time of finally getting away, one horse had his tail in the direction of the others’ heads. The jockeys rode all in the same style, their toes being placed near to the nose of the horse, and their heads inclining back above the tail. The second heat was run in three minutes and fifty-five seconds, after which I withdrew, disappointed at what I had witnessed.

On reaching a foreign land for the first time, a person is apt to judge every thing he sees by the standard of his own country, until the home-rust, which more or less accumulates on every one, is rubbed off, and a consequent expansion of mind takes place. At first it appeared to me illiberal to exclude the poor from seeing a race, and sordid to exact money from the rich who witnessed it, particularly in a reputed free country like the United States of America. On reflection, however, I could not see any impropriety in making those who enjoy the amusement of horse racing pay for it, more especially when the government does not squander public treasure on such an object, and where the course is private property. I could not ascertain if the course is lucrative, but the funds arising from the following sources, which are extracted from a race bill, must be considerable.

Members and their (immediate) families, to pass free. For every two-horse four-wheel carriage, with not more than four passengers, $1.00 For every four-horse carriage, 2.00 For every passenger over four, each .25 For every gig or other two-wheeled carriage, with one passenger, .50 For every passenger over one, each .25 For every person on horseback, .50 For every person on foot, .25 Public Stand, .50

☞No person but a Member, or a resident of another State, invited by a Member to purchase a Ticket, can have access to the Members’ Stand. Any non-resident of New York, so invited, by paying three dollars, may procure a Ticket, for the week, of admission to the Members’ Stand.

The Pavilion will be set apart for Ladies, Members of the Club, and such Gentlemen only as have Tickets to the Members’ Stand.

⁂An efficient Police is provided to preserve order, and see that the Rules are strictly adhered to and enforced.

The next day we were accidently carried to the farm of Westhouses, where we saw an extensive breeding stud of thoroughbred horses, amongst which was a sister to Eclipse, the most celebrated horse in the States, and Henry, next in fame to Eclipse. The gentlemen of the turf consider their horses superior to those of England, equal distances being run in less time; but the style of running is, however, different, the weights of America being lighter, and the horses pushed from the starting-post.

We experienced a most severe thunderstorm while at tea, but the young ladies of the party did not seem to concern themselves about the war of elements, the most vivid lightnings flashing without remark. We travelled a few miles after the storm abated, and daylight had disappeared. The calls of toads and catydids were deafening, and innumerable fire-flies illuminated the face of nature, and lighted our way. The wetness of the evening induced us to remain for the night at the house of a friend, instead of returning to New York. Next morning I was awoke from a sound sleep by a loud knocking at my bedroom window, and on answering the call, my disturber asked the hour. After looking at my watch, I answered, twenty minutes past three o’clock, and added, he had surely made a mistake in coming to me. He sharply answered, in a disagreeable nasal twang, “I have slept too long, that is all the mistake, I guess.” In a few minutes afterwards, all hands, including several of the family, were engaged in milking cows; and the produce of about twenty was despatched for New York before five o’clock, under charge of the person who awoke me, and I learned that he had contracted for the milk during the season. We breakfasted at six o’clock, and were immediately afterwards drawn to the city by a pair of handsome chestnut geldings, at the rate of eight miles an hour, and which would have graced any barouche in Britain. Our vehicle was the common four-wheeled waggon of the country, with two deals across for temporary seats, and it was to return loaded with seed-potatoes. We drove smack up to the Washington Hotel, one of the most fashionable houses in the most celebrated street in New York; and in course of our progress I was amused at the uneasiness of my friend, one of the best and plainest of men, at being carried to our residence in such a mean-looking carriage. During his short residence in the States, he had not learned to shake off that aristocratic feeling which so generally pervades human nature, and has produced much misery in the world.

After changing our linens, we set out in a gig for Long Island, proceeding by way of Flushing, and returning by the beautiful village of Jamaica. Long Island has been termed the garden of the States—a name which it may well merit from its numerous orchards, but certainly not from the fertility of the soil, or the management which it is under. The land is generally of light texture, requiring constant supplies of manure, and a considerable part of it is sand of the poorest quality. The enclosures were small, the fences bad, and every description of crop inferior. Parts of the surface were covered with thriftless brushwood, and there were numerous pools of water which might have been easily drained. Many of the houses were composed of brick, others of wood, resembling the country-seats or villas of England. As a protection from the sun’s rays, windows were generally provided with green Venetian blinds opening on the outside. Grave-yards, or private burying places, were innumerable, and like the flower plots and gardens, kept in an untidy manner.

On passing the village of Newtown, celebrated as the place where the delicious apple bearing its name was first discovered, we drove into a shed, a convenience attached to every country place of entertainment in the eastern United States, and after giving orders for the tending of our horse, applied at the bar of a respectable-looking hotel, if we could have dinner. A thin vixen-looking woman peeped from behind a door, and whispered something to the landlord, who immediately told us, in a civil tone of voice, he could not comply with the request, as they were engaged in cleaning the house. There was no alternative but to proceed, and on reaching a good-looking hotel at Flushing, about one o’clock, we learned that the dinner hour was at two, but no objection was made to accommodate us immediately. Table was prepared by a pretty young woman, called, in this part of the world, a hired girl; and in less than a quarter of an hour from the time of our arrival, dinner was set before us. The same person, whom I consider entitled to the name of lady, being neat in dress, easy and polite in manners, waited during dinner in a standing position. She conversed freely and sensibly on different subjects, without forwardness or levity of conduct, and apologized for part of our fare not being so nice as it would have been, had time been allowed for preparation. On paying the bill, a gratuity was not proffered for her services, nor did she seem to expect it. The hostler, however, made a demand, and told us he did not receive wages from the master of the house, but depended entirely on travellers for remuneration.

The nurseries of Messrs Prince, the most extensive in America, are situated at Flushing, and were visited by us. The grounds, compared with such places in Britain, and some others which I saw in America, seemed badly kept, being full of perennial root-weeds of the most troublesome description, as well as those of annual growth.

Agriculture being little known as a science in any part of America, and but imperfectly understood as an art, the same diversity of opinion, and mode of management, prevail as in Britain, with greater difficulty of becoming acquainted with them. The following particulars relate to the neighbourhood of New York.

Grass crops are mown for hay five or six years in succession, without being top-dressed or manured in any way—the aftermath, which is seldom abundant, being depastured. Five pounds of red clover, and half a peck of timothy seeds (_Phileum pratense_), are sown on an acre; and also, occasionally, small quantities of herd-grass and redtop, two kinds of poea. I believe the red clover lives longer than it commonly does in the cultivated fields of Britain, having seen many plants after five successive crops of hay. The grass, on being ploughed, is followed in the first year by Indian corn without manure, by potatoes with manure in the second year, and, if early, they are followed with buck-wheat; barley is taken in the third year, and in the fourth, oats accompanied with grass-seeds. Potatoes are grown in drills as in Britain, and sometimes in hills three or four feet distant, formed by the surface being marked into squares by the plough. A whole potato, or three cuttings, are placed above the manure, and both covered over with earth by the spade. Disease in the potato was said to be unknown. The fruit crop is often injured by spring frosts, and wheat by mildew. Swede turnip is sown in August, and stored before winter. Geese are plucked three times a-year—live goose feathers being a general article of commerce.

Farm labourers, or helps, get from ten to twelve dollars a-month, with bed and board, including washing, and a deduction is made for sickness or voluntary absence. A married man is allowed from ninety-five to one hundred and twenty dollars a-year, instead of board; and pays from twenty to twenty-five dollars for house and garden rent. The hours of labour are from sunrise to sundown, without a specified time for meals, to which they are commonly summoned by sound of horn. Hired men do not consider themselves bound for any length of time, and occasionally absent themselves for a day or two without giving notice of their intention. Hired spade-men get seventy-five cents, or three-quarters of a dollar per day, without board, all the year round.