146 CAPTAIN THOMAS CORAM. 



this scheme, in which he was so deeply interested, was postponed 

 for many years, yet before he died Captain Coram had the satisfac- 

 tion of seeing the full development of his plans. 



One other design he had at heart, which at his death was still 

 unrealised. It was a scheme to unite the Indians of North America 

 more closely to the British Crown by the religious education of the 

 Indian girls. 



It is with the Foundling Hospital, however, that the name of 

 Thomas Coram will be chiefly identified, and to the present audience 

 I think a brief description of its early history and connection with 

 the Fine Arts may not prove uninteresting. 



Having provided himself with a sufficient income to meet his 

 modest requirements, Captain Coram retired from the sea and 

 devoted his chief energies to promoting public interest towards the 

 establishment of a hospital for the support of deserted children. 

 Seventeen years he combated public opinion. "At last," as his 

 personal friend and biographer says, "this good man, whose head 

 was fertile in expedients, bethought himself of applying to the 

 ladies. He knew their nature, he knew their influence, and soon 

 found he was on the right road. They did not listen much to his 

 arguments, for the s\veetness of their tempers supplied a tenderness 

 that rendered arguments unnecessary." At last on Tuesday, 

 November 20th, 1739, was held at Somerset House the first general 

 meeting of the governors and guardians appointed by His Majesty's 

 charter of the hospital. The first admission to the hospital took 

 place in 1741 ; the number being limited to 20 children. As the 

 hospital became more widely known as many as a hundred women 

 might be seen scrambling at the door to be one of the few for 

 whom benefit could be granted. 



To obviate this a system of ballot was devised ; red, white, and 

 black balls were placed in a bag in due proportion to the number 

 of applicants ; every woman who drew a white ball passed into a 

 room where she was examined ; each woman who drew a black 

 ball was instantly excluded ; and those who drew red balls were 

 kept waiting to take the place of those who drew white balls, but 



