THOMAS DAY. 
419 
society in England, and had accustomed himself to mistake the reveries 
of Rousseau for the result of experience. He had been early rejected 
by a young lady to whom he paid his addresses, and, considering her as 
a fair sample of her sex, despaired of finding among them a wife 
such as he would chuse ; one that should have a taste for literature 
and science, for moral and patriotic philosophy ; fond of retirement 
from the infectious taint of human society ; simple as a mountain girl, 
in her dress, her diet, and her manners; and fearless and intrepid as 
the Spartan wives and Roman heroines. Observation soon taught 
him that there was no such creature ready made, and he must there- 
fore mould some infant into the being his fancy had imaged. 
From a comparison of dates, it appears to have been in 17f>9, when 
he came of age, that he formed this curious project. Accompanied 
by a Mr. Bickuell, a barrister, rather older than himself, he went to 
Shrewsbury to explore the Foundling Hospital, and from these children, 
Mr. Day, in the presence of Mr. Bicknell, selected two girls, of twelve 
years each, both beautiful ; one fair, with flaxen locks and light 
eyes, whom he called Lucretia; the other, a clear auburn brunette, 
with darker eyes, more glowing bloom, and chesnut tresses, he called 
Sabrina. These girls were obtained on written conditions, for the 
performance of which Mr. Bicknell was guarantee. They were to 
this effect : that Day should, within the twelvemonth after talfing 
them, resign one into the protection of some respectable tradeswoman, 
giving one hundred pounds to bind her apprentice ; maintaining her, 
if she behaved well, till she married, or began business for herself. 
Upon either of these events, he promised to advance fourhundred pounds 
more. He avowed his intention of educating the girl he should retain, 
with a view to make her his future wife ; solemnly engaged never to 
violate her innocence; and, if she should renounce his plan, to main- 
tain her decently in some creditable family till she married, when he 
promised to give her five hundred pounds as her wedding portion. 
It would, probably, be quite unnecessary to make any appeal to the feel- 
ings of parents, or to offer any remarks on the conduct of the governors 
of this hospital, respecting this strange bargain, for the particulars of 
which we are indebted to Miss Seward. 
The narrative goes on to inform us that Mr. Day went instantly 
into France with these girls, not taking an English servant, that they 
might receive no ideas except those which himself might chuse to 
impart, and which he soon found were not very acceptable. His pupils 
teazed and perplexed him ; they quarrelled ; they sickened of the small- 
pox; they chained him to their bed-side, by crying if they were ever left 
alone with any person who could speak English. Hence he was obliged 
to sit up with them many nights, and to perform for them the lowest 
offices of assistance. They lost no beauty, however, by their disease, 
and came hack with Mr. Day, in eight months, when Sabrina was become 
the favourite. He placed Lucretia with a chamber milliner, and she 
afterwards became the wife of a linen draper in London. 
With Sabrina he actually proceeded, during some years, in the exe- 
cution of his favourite project; but none of his experiments had the 
success he wished. Her spirit could not be armed against the dread 
of pain and the appearance of danger ; a species oif courage, which, 
