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A Memoir of the Life and Writings of Thomas Day
A Memoir of the Life and Writings of Thomas Day Author:John Blackman Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. Self-Conquest—Eccentricities—a.Journey to Shrewsbury— Lucretia and Sabrina—a Trip to France—Troubles by Land and Water—an Officer Rebuked—Returns ... more »to England—Dr. Darwin and the Lichfield School—The Orphans, their Fortune and Destiny. Although Day closed his poetical labours with the " Dying Negro," and the political poems enumerated in the last chapter, he did not entirely abandon the republic of letters. He had not only vanquished the disappointments of early love ; but had done something more. He had conquered self, which is, perhaps, the most difficult task in life. It is not in the blood-stained battle-field, amid the clash of arms, that the greatest victories are obtained ; but in the silent struggles of the human soul in solitude. Day fought perseveringly in the field of moral life, and triumphed over those passions which enslave meaner men. Sometimes he indulged in a game of cricket, and was fond of swimming ; but he never mingled in sports which are calculated to impair the mind and morals. He stood apart from prevailing follies. He shunned all kinds of past- time which involve cruelty to animals. He regarded all such practices as immoral and degrading. He could not afford to waste time on selfish pursuits, neither would he allow any action to be virtuous, however laudable, that was performed in the hope of a reward, either here or hereafter. He had no sympathy with sorrows that spring from refinement, vicious habits, and luxurious ease ; but he was ever solicitous for the welfare of the industrious poor, and would exert himself to the utmost in their behalf. He regarded titles and distinctions of birth with contempt, yet, he was no vague socialist. He respected talent wherever he found it unassociated with vice. He looked upon all men as members of the...« less