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Thomas Day’s death from a riding accident in September 1789 was significant for two main reasons. Firstly, his passing reminded the other members of the Lunar Society that they, too, were mortal. And secondly, his characteristic kindness meant that Day had become the unofficial moderator, facilitator and so, to some degree, manager of the Lunar Society, smoothing ruffled feathers and generally making molehills out of potential mountains. That he was not commercially minded meant that he was no threat to those members who were, and he could with conviction take the part of honest broker.

It is undoubtedly the case that ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone’ and this was reflected in the fulsome tributes paid to Day by the surviving Lunaticks. James Keir wrote his work, celebrating Day’s life and works and dedicated to Day’s widow, and it was published in 1791, some two years after Day’s death.

Original copies of Keir’s book are difficult to find, but Google Books have scanned a copy and this is available free. Just click on the title page above, and a .pdf file will download which contains the full text.

Please note, though, that as the original work contains 161 pages, the file size is a chunky 5MB

AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THOMAS DAY, ESQ.

By James Keir

Published 1791 by James Stockdale , Piccadilly, London