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> [!SUMMARY]
> In August 1777, Herbert Lawrence[^1] wrote a [[Song for Hester Thrale|song dedicated to Hester Thrale]].
>
> A year later Hester wrote verses for Lawrence to put to music …
> [!QUOTE] [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester Thrale]] wrote in [[Thraliana]] Aug 1778:
> Whence comes it Phillis since we met,
> Our Sylvan Games to celebrate;
> When Sports went round—with magick Mien
> You tript it lightly o’er the Green,
> That something ever since that Day
> Upon my Spirits seems to prey?
>
> The pleasing Sense of sweet Repose
No more my beating Bosom knows;
And ev’ry Symptom seems to prove
The Melancholy Truth—I love:
Nay never frown, for if I do,
Assure yourself—it is not You.
> [!QUOTE] [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester Thrale]] later wrote in [[Thraliana]]:
> In former days when I lived in Dean Street, particularly the last year my Father lived, & during the interval between his Death & [[Henry and Hester's marriage|my Marriage]], we were very often visited by Herbert Lawrence; Brother to General[^2] who courted Miss Rich & died in America[^3]: He was a capital musician I believe, & played sweetly on the [German Flute](http://www.thrale.com/German%20Flute); he never could make me Sing, but nothing would serve him but I must at least write a Song, & he would set it to Musick: I looked over [Boileau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Boileau-Despr%C3%A9aux), and imitating his [Epigram](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigram) of **Tout me fait peine & depuis un Jour, &c**. I wrote the following Lines which he set sure enough & [Beard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Beard_%28tenor%29) sung it one Spring at [Ranelagh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranelagh_Gardens).
>
> > What is it, say, what is it, pray,
That gives me so much pain?
If love is gone, I carry on,
And hope to love again.
>
> > The rose from thorns, the bee from flowers,
The lily from the thorn,
Then why not I, for what made I
In love, since I was born?
>
> > If tears will last, if care is past,
If I have lost a heart,
One heart may gain a love again
Though never the same heart.
## See also
![[hester-lynch-thrale-1741-1821🔎#^hester-lynch-thrale-infoblock]]
#history/person/SALUSBURY/hester-lynch-born-1741
#history/person/LAWRENCE/herbert-died-1797
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[^1]: A surgeon and apothecary (1722-1797).
[^2]: Charles Lawrence, Govenor of Nova Scotia 1753-1760.
[^3]: In 1760 of pneumonia, after over-indulging in a Nova Scotian banquet.