Forrester; or the old Hunter's Petition for Life

These verses were written by Hester Lynch Salusbury in 1758 at the age of 13. The verses were written for her Uncle Sir Thomas Salusbury

The setting Sun declar'd the Close of Day
And Philomela tun'd her parting Lay.
The Dew began to drop, the Owl t affright,
And Evening Objects grew upon the Sight;
The Winds were still, and Nature seem'd inclin'd
To sooth the Sadness of a pensive Mind;
Musing upon a Mossy Bank I sate,
And mildly murmur'd at ungen'rous Fate,
Musing I sate, and to myself I said
Tell me Philosophers why Man was made
Lord of the Wood and Tenant of the Shade?
Since Age and Plenty but increase his Pains,
And Dread of Death each noble Act restrains;
Tell me ye reas'ning Sages tell me why,
The most unhappy Being dreads to die?
Scarce had I spoke when in my Sight there stood
A stately Steed, the wonder of the Wood.
His Look was lively though by Age impair'd,
Each sprightly Step his long-trac'd Line declar'd
Beauteous in Colour, of majestick Size,
Speed in his Limbs, and Lightning in his Eyes;
His lofty Crest with Thunder seem'd array'd
And graceful on his Neck the Yellow Ringlets play'd.
Long had I gaz'd and would at length have spoke,
When thus the Quadruped the Silence broke;

" "A poor Petitioner for Life you see,
" "For Life is all that's left to wretched me;
" "Once well distinguish'd in the Lists of Fame,
" "First in the Field, and Forrester my Name:
" "But tho' no longer gay, no longer young
" "Like Whitenose daring, or like Bangor strong,
" "Past Services may merit some Regard,
" "And Death from him we love strikes doubly hard:
" "If then to thee the Sentence seem severe,
" "Convey my Sorrows to my Master's Ear;
" "Shall he! in whose Delight my Youth was spent,
" "Deny my Age the Term kind Heav'n has lent?
" "Shall he, whose heart no Anger can retain,
" "To whom the Innocent ne'er plead in vain,
"Shall he deny his once lov'd Steed to share
"That dear Prerogative - the vital Air?
"Who loves not Life! the lame, the blind, the poor,
"Though weak their Bodies, and tho' drain'd their Store,
"For Life they struggle, and from Death they run,
"Witheld by Nature the dread Goal they shun,
"And hobble one Heat more, ere yet the Race be won.
"I claim no more that Stall where proud to please
"Each Groom contended to promote my Ease,
"Luxuriantly my lazy Limbs to lay,
"And tempt my Palate with the sweetest Hay
"With moisten'd Combs my waving Mane divide,
"And turn my Tresses with an easy Pride,
"Some o'er my Silver Front their Shade bestow'd
"Some on my Neck more negligently flow'd;
"Some times with Art in shining Braids confin'd,
"Some times left loose to wanton in the Wind.
"Now - tell my Lord in Peace to end my Course
"Contents th' Ambition of his hapless Horse;
"To share th' Abundance which his Valleys yield,
"And unmolested crop the flowery Field;
"To hear at Distance how the present Race
"Of rapid Coursers urge the foaming Chace,
"How lightly Lowther leaps the five barr'd Gate,
"How proudly Pigeoneye supports his State,
"And how great Jollity's vast Bulk maintains
"That Fame which sounded from the Northern Plains.

When the still Morn succeeds a stormy Night
"And waving Woods yet tremble from their Fright
"When lazy Phoebus late begins to rise
"And give the misty Landschape to our Eyes;
"See where my master quits his downy Bed
"The well-breath'd Beagles thro' the Woods to lead;
"See the small Village on his Steps attend,
"With Pray'rs for him on whom their hopes depend,
"Here too his grateful Forrester may join,
"And wish that Sport so truly term'd Divine.
"Mean time swift rising with an eager Speed
"He quits the Earth and mounts the neighing Steed;
"Whilst in their Looks his Followers seem to say
" " Ah why goes Whitenose to the Field today?
" "Fiery and rash his haughty head he rears,
" "He knows no Danger, and he feels no Fears;
" "But paws the Pavement with impatient Feet:
" "And snorts & trembles with impetuous Heat:
" "Why should he go? while Pluto's Paces please,
" "And still secure his Safety and his Ease?
" "Or He, to whose indisputable Claim
" "Old Forrester resigned his deathless Fame
" "Tudor! to whose superior Shape are join'd
" " A dauntless Courage and a gentle Mind
" "Bright as the Sun, and fleeter than the Wind.
"Touch'd with this true Description of his Worth
"My Lord commands the gen'rous Courser forth
"See how all Eyes on his perfections gaze
"While calm he comes unconscious of the praise,
"Unmov'd to hear his matchless Might extoll'd,
"His Value rais'd above the price of Gold;
"His Symmetry of Parts by some admired
"His Qualities of Mind by all desired,
"His Father's Vigour in his Feature known
"And ev'ry Limb expressive of his own.
"Wonder of Nature! in whose Form complete,
"Such faultless Beauty, Birth & Meekness meet:
"As none with thy bold Rider can compare
"Fatigues of Body or of Mind to share;
"So to thy Prowess ev'ry Horse must yield,
"First at the Goal, as foremost in the Field:
"Who canst with equal Ease and equal Grace,
"Skim the smooth Turf or speed the sprightly Chace
"Safe to thy Care my Master I confide,
"And cede to thee my Glory & my Pride.
"Till the poor panting Prey appears in View
"Each eager Sportsman ardent to persue;
"(While Echo-Huntress once of Cynthia's Train
"Repeats the pleasing Harmony again.)
"Then shall our Owner's heart with Pleasure bound
"To hear thy Praise from ev'ry Tongue resound:
"And now - when all have gain'd their glorious Ends,
"That Death upon whose Life their Sport depends,
"Haply his Hand caressive may repay
"The pleasing Labours of thy well-spent Day;
"His hand - to which my utmost wish aspires,
"The only Boon his Forrester desires,
"That friendly hand in Confirmation given
"That I may live the Term allow'd by Heaven."

Here ceas'd the Steed and vanish'd from my Sight,
Starting I wak'd, amaz'd to find 'twas Night;
But soon as Reason's recollective Pow'rs
Review'd the rovings of my latent hours,
I rose convinc'd of what before I thought,
That Life grows precious when 'tis dearly bought;
That though bereft of every Chance for Joy
The Pleasure of Existence cannot cloy;
Since then my Dream so clear this Truth had prov'd,
That Life, by ev'ry living Thing is lov'd;
Each to itself of such Importance grown,
Homeward I hasten'd to Preserve my own. —

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana, entry dated 28 May 1777..