The Invisible Girl

Introduction by Hester Thrale

This Rhapsody I wrote and sent to my eldest Daughter one Day when I was in a very ill Humour with Study. It is no bad Supplement to my Letter address’d to Lady Kirkwall in praise of Ignorance some Months ago.

Six Thousand Years back, when the World was yet Young,
Her Maker’s most favourite Tree;
Rose science; disdaining the Ground whence She sprung,
For the Queen of Creation was She.

Even Natures Angelic look’d down with Delight
In such Beauty her Form was array’d;
The Birds to pass over, wing’d upward their Flight,
The Camelopardalis gaz’d at her Height,
And Behemoth repos’d in her Shade.

But plunder’d and tome by Man’s timeless Desire,
Against all Prohibition profan’d;
The coy Hamadryad made haste to retire
And shrink from Humanity’s Hand.

No Philosopher since has found out her Abode
No Mechanic e’er trac’d her Retreat;
Though to Socrates once half her Visage She show’d,
Even he was permitted to stray from the Road
Where She guided her Wandering Feet.

Some deem’d her with Aeronaut Powers endued,
Some thought She couch’d close to the Ground;
But tho’ menacing high, Archimedes pursued,
And with soft Veneration tho’ Cicero wooed,
The Nymph was inflexible found.

With us Modems still more, when by Fools we detest, ~
To Bacon short search was allow’d;
Sir Isaac indeed her Attractions confest
And caught a light Glimpse of her gay-colour’d Vest
While his Goddess escap’d in the Cloud.

In the Vortex Cartesian so headlong and blind
There was Fear of her Death by the Whirl,
And yet Esmenard says, in a magnet confin’d
Resides the Invisible Girl.
Thus hunting her hard, Life’s short Day to an end;
Like A Fox to Earth’s Covert She flies:
And Earth you yourself must become my sweet Friend,
Before you’re possess’d of the Prize.

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale.
Thraliana entry dated 11 May 1806. Hester Thrale's spelling, grammar and capitalisation, some of which may not conform to today's standards, are reproduced faithfully throughout.