The Castle of Otranto/Sonnet: To the Right Honorable Lady Mary Coke
SONNET
To the Right Honorable
Lady Mary Coke.
THE gentle Maid, whose hapless taleThese melancholy pages speak;Say, gracious Lady, shall she failTo draw the tear adown thy cheek?
No; never was thy pitying breastInsensible to human woes;Tender, tho' firm, it melts distrestFor weaknesses it never knows.
Oh! guard the marvels I relateOf fell ambition scourg'd by fate, From reason's peevish blame.
Blest with thy smile, my dauntless sailI dare expand to Fancy's gale, For sure thy smiles are Fame.H. W.