The Castle of Otranto/Sonnet: To the Right Honorable Lady Mary Coke

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4162767The Castle of Otranto — Sonnet: To the Right Honorable Lady Mary CokeHorace Walpole

SONNET

To the Right Honorable

Lady Mary Coke.

THE gentle Maid, whose hapless tale
These melancholy pages speak;
Say, gracious Lady, shall she fail
To draw the tear adown thy cheek?

No; never was thy pitying breast
Insensible to human woes;
Tender, tho' firm, it melts distrest
For weaknesses it never knows.

Oh! guard the marvels I relate
Of fell ambition scourg'd by fate,
From reason's peevish blame.

Blest with thy smile, my dauntless sail
I dare expand to Fancy's gale,
For sure thy smiles are Fame.
H. W.