Elegiac Sonnets, and Other Poems, Volume 1, The Ninth Edition/Sonnet XXXVII

by Charlotte Smith

SONNET XXXVII.

SENT TO THE HONORABLE MRS. O'NEILL, WITH PAINTED FLOWERS.

The poet's fancy takes from Flora's realm
    Her buds and leaves to dress fictitious powers,
With the green olive shades Minerva's helm,
    And give to Beauty's Queen the Queen of flowers.
But what gay blossoms of luxuriant Spring,
    With rose, mimosa, amaranth entwin'd,
Shall fabled Sylphs and fairy people bring,
    As a just emblem of the lovely mind?
In vain the mimic pencil tries to blend
    The glowing dyes that dress the flowery race,
        Scented and colour'd by a hand divine!
Ah! not less vainly would the Muse pretend
    On her weak lyre, to sing the native grace
        And native goodness of a soul like thine!