[Page 49]

SONNET [29] XXIX. To Miss C****. On being desired to attempt writing a Comedy.

1 WOULD'ST thou then have me tempt the comic scene
2 Of gay Thalia? Us'd so long to tread
3 The gloomy paths of Sorrow's cypress shade;
4 And the lorn lay, with sighs and tears to stain!
5 Alas! how much unfit her sprightly vein!
6 Arduous to try! and seek the sunny mead,
7 And bow'rs of roses, where she loves to lead
8 The sportive subjects of her golden reign!
9 Enough for me, if still, to soothe my days,
10 Her fair and pensive sister condescend,
11 With tearful smile, to bless my simple lays;
12 Enough, if her soft notes she sometimes lend,
13 To gain for me, of feeling hearts the praise,
14 And chiefly thine, my ever partial friend!

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Title (in Source Edition): SONNET [29] XXIX. To Miss C****. On being desired to attempt writing a Comedy.
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Genres: sonnet

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Source edition

Smith, Charlotte Turner, 1749-1806. Elegiac sonnets, and other poems. By Charlotte Smith. The first Worcester edition, from the sixth London edition, with additions. Printed at Worcester [Mass.]: by Isaiah Thomas, sold by him in Worcester, and by said Thomas and Andrews in Boston, 1795, p. 49. xix,[2],22-126,[2]p.,[5] leaves of plates: ill.; 15 cm. (12mo) (OTA N22357)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

Other works by Charlotte Smith (née Turner)