Sonnet LIX. To The Right Honourable Lady Marianne Carnegie

To The Right Honourable Lady Marianne Carnegie, passing her winters at Ethic House on the Coast of Scotland, with her Father, Lord Northesk, who retired thither after the death of his excellent Countess.

WRITTEN FEBRUARY 1787.


Lady, each soft effusion of thy mind,
    Flowing thro' thy free pen, shows thee endu'd
    With taste so just for all of wise, and good,
    As bids me hope thy spirit does not find,
Young as thou art, with solitude combin'd
    That wish of change, that irksome lassitude,
    Which often, thro' unvaried days, obtrude
    On Youth's rash bosom, dangerously inclin'd
To pant for more than peace. - Rich volumes yield
    Their soul-endowing wealth. - Beyond e'en these
    Shall consciousness of filial duty gild
The gloomy hours, when Winter's turbid Seas
    Roar round the rocks; when the dark Tempest lours,
    And mourn the Winds round Ethic's lonely towers.

Anna Seward

Anna Seward

Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet often called the 'Swan of Lichfield'. She was known for both her poetry and her extensive letter writing, which provided insight into 18th-century literary life. Seward was a steadfast critic of the neoclassicism that dominated much of the contemporary poetry scene, favoring a Romantic approach that sought to capture emotion and natural beauty. Her works often revolved around themes of love, loss, and nature. She was also a close friend of writers such as Erasmus Darwin and Samuel Johnson.

Anna Seward

English

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