SONNET
[
37
]
XXXVII
.
Sent
to
the
Hon.
Mrs.
O'Niell
,
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
gives
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
flow'ry
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
!