Elegiac Sonnets and Other Poems

Elegiac Sonnets and Other Poems, published in 1784 by Charlotte Turner Smith, marks a significant revival of the English sonnet form. Written during her time in debtor's prison, the collection achieved immediate success, enabling her to secure her and her husband's release. Smith is recognized as a precursor to Romantic poetry, influencing notable poets like William Wordsworth, who acknowledged her contributions to English verse. Her work helped establish the conventions of Gothic fiction and paved the way for her later novels.