You know not we are sovereign here! 
The soldiers of our chosen band
Approach not till we give command. 
We every look and action sway,
And they with prompt delight obey. 
For height, and size, and such like things,
We care far less than other kings;
But station, learning, no pretence,
Can make us with our power dispense. 
The warrior must not here look big,
The lawyer doffs his forked wig,
The portly merchant rich and free,
Forgets his pride and bends the knee;
The doctor gives his terrors scope,
And, like a patient, whines for hope;
In short the wise have childish fits,
And fools and madmen find their wits. 
“Then go—­this silly pride subdue,
And thou shall be our servant too! 
Acquire the courtly way of speech,
Not, ‘do you hear?’ but, ‘I beseech.’ 
And let a suitor’s voice and air,
Thy grievances and zeal declare,
We never scorn a humble prayer!”

Expecting then a heart submiss,
He held him forth his hand to kiss;
For petrified the while he spoke,
With troubled wonder in his look
Poor Damon stood; aghast, suspended,
But gain’d his senses as he ended;
Abruptly turning on his toe,
“I thank you, Master Cupid, no! 
I am a freeman and a brave,
And will not stoop to be a slave. 
Your rules will never do for me,
I’d rather learn the rule of three—­
“And since I find it is the plan,
To make me an automaton,
I’ll case my heart in triple mail,
    And fence it so completely round,
That all this vaunted skill shall fail,
    Those blunted arrows back rebound;
For know, usurper! from this hour,
I scorn thy laws, abjure thy power! 
From this dear moment I despise
The whole artillery of eyes;
Reason alone shall be my guide,
And Reason’s voice shall win my bride. 
Some bonny lass shall say I can
Love you as well as any man;
I will the self-same troth accord,
Most gladly take her at her word;
And we may just as happy prove
Without the fooleries of love. 
She must not ask so much attention,
As many ladies I could mention;
But when I do not want to sway,
I’ll always let her have her way;
And study to oblige her too,
When I have nothing else to do;
And am not tired, or wish to rest,
Or like some other plan the best,
For, more than this would be a task,
None but thy votaries would ask. 
She must have riches, beauty, grace,
And modest sweetness in her face.” 
Just then he saw a scornful sneer
Upon Dan Cupid’s face appear;
While courtiers whispered with a grin,
“Poor fellow, he’ll be taken in! 
The finest birds are always shy,
The rarest at a distance fly,
And Reason cannot soar so high.” 
“Aye, you may laugh, to prove her mind
At once exalted and refined,
I’ll watch her skill in music’s art;
By ear and fingers judge the heart,
And then it will not be believ’d
I can be easily deceiv’d. 
I only grieve that in my prime
I’ve wasted so much precious time,
For long ere this I might have married,
Had I not so unwisely tarried,
And vex’d my brains in looking round
For that which never could be found.”