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by Florence Nixon (flourished c1883)

'Naughty Cupid ! saucy elf !
Language: English 
'Naughty Cupid ! saucy elf !
Tell me something of thyself.
Many tales of thee I'm told,
False and true, and new and old ;
Oh, those tales, so old yet new,
Tell me, Cupid, are they true !
I have never felt thy dart ;
Steeled against thee is my heart.
I am heart and fancy free ;
Love can never conquer me!
Still, sly archer, I would fain
Learn the secrets of thy reign.
What dark arts dost thou employ ?
Tell me, little saucy boy.
Is there poison in thy stings ?
For what use are those swift wings ?
Swift to come, and swift to go,
Prithee, Cupid, art thou so ?'

'Lovely Maiden, frank as fair,
Cupid bids thee now beware,
For the time has come at last
When my chains shall bind thee fust.
Hast thou never felt the smart
Caused by my unerring dart ?
Hast thou all my wiles defied ?
Entrance to thy heart denied ?
Then 'tis time that Love should eome,
In thy breast to make his home.
Maiden, shall I tell thee why
I have always passed thee by ?
Why that pure, proud heart of thine
Worships not before my shrine ?
I've delayed, fair Maid, thus long
But to make my power more strong.
Skill and care have formed this dart,
Which transfixes now thy heart.
Fear not !- thine are pleasing ills ;
Cupid wounds, but rarely kills !

Lovely Maiden, frank as fair,
Where is now that haughty air?
Conscious blushes dye thy cheek ;
Tongue scarce dare essay to speak.
Has thy cold henrt tender grown!
Has thy proud defiance flown !
Art thou still so fancy free!
Or has Cupid conquered thee ?
Rosy fetters thou shalt wear;
Fair are they, and light as fair ;
For, believe me, all my arts,
Nature, gracious Dame, imparts.
If to nature true thou be,
Cupid shall be true to thee ;
Swift to come, and slow to go,
Such is Love-thou 'lt find it so !'

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal, Series 4 20:1016, 384, 16 June 1883, p.384


Text Authorship:

  • by Florence Nixon (flourished c1883), "Cupid and the Maiden" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Evelyn Hope Squire (1878 - 1936), "Naughty Cupid" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-03-21
Line count: 54
Word count: 320

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