There, too he saw (whate'er he may be now)
A Prince, the prince of princes at the time,
With fascination in his very bow,
And full of promise, as the spring of prime.
Though royalty was written on his brow,
He had then the grace, too, rare in every clime,
Of being, without alloy of fop or beau,
A finish'd gentleman from top to toe.

Byron's description of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, encapsulates the idealized view of aristocratic masculinity during the Regency era. The prince is presented as the epitome of charm and potential, with an allure that even his bow exudes. Byron's use of spring as a metaphor for promise suggests freshness and vibrant potential. His commentary on royalty "written on his brow" indicates that the prince carries his status naturally. Notably, Byron praises the prince's ability to blend refinement and authenticity without descending into affectation or vanity, describing him as "a finish'd gentleman from top to toe." This portrayal serves both as a sincere compliment and an ironic jab, reflecting Byron's complex relationship with authority and his tendency to blend admiration with satire in his work.