Poetry in newspapers (8)

From: Newcastle Courant Saturday 17 June 1749 page 2, col.3.

The Rake. A poem.

"Quo semel est imbuta recens, servabit odorem tester diu"
Hor. Ep. II. l. 62.

How wild is Youth! How wicked and prophane,
Where savage nature only governs man?
And unreform'd by Education steers
The two-legged Monster in his greener Years!
How base to others? To himself unjust;
Mad in his Cups, and daring in his Lust:
Bold, stubbon, haughty, insolent and pert,
Slighting to Age and scoffing to Desert:
Sage in Opinion, handsome in Conceit,
Rash in his Judgement, foolish in his Wit,
Void of all Care, and destitute of Grace,
Vain in his Air, fantastick in his Dress
In talk contentious, when provok'd, a Bear,
Fickle in Love, a Tyrant to the Fair:
Hot in pursuit of all his Desires,
Makes vig'rous Onsets tho' he quickly tires;
Esteems no merit, but the Worth that dwells
Within some Fencer's Hands, or Dancer's Heels:
In night Adventures does his Courage shew,
And sticks at nothing that a Rake can do.
Thus headstrong Man that rakes away his Youth,
Undisciplin'd in Virtue and in Truth;
Tho' Age reforms him, yet he still retains
Some Tincture of his Lusts within his veins.

[Signed:] AMICUS