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Poem
July 16, 1772
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
Satirical depiction of 'The Rake': a man with noble qualities enslaved by passions, misusing virtues, ruining innocents, trapped in cycles of offense and remorse, dying young as scorned prey of vice.
Clipping
OCR Quality
100%
Excellent
Full Text
POET'S CORNER.
The Rake.
An open Heart, a generous Mind,
But Passion's Slave, and wild as Wind;
In Theory a Judge of Right,
Though banish'd from its Practice quite;
So loose, so prostitute of Soul,
His nobler Wit becomes the Tool
Of every importuning Fool!
A Thousand Virtues misapply'd,
While Reason floats on Passion's Tide;
The Ruin of the Chaste and Fair,
The Parent's Curse, the Virgin's Snare,
Whose false Example leads astray
The Young, the Thoughtless, and the Gay;
Yet, left alone to cooler Thought,
He knows, he sees, he feels his Fault;
Knowing his Fault, he feels, he views,
Detesting what he most pursues;
His Judgment tells him all his Gains,
For fleeting Joys, are lasting Pains;
Reason with Appetite contending,
Repenting still, and still offending;
Abuser of the Gifts of Nature,
A wretched self-condemning Creature,
He passes o'er Life's ill trod Stage,
And dies in Youth the Prey of Age,
The Scorn, the Pity of the Wise,
Who love, lament him, and despise.
The Rake.
An open Heart, a generous Mind,
But Passion's Slave, and wild as Wind;
In Theory a Judge of Right,
Though banish'd from its Practice quite;
So loose, so prostitute of Soul,
His nobler Wit becomes the Tool
Of every importuning Fool!
A Thousand Virtues misapply'd,
While Reason floats on Passion's Tide;
The Ruin of the Chaste and Fair,
The Parent's Curse, the Virgin's Snare,
Whose false Example leads astray
The Young, the Thoughtless, and the Gay;
Yet, left alone to cooler Thought,
He knows, he sees, he feels his Fault;
Knowing his Fault, he feels, he views,
Detesting what he most pursues;
His Judgment tells him all his Gains,
For fleeting Joys, are lasting Pains;
Reason with Appetite contending,
Repenting still, and still offending;
Abuser of the Gifts of Nature,
A wretched self-condemning Creature,
He passes o'er Life's ill trod Stage,
And dies in Youth the Prey of Age,
The Scorn, the Pity of the Wise,
Who love, lament him, and despise.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Rake
Moral Vice
Passion
Repentance
Downfall
Satire
Poem Details
Title
The Rake
Subject
The Rake's Moral Downfall
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
An Open Heart, A Generous Mind,
But Passion's Slave, And Wild As Wind;
The Ruin Of The Chaste And Fair,
The Parent's Curse, The Virgin's Snare,
Whose False Example Leads Astray
The Young, The Thoughtless, And The Gay;
And Dies In Youth The Prey Of Age,
The Scorn, The Pity Of The Wise,
Who Love, Lament Him, And Despise.