The poem
Tall and freckled and sandy, Face of a country lout; This was the picture of Andy, Middleton's Rouseabout.
Type of a coming nation, In the land of cattle and sheep, Worked on Middleton's station, 'Pound a week and his keep.'
On Middleton's wide dominions Plied the stockwhip and shears; Hadn't any opinions, Hadn't any 'idears'.
Swiftly the years went over, Liquor and drought prevailed; Middleton went as a drover, After his station had failed.
Type of a careless nation, Men who are soon played out, Middleton was:—and his station Was bought by the Rouseabout.
Flourishing beard and sandy, Tall and robust and stout; This is the picture of Andy, Middleton's Rouseabout.
Now on his own dominions Works with his overseers; Hasn't any opinions, Hasn't any 'idears'.
In the version I have seen, the line I have seen is -
"Tall, solid and stout" rather than
"Tall, robust and stout"
=
On that line the first version reads better than the one here. I do not know which line is the original line. Robust does not sound quite right here and I suspect that it is not the correct version.
The shifting preferences that the individual makes is broughjt about by a change in circumstances.Where does a lout go from here.The rhyme and rythm of the poemmakes is read- aloudable.The theme is too common
Correct original line
Dave - The line, "tall, robust and stout" is the correct original Lawson line.
The printed original can be seen on the Trove digitised newspapers site, in the copy of the Freemans Journal (Sydney NSW: [phone removed]), dated 8 March 1890.