The rail! The rail! My own dear rail
As long as it last will never fail, will never fail
Setting no mark or squeamish bound
To scrip¹ that freely flies around
To raise the hopes of flats¹ to the skies
Swallowing scrip and railway lies [Note 321.1]
Swallowing scrip and railway lies
I've got the scrip
I've got the scrip
And all I care for is the tip¹
I'm board of directors high and low
And stagging¹ all where're I go;
If a smash should come, no matter, who cares!
For quicker than thought I'll bolt with the paid-up_shares¹
I love, oh how I love to scheme
In mystifying foaming steam
Where spec¹ as mad as a rail to the moon
Seem whistling to all a pleasing tune;
And telling to all, what's all the go,
And how to raise the wind when low;
I never pass the old_bailey¹ door,
But I think of railing more and more,
And onward fly with my scrip to sport;
Like a stag¹ that seeketh old Capel_court°,
And a cover it's been, ne'er known to fail
For I was born to live by my own dear rail.
The stocks were low and all forlorn,
In a foggy hour when I was born,
The lame_ducks¹ laugh'd and the bears¹ they roll'd
And the brokers¹ clutch'd their bags of gold,
Oh never was heard such a boast and brag;
As welcom'd to life the railway stag;
I've pushed along in noise and strife,
Near twenty summers a dodging¹ life,
More wealth to seek and a court to range,
I'm never or seldom seen to change,
Then the smash, if it comes, let others fail,
I'll cut my friends and my own dear Rail