Of Railways and the Railway King, [Note 562.1]
Hudson the First of England I sing ;
A Monarch who's grasped with his Iron Hand
The Land his Electric Nod can command.
Ri too ra loo, &c.
Nine days to Edinburgh from Town
Our forefathers, they could go down ;
Nine hours will just now steam you there [Note 562.2]
Not wagon'd to death, but côs in arm chair.
King Hudson, he started with narrow gauge [Note 562.3]
'Afore he came to Railway Age ;
But now it's the narrow, the broad, the wide,
Or any gauge else that he likes beside.
King Hudson committees at York at nine,
At twelve committees at Newcastle-Tyne, [Note 562.4]
Committees at Rugby at half-past seven, [Note 562.5]
And then committees in Town at eleven.
At twelve P. M., committees the Commons¹,
At 1-54, steams a speech at short summons, [Note 562.6]
At four old Morpheus lets off the steam,
And Old King Hud. committees in a dream.
King Hudson he telegraphs health in a trice
With a smack¹ of old port and a gusto¹ of spice ;
Newcastle to York-York to Newcastle-Tyne,
You may dine at the Poles, and pledge health cross the line¹.
King Hudson, they say-but I can't tell how soon
Is going to Railway it up to the Moon;
He was caught telescoping the man wot lives there,
And asking him if he would hold scrip¹ and share.
Guard.-How long shall we be 'agoing ?-We go 19 miles a second, Sir, to save leq-acy duty, and 999 in the hour to take a long lease of life.-
Oh dear ! Is there any danger of the Engine (hingin) blowing up ? why Sir, if it blows up, we shall be blown down, that's the comfort-and may get a good fair dive into the Gasping (Caspian) Sea or Pacific Ocean.
Guard.-How many classes are there in this Train ?
Three Grand Divisions, Sir-Three Classes and 12 Coaches. FIRST CLASS DIVISION-Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and U-ran-us..--SECOND ROYAL CLASS-King Hudson encircled with the Four Winds.-THIRD CLASS Aries (A rise,) Castor and Pollux, Regalus, Aquila (Regale us with a Kyloe) and Pegasus (Pigassus,) all celestial Sir, we go all by Wind, Wire and Water, Sir.
Now, Gents, shut your eyes, 'acause you can't see nothing 'agoing. Hold your breath or else you'll lose it-and when we goes through the Tunnel of the Dog Star put your hankerchers to your noses. Now for King Hudson and the Man in the Moon, (Whiz-Whistle.)
Then here's to King Hudson, and firm be his Throne,
Who in Iron has found the philosopher's Stone;
May his frame be long found of true cast iron mould,
And circled his brows with his own well won gold.
Ri too ra loo.