Genre:

Drama, Drollery

Subjects:

Railways, Telegraphy, Accidents, Steam-power, Commerce, Travel, Transport

    Adapted from William Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, the drama gives reasons why the 'course of Railways never did run smooth', including the fact that 'gradients were "unkimmon" steep', and the 'explosions' that 'lay hold of it'. Adds that it is 'Swift as the Telegraph, short as dividends' and 'ere the stoker can aloud cry "Ease her!" / The boiler bursts and blows us up'.