Alaxander Anderson: 'Songs of the Rail.' (original) (raw)

PREFATORY NOTE.

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SOME critics, in "reviewing" a former work of mine, took exception to the railway poems it contained, as being exaggerated in incident and over-drawn in treatment. In reply to these criticisms, I beg to remark that nearly all my railway poems are founded upon facts, and not a few of them upon incidents that have taken place upon a line on which I work. There are others founded upon accounts of railway accidents, seen in glancing over the papers in my leisure hours; while others, again, have for basis communications made to me by railway men with whom I came into contact in my daily work. I will frankly admit, however, to having taken advantage now and then--although in a very slight degree--of the license usually allowed to verse-writers of altering details in order to create a more complete whole.

One word more. I send out this volume, like former ones, in the hope that it may interest my fellow-workers on the railway, and heighten to some degree their pride in the service, however humble may be their position. I trust that its perusal may lead the engine-driver, among others, to look upon his "iron horse" as the embodiment of a force as noble as gigantic--a force which has opened up for commerce and industry a thousand paths that otherwise would have remained undiscovered: a power destined, beyond doubt, to be one of the civilisers of the world.

A. A.

KIRKCONNEL, BY SANQUHAR, N.B.
October 1877.

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LONDON
M'CORQUODALE & CO.
CARDINGTON STREET
N.W.
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DedicatedTOMY FELLOW-WORKERSONTHE RAILWAY
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