CRYSTAL PALACE THAT FOX BUILT A PYRAMID OF
VERSE THE
WORKMEN These are the Workmen, a
busy array - THE SAPPERS AND
MINERS These are the Sappers and
Miners who ran THE ARRIVAL OF THE
GOODS These are the goods, - a
most definite store THE CRYSTAL PALACE THE SHIPS, STEAMERS,
AND TRAINS These are the steamers,
the ships, and the trains, THE EXHIBITORS AND
VISITORS These are the natives of
different lands; THE PRINCE ALBERT, THE
ROYAL COMMISSIONERS, AND THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE This is the Prince, from
whose wisdom and weight THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL
CHILDREN This is the Queen, who
went in state One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-one,
p201
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
And finished before the first of May
THAT FOX
BUILT.
p202
To test the girders on Paxton's plan;
And helped the Workmen, that busy array-
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
And finished before the first of May
THAT FOX
BUILT
p203
Of ebony, jewels, gold, silver and ore;
An ivory throne and a malachite door;
The diamonds of Spain, and the famed Koh-i-noor;
Mosaics from Rome; and a carved escritoire;
Fans of cobwebs and feathers, of leaves and of straw;
And cottons and silks, both woven and raw;
And wondrous machines, I can't tell you what for;
And implements, -aye, by the dozen and score,
For farming, and weaving, and printing, and war;
And fountains of glass, never seen heretofore;
And statues to rival the sculptures of yore;
And trophies with lace and rich silk covered o'er;
And tap'stry and velvets, and many things more;
Piled over the gall'ries, and counters, and floor,
By the Sappers and Miners, who marched and who ran
To test the girders on Paxton's plan;
And helped the Workmen - that busy array -
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
THAT FOX
BUILT
p204
The drays and the barrows, the trucks and the wains,
With the wonderful goods, - a most infinite store,
Of ebony, jewels, gold, silver, and ore;
An ivory throne, and a malachite door;
The diamonds of Spain, and the famed Koh-i-noor;
Mosaics from Rome; and a carved escritoire;
Fans of cobwebs and feathers, of leaves and of straw;
And cottons and silks, both woven and raw;
And wondrous machines, I can't tell you what for;
And implements, - aye, by the dozen and score,
For farming, and weaving, and printing, and war;
And fountains of glass never seen heretofore;
And statues to rival the sculptures of yore;
And trophies with lace and rich silk covered o'er;
And tap'stry and velvets, and many things more;
Piled over the gall'ries, and counters, and floor,
By the Sappers and Miners, who marched and who ran
To test the girders on Paxton's plan;
And helped the Workmen, that busy array -
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
And finished before the first of May
THAT FOX
BUILT
p205
From Siberia's snows and the African sands,
The American States and Ind's coral strands,-
Who were drawn all together in brotherly bands,
Not in battle to strive, but in love to shake hands,-
And who freighted the steamers, the ships, and the
trains,
The drays and the barrows, the trucks and the wains,
With the wonderful goods,&emdash;a most infinite store,
Of ebony, jewels, gold, silver, and ore;
An ivory throne, and a malachite door;
The diamonds of Spain, and the famed Koh-i-noor;
Mosaics from Rome; and a carved escritoire;
Fans of cobwebs and feathers, of leaves and of straw;
And cottons and silks, both woven and raw;
And wondrous machines, I can't tell you what for;
And implements, -aye, by the dozen and score,
For farming, and weaving, and printing, and war;
And fountains of glass never seen heretofore;
And statues to rival the sculptures of yore;
And trophies with lace and rich silk covered o'er;
And tap'stry and velvets, and many things more;
Piled over the gall'ries, and counters, and floor,
By the Sappers and Miners, who marched and who ran
To test the girders on Paxton's plan;
And helped the Workmen - that busy array -
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
And finished before the first of May
THAT FOX
BUILT
p206
This Congress of Peace and World's Fair emanate;
And the Royal Commission; and Chief Magistrate;
And Executive Triad, who settled the rate
And order of entrance, duration, and date
And all questions to ways and to means that relate;
Fox and Henderson too on Her Majesty wait,
Who contracted to build this vast crystal estate;
And Paxton who planned it, -for Industry's Fete;
And the principal natives of different lands,
From Siberia's snows and the African sands,
The American States and Ind's coral strands,-
Who were drawn altogether in brotherly bands,
Not in battle to strive, but in love to shake hands,-
And who freighted the steamers, the ships, and the
trains,
The drays and the barrows, the trucks and the wains,
With the wonderful goods, -a most infinite store,
Of ebony, jewels, gold, silver, and ore;
An ivory throne, and a malachite door;
The diamonds of Spain, and the famed Koh-i-noor;
Mosaics from Rome; and a carved escritoire;
Fans of cobwebs and feathers, of leaves and of straw;
And cottons and silks, both woven and raw;
And wondrous machines, I can't tell you what for;
And implements, -aye, by the dozen and score,
For farming, and weaving, and printing, and war;
And fountains of glass never seen heretofore;
And statues to rival the sculptures of yore;
And trophies with lace and rich silk covered o'er;
And tap'stry and velvets, and many things more;
Piled over the gall'ries, and counters, and floor,
By the Sappers and Miners, who marched and who ran
To test the girders on Paxton's plan;
And helped the Workmen - that busy array -
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
And finished before the first of May
THAT FOX
BUILT
p207
The first of May,
With her eldest daughter and eldest son,
And all that were noble, and learned, and great -
And a crowd of the million no tongue can narrate;
And was met, as she passed through the Colebrookdale
gate,
By her Consort the Prince, from whose wisdom and weight
The Congress of Peace and World's Fair emanate;
And the Royal Commission; and Chief Magistrate;
And Executive Triad, who settled the rate
And order of entrance, duration, and date,
And all questions to ways and to means that relate;
Fox and Henderson too on Her Majesty wait,
Who contracted to build this vast crystal estate;
And Paxton who planned it, - for Industry's Fete;
And the principal natives of different lands,
From Siberia's snows and the African sands,
The American States and Ind's coral strands,-
Who were drawn altogether in brotherly bands,
Not in battle to strive, but in love to shake hands,-
And who freighted the steamers, the ships, and the
trains,
The drays and the barrows, the trucks and the wains,
With the wonderful goods, - a most infinite store,
Of ebony, jewels, gold, silver, and ore;
An ivory throne, and a malachite door;
The diamonds of Spain, and the famed Koh-i-noor;
Mosaics from Rome; and a carved escritoire;
Fans of cobwebs and feathers, of leaves and of straw;
And cottons and silks, both woven and raw;
And wondrous machines, I can't tell you what for;
And implements, -aye, by the dozen and score,
For farming, and weaving, and printing, and war;
And fountains of glass never seen heretofore;
And statues to rival the sculptures of yore;
And trophies with lace and rich silk covered o'er;
And tap'stry and velvets, and many things more;
Piled over the gall'ries, and counters, and floor,
By the Sappers and Miners, who marched and who ran
To test the girders on Paxton's plan;
And helped the Workmen - that busy array -
Two thousand and more, as I have heard say,
Who readily, steadily, toiled away,
And finished before the first of May
THAT FOX
BUILT
p208
FROM:
RIVER, ROAD AND RAIL
SOME ENGINEERING REMINISCENCES by Francis Fox (Memb. Inst. Civil
Engineers, son of Sir Charles Fox)
London, John Murray (1904)
Top of Page; Go to Sir Charles Fox-notes ; Return to Pictures and Poetry Index
6/03/02 Last updated 23/03/02
Acknowledgement: Thanks to the Library of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.