In 1845, during the discussions on the Midland lines before the Committee of the House of Commons, Mr. Hill, the Counsel, was addressing the Committee, when Sir John Rae Reid, who was a member of it, handed the following lines to the chairman:—

“Ye railway men, who mountains lower,
Who level locks and valleys fill;
Who thro’ the hills vast tunnels bore;
Must now in turn be bored by Hill.”