On Russell the Pedestrian

Who walked 101 miles in 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 30 seconds
on the 25th and 26th of July, 1822, on the Newcastle Race course.

Men's talents vary--for wise ends design'd,
This man has strength of body, that, of mind;
Each his peculiar art, assiduous plies,
And every maxim of improvement tries,
Till he attain perfection by degrees,
And learns to execute his task with ease.
Wilson*, desist! and Simpson,**, take your rest!
Ease and retirement now will suit ye best;
Your brief excursions will excite no more
That admiration which they did before;
Though doubtless ye have both endeavour'd hard,
Perhaps without an adequate reqard;
But such laborious journies lay asside,
And if ye can ,instead of walking, ride.
Hide your diminish'd heads! nor vainly talk,
Among your friends, how rapidly you walk:
First in the annals of Pedestrian fame,
Historians now will enter Russell's name;
Where he will most conspicuously shine,
And long be hail'd--The Hero of the Tyne.
Upon this art he has so much refin'd,
That he leaves all competitors behind.
With boyant step we've seen him tread the plain,
And hope, ere long, to see him walk again.

*George Wilson the Blackheath Pedestrian walked 90 miles
in 24 successive hours, on the same ground on Easter Monday
and Tuesday, 1822.

**John Simpson the Cumberland Pedestrian attempted to walk
96 miles on the same ground, in the same period of time,
on Whit-Monday, and again on the 29th and 30th of July 1822
in both of which attempts he failed.

-In: The Newcastle Song Book or Tyne-Side Songster., W&T Fordyce
Newcastle Upon Tyne.