Fanny Kemble and Industrialism

Fanny Kemble's vivid account of her first ride on a steam engine was interesting to read. It was easy to tell she was excited! Kemble didn't feel as though her words would really be able to describe the experience. I loved how she kept referring to the train as a "horse." She gave it horse like features; this choice of wording made me believe she could think of nothing else to describe it but what they had been using to traveling on until this point. She called the trains "curious little fire-horses," (490). She then discussed the controls and compared them to: "the reins, bit, and bridle," (491). Kemble even goes as far as to compare the coals to the "oats" of a horse.

I foud her personal account of the story to be quite phenomenal. It was interesting to be able to read an actress's opinion, as well. Her writing style was fresh, and I could tell her words were genuinely how she felt on her first ride. The excitement and passion with which she wrote with made me think of my first ride on a horse, at age 3. I remember being full of joy and nearly speachless. She was far from speachless, but she did write in the beginning how she did not know if she could do the ride justice with her wording. Fanny wrote, "A common sheet of paper is enough for love, but a foolscape extra can alone contain a railroad and my ecstacies," (490).

My favorite line was, "When I closed my eyes this sensation of flying was quite delightful, and strange beyond description; yet, strange as it was, I had a perfect sense of security, and not the slightest fear... as this brave little she-dragon of ours flew on," (491). This last line really summed up her emotions and made me be able to grasps her account as if I was there watching. I laughed when she called it a "she-dragon," (491). It also made me think about my first experience riding a train. I remember being quite young, and standing where my face could feel the wind. I have seen a picture of me with my arms spread out as if I was flying.