Soyer's Culinary Campaign

f the road-The old coachman-The widow-Sally's trouble-Another surprise-T

depriving our senses for the time of the true sense of existence. Scarcely had the first gleam of Aurora peeped through my curtains, than a double knock was heard at the street door, apprising me that the time for ri

the war! who

your letter, which, at all events, is very l

What! is my letter

it is," h

I did not suppose it could ap

likely to improve the hospital diets. No doubt you will soon set them to rights. I read the article, and must say I was much plea

e, I shall be happy to start immediately, and rough it for a short

you will soon hear

e perfectly welcome t

ing out thi

; excuse m

ans; which way

ut to a win

t-Gravesend

no-Virgi

st

portant matters there, prior

the best part

who told

our lives; it really was a splendid affair altogether; and what an excellent dinner you gave us in the open air, in the long avenue of beech trees facing the l

ow, and what a lo

heir bonnets, and with nothing but their parasols to screen them from the sun. B

nd to me on the occasion of the grand agricultural dinner at Exeter; the ox I roasted wh

ng when I think of the old man, for at every fresh dish of which he partook-and he tasted a go

e is a good and a charitable man, I assure you. I taught his housekeeper how to make cheap soup while I was at his residence,

he paper in the year '47, at the time of the famine

act

welve or fifteen poor people. The old lady was at first obliged to make it herself, her cook saying t

in the Highlands, they live principally upon oatmeal porridge and vegetables, partaking of a very small portion of animal food;-and did you ever see

advise you to publish them. They would be eagerly purchased, and would render

series of new receipts on food for

d Lawrence: no doubt he is a good fellow, an

f the finest water. By the bye, di

told me on the coach next morning on our way to London, was having no headache and feeling as hungry as a hunter-as I did myself. He made sure, after such a mixture of dishes, wines, liquors, and spirits of all k

food or bad beverages. Now, to illustrate this argument more forcibly, I would wager that I could give a first-class indigestion to the greatest gourmet, even while using the most recherché provisions, without his being able to detect any fault in the preparation of the dishes of which he had partaken; and this simply by improperly classifying the condiments used in the preparation; thus deceiving the cleverest doctors and the finest palate by a mere counterbalance of unctuous seasoning, which no doubt caused the celebrated Leibnitz to say, in his treatise upon the chemistry of food, now translated into English, and to which I

one of the greatest authorities of the age, says so, you can

he Mageric art-or, more plainly speaking, martyrs to the science of cookery-a too often neglected art, though of daily requirement; for, believe me, the everlasting pleasures of the table, which favour all ages, are not only the basis of good health when properly managed, but also the soul of sociability, not merely in high circles, but in every class of society, no matter how humble, the stomach of each individual having been nursed according to rank and wealth. Those

ly the best of sauce, for I often make a good and hearty

; come with me-it is a fine frosty m

s morning, so I must decline; besides, we have a railwa

ansom coming this w

and jumped into the cab-"I say, coachman, look sharp and drive to

king at his watch, "you have full twent

you some evening at Jullie

prob

y letters which may come on my desk; if anybody calls,

, sir, I w

k, Barnes, Mortlake, Kew, with its toyish pagoda, leaving to the left Richmond, with its picturesque banks, cheerful villas, heroine of the hill, and its exquisite maids of honour; at the same time crossing the Thames, cheerfully smiling beneath us in its serpentine bed. Its limpid currents flowed merrily downwards to the mig

e not seen you God knows how long. I s

npicturesque country looks so dull

fer town just

ething to be seen there, and to keep

winter." The top of the coach was loaded with pa

ied the parcel-boy. "Pst!

s to a deep crimson, very much like the unfashionable colour of beet-root, freezing our whiskers and moustaches like sugar-candy, but b

sir." As he said this, he whipped his horses, "Pst! go ahead, my true blue! I recollect the good old time when we took from fourteen to fifteen hours from London t

idow?"

on, to

urs. I was not aware the pal

mes out alone, and keeps very late hours; a maid or a marrie

correct, it is at all

mad, belching and swearing all the way, taking sights at us poor coachmen just so," putting his hand to his nose, "when we go by, as though we were a set of ragamuffins. Call that a gentlemanly way of travelling, sir! They make fun of all the passengers who are a little behind time, saying the like of this: 'Don't you wish you ma

uth in your argument," said I, laughin

brimful of

I was by this tim

after all-no danger of being smashed to pieces or of breaking your limbs. Not the slightest accident ever can h

e old trace i

is! Well, we

no rope here." The coachman getting down, unceremo

falling heavily, and we had not got more than a mile on the road. In about

n long, coach

d-why, my cargo is ne

"And I promise you I will never travel by your

velling now-we are at a st

e, but I don

are of the same opinion." At this we

which I abdicated to my great satisfaction, and we were on the move. "Very slippery, governor; my horses ca

hold exactly the same opinion as

are you in a h

and very c

should have made my stud fly, and beat t

od man; show

ossack; fly away, Cannon-ball. Pst! pst! that

martial names, if they have not a very martial ap

ams of war now, sir; the very air we breath

k it smells

oreign gentleman who lives at Virginia Water. Jump

rgument, the window of the room where Cournet, the French officer of Marines, and the opponent of Barthélemy, who had just been hanged, died after the Windsor duel. He

ld gentleman; "I never heard

ral scolding letters and parcels from mistresses to their servants having charge of the summer abodes of wealthy merchants who reside in London during the winter. At one house, during the unloading of two or three

old lady that I will not live with

atter?" said

th has not been here these four months, and she

been gone to the war with his re

h her apron, exclaimed, "Perhaps the poor fellow is

ever mind that; sold

all ever see him a

hed, instead of extinguished, himself, he will have the Crimean medal, and perhaps be made a colonel-ca

, you make me very happy

to tell your mistr

place; they are not such bad people afte

ay nothing

say n

n called the "Wheatsheaf;" every living soul came out to welcome us, thinking some accident had happened. There was the

are so late to-day?" said

to fetch another: besides, the roads are very slippery." To

window violently, she broke it in twenty pieces; popping her head, half of which was covered with snow, out of the window-"He is a perfect brute,"

e landlord, "why don't

-it's broken in a thousand pieces

bears a very good character

nd coming near them, said, "Don't take n

ain, before everybody, you

favourite horse language of the coachman was again, heard-"Fly away to the assault like a set of Zouaves!" and in a few minutes nothing but a small

e, shaking my hands and arms in every direction ad libitum, in anticipation, no doubt, of my remembering them for a few days at all events. At the close of this gymn

ith us a few days, Mr. S

came to close a few pending accounts of my last summer's stay at your lovely Virginia Water, and am

Exhibition is postp

building, and erected close to the Exhi

see you before you leave.

you

for the reply, came in. It was the landlord, with a face full of anxiety and astonishment, his glasses raised to his forehead, a newspaper in hi

what

eally! do y

what you allude. Is it

with the letter of yours I have j

can easily account for your lon

derstand me

ourse

made the offer, it is true, very likely in a moment of enthusiasm; but plead any excuse you can to

erb first, and you

is a hundred to one ag

overnment send for me, I wish to be ready at a day's notice; so sure I

ing by fifties and sixties a-day in the hospital at Scutari; look, here is the latest account, th

m the tree to the ground till it is perfectly ripe; and I also believe that we ar

e as you did last year. I can assure you, your joyful dinner party, or 'feet shampeter,' as Mary the barmaid called it, and you used to say in French, was t

! how is th

, I assure you, and will

el, pray present my mos

I wi

ays being short, and my business more complicated than I had anticipated, prev

red also by mountainous trees forming a formidable forest; the glittering Chinese fishing temple, Corinthian ruin, the flag floating on the castle tower, "Royal George" frigate and barks, the swans, and the music of thousands of birds with their notes of freedom so wild and full of nature. Alas! all my illusions were dispelled, as I could scarcely see a yard before me; a thick veil, caused by a severe white frost, see

do!" I said. Having thus unceremoniously repulsed my evil genius, and being by that electric shock entirely deprived of my appetite, I ordered a post-chaise in lie

nt apprised me that many persons had called; some had left their cards, and a mounted groom had brought a letter, saying he would call at noon for

ieur Soyer at Stafford House at two o'clock this day; or t

bruary

onour of attending at Stafford House. Concluding, naturally enough, that the summons had reference to my letter, I immediately began to reflect how I should explain the plan I intended to adopt, in case my services were required. In the first place, I had decided that the most important que