Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions

complained to me, and invited me to try if I could not remedy it, as well as remain and dine with them. I accepted their kind invitation, and soon found where the evil lay. I informed Lord W. Paulet, Drs. Cumming and M’Elray, and Mr. Robertson, the purveyor-in-chief; and a new kitchen was built, larger than the former. A civilian cook was placed there, and, to their delight, a new steward. Everything then gave more satisfaction to the illustrious patients, who always received me with the greatest kindness--so much so, that if nature had endowed me with several appetites daily, I could have dined three or four times per diem. Without mentioning names, I may summon as witnesses the unfortunate heroes who were at that time gathered around the invalids’ table. So happy was I in their company--and I believe they were equally so in mine,--that I felt perfectly ashamed at being quite well; for even the Doctor was sick, in consequence of the harassing nature of his duties; he had so much to do--which is ever the case in time of war. With reference to their former steward, whom we had christened “la prima donna Antonio,” as a set-off to his trickery in supplying the invalid officers with dessert in the shape of bad ices, unripe fruit, &c.,--things not fit for weak stomachs,--he used, at the request of a few, to bring his guitar, and delight with his voice _à la_ Veluti the ears of those whose palates he had so cruelly displeased. By the aid of a most amiable and kind lady--Mrs. Moore, who some time after died of fever, much regretted by all--I had already their comforts, and, having previously established a better system of cookery, thought I had done some good for those to whom I was so much indebted for their kind and polite attention. Though I did not remain more than three weeks at Scutari on this occasion, never, perhaps, during the whole of my martial career, was my heart so severely tried and tortured. The following letters, addressed to the metropolitan press, speak