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    No. 390, September 12, 1857.] THE LEADER...

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    A PAPISTICAL POEM. May Carols. By Aubrey...

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    Soyer's Culinary Campaign. Soycr's Culin...

    bottle of Chili vinegar , 2 boxes of preserved cream ( whipped ) , 4 ounces of sugar , 6 shalots , salt , cayenne pepper , mustard , and a quarter of an ounce of Oriental herbs which are quite unknown in England . We must add the receipt for the Marmora loving-cup : — Proportions . —Syrup of orgeat , one quart ; cognac brandy , one pint ; maraschino , half a pint ; Jamaica rum , half a pint ; champagne , two bottles ; soda-water , two bottles ; sugar , six ounces ; and four middling , sized lemons . Thinly peal the lemons , and place the rind in a howl with the sugar ; macerate them well for a minute or two , in order lo extract the flavour from the lemon . Next squeeze the juice of the lemons upon this , add two bottles of soda-water , and stir well till the sugar is dissolved ; pour in the syrup of orgeat , and -whip the mixture well with an egg-whisk in order to whiten the composition . Then add . the brandy , rum , and maraschino ; strain the whole into the punch-bowl , and just before serving add the champagne , -which should be well iced . While adding the champagne , stir well with the ladle : this will render the cup creamy and mellow . Half the quantity given here , or even less , may be made ; this receipt being for a party of thirty .

    One more extract we will make ; Soyer and Lord Raglan are the interlocutors : — " I Tras saying , Soyer , that I frequently visited Alvanley ; and we always knew when Ude and his wife were at home , for they never ceased quarrelling . They kept five or six dogs , and what with their barking and the quarrelling of master and mistress , I never heard such a noise in my life . I often wondered how Lord Alvanley could put up with it ; but he said he was used to it , and could , hardly feel comfortable anywhere else . ' * " Talk of quarrelling , I believe they could not exist without it—not even on birthdays ; and if you will allow me , 1 will relate a Bingular birthday anecdote . " " Pray do , Soyer . "

    " You must know that the old gentleman , though very avaricious , now and then came out in first-rate style with his gastronomic parties ; but the great day of all was the 15 th of August in each year—being the fete and birthday of the illustrious and far-famed Louis Eustache Ude . Upon these occasions , about four-and-twenty of his most devoted and illustrious disciples were invited , with their wives , to a most sumptuous dinner at his house . The grandeur of the gold and silver ornaments was actually cast into the shade by the elegance and succulence of the mets they contained . The choicest articles in season ^—viz ., fish , flesh , poultry , vegetables , and fruit—seemed to have been waiting to come to perfection for this high-priest of the gastronomic art , and many culinary inventions which still delight the scientific palates of the epicures of the day had their origin at that Lucullusian anniversary .

    " Upon one of these great occasions , Madame Soj-er and myself were invited . As it was the first to which I had been invited , I -was very anxious to go . About a week previous , so strong was my wish to be present at this feast , I asked the committee to grant me leave of absence from duty for one evening , and they kindly acceded to my request . To the minute , heure militavre , we were' there , and were saluted upon our arrival by the usual dogmatic chorus , which for a few minutes prevented our hearing a word that was spoken . At length we were all seated , Mr . Ude at the top of the table , and Mrs . Ude facing him . "It was , I must repeat , a most superb and elegantly laid-out board . The best part of the dessert , which 13 always refreshing to the sight , ' particularly in the middle of August , ' had been made a perfect study . Soup was duly served , and highly praised

    by the culinary convives and judges . It was a bisque d " ec 7 evisses . The Madeira was circulating cheerfully round the table , to the trinquing of glasses , after the old French fashion , when an unfortunate guest , having probably too far to reach a beloved friend , put his foot forward , and unfortunately deposited it upon the paw of one of the enfans ck & ris de la maison . Vermilion—that was the name of the plaintiffbeing an enfant gate , seized upon the leg , which happened to be bootless , as the unlucky guest wore thin shoes . The dog made ji slight indenture with his teeth , causing him involuntarily to reply to the attack of Vermilion ; three or four more of the four-legged tribe joined the battle-cry , and the noise was intolerable . The compliments which passed between the host and hostess were pithy and violent , though scarcely heard through the din , excepting by those who happened to be seated close to them . We were fortunately about the centre of the table , and all we could catch

    was'" Oh , you stupid old man ! why did you not lock the dogs up-staii * s , as I told you to do ?' " ' Be quiet , madam ! ' replied Mr . Ude . ' This is my birthday , and I will have no quarrelling . ' " ' No more will I ; but why did you not lock up your dogs ?' * ' 'Well , madam , I ' m sure they were quiet enough till that stupid young man trod upon poor Vermilion's paw . ' * ' ' Stupid young man , did you say ? Mr . Ude , pray how dare you insult my relation ? If any one is stupid here , it is ^ rou , Mr . Ude . ' •" Will you be quiet , rnadam ?'— ' No , I shall not !' " ' What , not on my birthday ! There , take that . '

    As he said this , ho threw some almonda across tho table , and his wife replied with some projectiles snatched up at random from other portions of the dessert . Tho dogs joined in the fray , and entirely upset the party . All tho ladies left tho table , ihe young man who had been bitten , attempted to apologize ; in return for which concession on his part , the great Louis Eustache and his amiable spouse returned a volley of abuse . An hour elapsed before anything like order could be established , when several ladies returned to tho table , while a few remained to console tho victimized spouse . The great Mr . Ude had bravely retained his important position , and , still violently excited , commenced helping tho fish—a magnificent crimped Gloucester salmon

    , procured at Grovcs's , in Bond-street— -which was by this time as cold as ico . * 'Only fancy , ' ejaculated the enraged Amphitryon , * even on inv birthday Upon my word , she is a wretch ! She never will ' Then , by way of parenthesis , f 1 » w « ' ' Go round wit " sauce , you stupid ! don ' t stand there staring like a 100 U— - Prosper ! no , I'm sure she never , never will prosper !' At length something like harmony was restored ; but only six ladies out of eleven returned ; tho others remained with Mrs . Udo , and , I believe , dined up-stairs . Much to our sorrow and disappointment , one of the finest dinners of tho season was served « P cow , and entirely spoiled , through tho pugnacity of Louis Eustacho Ude ' s wvounte pup . "

    tW in" ? heartilv at tho anecdote , particularly Lord Itaglan , who then told us •¦« if , 1 V « alled upon him several mornings respecting 11 cook ho had applied for "ITl » f ° ' Sbrothcr ' tl ) 0 Dllkft - thmA 8 aid Lord Kaplan , " called aevcral mornings , first with two dogs , then forv y- 1 " At laat l Sllitl t 0 hhn ' ' r aln vorv much obl 'g < l to you , Mr . Udo , anvt ! 1 Viait 8 re 8 P ectin £ my brother ' s cook , and ahull be happy to sco you at « » asm o . Ut '" futuro without your four-legged companions . ' " Mi aS ^ Cd th ° ° ftt Che ^ rather l out - out . i f air ' you Wftnt an explanation , inquire of tlie housemaid ! ' Ho rushed lont in n ° ° asain » but he sont the cook a 11 thc same - U ( le waa nn excol-, manager , and a good cook , but had a very odd temper ; lie died very rich . " v cry ncu indeed . "

    " To whom did he leave his fortune ?" « Oh , to his favourite pet , Madame Ude . She is still alive , and lives in tho same house in Albemarle-street . " Of such quality is this new hors d ' eeuvre of Alexis Soyer , the ubiquitous Chef of the Kitchen Militant and International .

    No. 390, September 12, 1857.] The Leader...

    No . 390 , September 12 , 1857 . ] THE LEADER . § 85

    A Papistical Poem. May Carols. By Aubrey...

    A PAPISTICAL POEM . May Carols . By Aubrey De Vere . Longman and Co . Those who object to the poetry of the present age on the ground that it is not sufficiently orthodox , and who interpret orthodoxy in the sense oi Papacy , should read these May Carols , and be comforted . Mr . De Vere is already known to the poetical public as a gentleman on whose writings th < Pope himself might set the leaden seal of St . Peter ; but he is also knowi as a poet of considerable grace and sweetness . The volume before us wil confirm his reputation both for orthdoxy , as it is in Rome , and for genius as it is in Apollo . Very tender , delicate , and ultra-sensitive are the verse here dedicated to the service of ' the Church . ' And let us do the write ) the justice to admit that his belief does not present itself to us in the wors ( forms of bigotry . It is not denunciatory , but loving ; does not glare wit ! the fires of the Inquisition , but only gleams with the milder radiance of altai flames and sanctuary lamps . Consequently , however heterodox you may be you can read without being roused into indignation or pugnacity . This ii a great triumph in a writer who is evidently an enthusiast in his creed . Enthusiasm for the religion of the Church of Rome is , indeed , the centra principle in this book—the hue which colours the whole of the poetry—th < one emotion which dominates all other emotions in the writer ' s mind . Th < universe to him but reflects and transfigures the story of Mary and Jesus and the infallible Church arising out of it . The world is but the comple ment of Calvary and Rome . As usual in all Papistical literature , we heai more of ? Mary mother' than of Christ , and more of Christ than of God and , although this may jar with the feelings of those who are free from th < trammels of sect , it must be taken for granted as "belonging to the poet ' , faith , and respected for its enthusiasm . Apart , however , from matters o opinion or individual feeling , these May Carols contain much genuine poetrj which may be enjoyed by all who have natural emotions and cultivate * tastes . Mr . De Vere beautifully describes the effects of the Spring season as it passes over field and forest , hill-side and lake , kindling and animating all things with its breath . Here is a specimen , in which the reader will s & how Mr . De Vere blends his very descriptions with theological opinion : — " Behold ! the wintry rains are past ; The airs of midnight hurt no more : The young maids love thee . Come at last : Thou lingerest at the garden-door . " Blow over all the garden ; blow , Thou wind that breathest of the south , Through all the alleys winding low , With dewy wing and honeyed mouth . " But , wheresoe ' er thou wanderest , shape Thy music ever to one Name : — Thou , too , clear stream , to cave and cape Be sure thou whisper of the same . " By every isle and bower of musk Thy crystal clasps , as on it curls , We charge thee , breathe it to the dusk ; We charge thee , grave it in thy pearls . " The stream obeyed . That Name he bore Far out above the moon-lit tide . The breeze obeyed . He breathed it o ' The unforgetting pines ; and died . The List two lines are very beautiful . The following is an April landscape , delicately touched : — When April ' s sudden sunget cold Through boughs half-clothed -with watery sheen . Bursts on the high , new-cowslipped wold , And bathes a world half gold half green , Then shakes the illuminated air With din of birds ; the vales far down Grow phosphorescent hare and thero ; Forth flash the turrets of the town ; Along tho sky thin vapours scud ; Bright zephyrs curl the choral main ; The wild ebullience of the blood Rings joy-bells in the heart and brain : Yet in that music discoTds mix ; The unbalanced lights like meteors play ; And , tired of splendours that perplex , The dazzled spirit sighs for May . Very exquisite , in feeling , in expression , and in soft , sad modulation , a : the ensuing stanzas , which might form a complete poem in themselves : — A sweet exhaustion seems to hold In spells of calm the shrouded eve : The gorso itself a beamlcss gold Puts forth : —yet nothing seems to griovo . The dewy chaplets hung on air ; The willowy fields axe ailver-groy ; Sad odours wander here and there / And yet locfoel that it is May . Relaxed , and with a broken flow , From dripping bowers low carols swell In mellower , glassier tones , as though They mounted through a bubbling well . Tho crimson orchis scarce sustains Upon its drenched and drooping spire The hnnltn of the warm soft rains ; Tho purple hills grow nigh nnd nighor . Nuture , suspending lovely toils , On expectations lovelier brooda , Listening , with lifted hand , while coils Tho flooded rivulet through the woods .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 12, 1857, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12091857/page/21/