Will it be believed that the Royal Academicians rejected the
"Battle of Assaye"? The masterpiece was so big that Fitzroy Square could
not hold it; and the Colonel had thoughts of presenting it to the
Oriental Club; but Clive (who had taken a trip to Paris with his father,
as a delassement after the fatigues incident on this great work), when he
saw it, after a month's interval, declared the thing was rubbish, and
massacred Britons, Malays, Dragoons, Artillery and all.
"Hotel de la Terrasse, Rue de Rivoli,
"April 27--May 1, 183-.
"My Dear Pendennis--You said I might write you a line from Paris; and if
you find in my correspondence any valuable hints for the Pall Mall
Gazette, you are welcome to use them gratis. Now I am here, I wonder I
have never been here before, and that I have seen the Dieppe packet a
thousand times at Brighton pier without thinking of going on board her.
We had a rough little passage to Boulogne. We went into action as we
cleared Dover pier--when the first gun was fired, and a stout old lady
was carried off by a steward to the cabin; half a dozen more dropped
immediately, and the crew bustled about, bringing basins for the wounded.
Pages:
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498