"Oh, don't bother about those critics," I said. "They know nothing. Milton was blind, don't you know, so how could he tell whether the flowers were correct or not?"
"Begorrah, Furniss, you're right. Oi never thought of that. It's just like those ignorant critic chaps to upset a fellow in this way."
[Illustration: DISTRESS IN THE BLACK COUNTRY. _Acting as Special Artist for The Illustrated London News._]
The Light Brigade--Miss Thompson (Lady Butler)--Slumming--The Boat Race--Realism--A Phantasmagoria--Orlando and the Caitiff--Fancy Dress Balls--Lewis Wingfield--Cinderella--A Model--All Night Sitting--An Impromptu Easel--"Where there's a Will there's a Way"--The American Sunday Papers--I am Deaf--The Grill--The World's Fair--Exaggeration--Personally Conducted--The Charnel House--10, Downing Street--I attend a Cabinet Council--An Illustration by Mr. Labouchere--The Great Lincolnshire Trial--Praying without Prejudice.
[Illustration: AT THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE. (_Reduction of Large Drawing._)]
Sir William Russell and I were called upon at a banquet in the City to respond to the toast of the Press. Sir William made one of his characteristic, graceful little speeches, reminiscential and modest. When I rose I was for a moment also reminiscential--but not modest. "My Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Masters of this Worshipful Company,--I appreciate the appropriateness in coupling my name with that of Sir William Russell, for both of us have made a noise in the world at the same time--Dr. Russell with his first war letters to the _Times_, and I in my cradle, for I came into this troubled world while others in arms were making a noise in the Crimea."
[Illustration: AS SPECIAL AT THE BALACLAVA CELEBRATION.]
Naturally for this reason I have always taken an interest in the doings of that time; so it was quite _con amore_ that I acted as "special" at the first Balaclava Celebration Banquet (1875), twenty years after "Billy" Russell's first war letters and my first birthday.
The roll-call on the occasion was funny, seeing that it was that of the "Light Brigade"--some were "light" and many were heavy--one I recollect was about eighteen stone. The banquet was held in the Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill. The visitors, except the military--past or present--were shamefully treated. We had to stand all the time behind the chairs and wearily watch a scene not altogether elevating to lookers-on. We were not allowed a chair to sit on, nor any refreshment of any kind--not even if we paid for it; and I well recollect how hungry I was when I returned to my studio after a tedious journey at 1 in the morning, having had nothing to eat since 1 of the previous day. Such Red Tape was, I suppose, to illustrate the disgraceful arrangements of the commissariat in the Crimea! I was standing close to Miss Thompson (Lady Butler), who had just become famous by her picture "The Roll Call." She was making notes, and possibly intended painting a sequel to her celebrated picture. She was exhausted and tired, and no doubt too disgusted by such ungallant conduct on the part of the organisers of the banquet to touch the subject. Had she painted this particular roll-call I fear many of the figures would have had to be drawn out of the perpendicular.