lais Royal by order of Anne of Austria," found
its way to the Palais Royal, so that in this, as in the other we have
remarked, the king seemed to know how to choose better than the
Art-authorities of the "Gallery of Living Painters." A number of other
pictures testified to the activity of the artist's pencil at
Rome:--"Combat of Brigands against the Pope's Riflemen," "Confession of
the Dying Brigand," also at the Palais Royal, but also we fear destroyed
by the popular vandalism of the 24th February; a "Chase in the Pontine
Marshes," "Pope Leo XII. carried into St. Peter's." The favor of the
public, however, still turned to the usual subject of Horace Vernet--the
French soldier's life; finding which, on his return from Rome, he
recurred to his original study. In 1836 he exhibited four new
battle-pieces, "Friedland," "Wagram," "Jena," and "Fontenoy," in which
were apparent all his usual excellencies.

The occupation of the Algerine territory by the French troops afforded
the artist an opportunity of exhibiting his powers in that department
most suited to them. A whole gallery at Versailles was set apart for the
battle-painter, called the _Constantine Gallery_, after the most
important feat of arms yet performed by the French troops in Africa, the
Taking of the town of Constantine. Some of the solitary and
extraordinary, we might say accidental, military exploits in Europe of
Louis Philippe's reign, are also commemorated there. The "Occupation of
Ancona," the "Entry of the Army into Belgium," the "Attack of the
Citadel of Antwerp," the "Fleet forcing the Tagus," show that nothing is
forgotten of the Continental doings. The African feats are almost too
many to enumerate. In a "Sortie of the Arab Garrison of Constantine,"
the Duke de Nemours is made to figure in person. Then we have the
Troops of Assault receiving the Signal to leave the Trenches, and "The
Scaling of the Breach." There are the "Occupation of the Defile of
Teniah," "Combat of the Habrah, of the Sickak, of Samah, of Afzoum." In
fine, there is the largest canvass in existence, it is said, the
"Taking of the Smalah," that renowned occasion when the army was so
_very near_ taking Abd-el-Kader; and the "Battle of Isly," which gained
that splendid trophy, the parasol of command. Besides these great
subjects there are decorations of military trophies and allegorical
figures, which seem to have been painted by some pupil of Vernet. These
battles were first of all exh