THE REVOLUTION OF 1848 33 



lad's whole character was moved. He corresponded 

 at that time with a young Edinburgh friend, one 

 Frank Scott ; and I am here going to draw some- 

 what largely on this boyish correspondence. It 

 gives us at once a picture of the Revolution and a 

 portrait of Jenkin at fifteen ; not so different (his 

 friends will think) from the Jenkin of the end — 

 boyish, simple, opinionated, delighting in action, 

 delighting before all things in any generous senti- 

 ment. 



'February 2S, 1848. 

 ' When at 7 o'clock to-day I went out, I met a 

 large band going round the streets, calling on the 

 inhabitants to illuminate their houses, and bearing 

 torches. This was all very good fun, and every- 

 body was delighted ; but as they stopped rather 

 long and were rather turbulent in the Place de la 

 Madeleine, near where we live ' [in the Rue Cau- 

 martin] ' a squadron of dragoons came up, formed, 

 and charged at a hand gallop. This was a very 

 pretty sight ; the crowd was not too thick, so they 

 easily got away ; and the dragoons only gave 

 blows with the back of the sword, which hurt but 

 did not wound. I was as close to them as I am 

 now to the other side of the table ; it was rather 

 impressive, however. At the second charge they 

 rode on the pavement and knocked the torches out 

 of the fellows' hands ; rather a shame, too — 

 wouldn't be stood in England. . . .* 

 c 



