EDINBURGH AND FRANKFORT 31 



He used to insist that all his bad schoolfellows had 

 died early, a belief amusingly characteristic of the 

 man's consistent optimism. In 1846 the mother 

 and son proceeded to Frankfort-on-the-Main, where 

 they were soon joined by the father, now reduced 

 to inaction and to play something like third fiddle 

 in his narrow household. The emancipation of the 

 slaves had deprived them of their last resource 

 beyond the half -pay of a captain ; and life abroad 

 was not only desirable for the sake of Fleeming's 

 education, it was almost enforced by reasons of 

 economy. But it was, no doubt, somewhat hard 

 upon the captain. Certainly that perennial boy 

 found a companion in his son ; they were both active 

 and eager, both willing to be amused, both young, 

 if not in years, then in character. They went out 

 together on excursions and sketched old castles, 

 sitting side by side ; they had an angry rivalry in 

 walking, doubtless equally sincere upon both sides ; 

 and indeed we may say that Fleeming was excep- 

 tionally favoured, and that no boy had ever a 

 companion more innocent, engaging, gay and airy. 

 But although in this case it would be easy to 

 exaggerate its import, yet, in the Jenkin family 

 also, the tragedy of the generations was proceeding, 

 and the child was growing out of his father's 

 knowledge. His artistic aptitude was of a different 

 order. Already he had his quick sight of many 

 sides of life ; he already overflowed with distinctions 



