M. TR^LATS LETTER 207 



sunshine of popularity still further softened him. 

 He was a bit of a porcupine to the last, still shedding 

 darts ; or rather he was to the end a bit of a school- 

 boy, and must still throw stones ; but the essential 

 toleration that underlay his disputatiousness, and 

 the kindness that made of him a tender sicknurse 

 and a generous helper, shone more conspicuously 

 through. A new pleasure had come to him ; and 

 as with all sound natures, he was bettered by the 

 pleasure. 



I can best show Fleeming in this later stage Letter 

 by quoting from a vivid and interesting letter 

 of M. Emile Trelat's. Here, admirably expressed, 

 is how he appeared to a friend of another nation, 

 whom he encountered only late in life. M. Trelat 

 will pardon me if I correct, even before I quote 

 him ; but what the Frenchman supposed to flow 

 from some particular bitterness against France was 

 only Fleeming's usual address. Had M. Trelat 

 been Italian, Italy would have fared as ill ; and 

 yet Italy was Fleeming's favourite country. 



Vous savez comment j'ai connu Fleeming Jenkin ! 

 C'etait en mai 1878. Nous etions tous deux membres 

 du jury de 1'Exposition Universelle. On n'avait rien 

 fait qui vaille la premiere seance de notre classe, qui 

 avait eu lieu le matin. Tout le monde avait parle et 

 reparle pour ne rien dire. Cela durait depuis huit 

 heures ; il etait midi. Je demandai la parole pour une 

 motion d'ordre, et je proposal que la seance fut levee a 



