THE REVOLUTION OF 1848 xxxi 



hand ; the year 1848, so momentous for Europe, was momentous 

 also for Fleeming's character. The family politics were Liberal ; 

 Mrs. Jenkin, generous before all things, was sure to be upon 

 the side of exiles ; and in the house of a Paris friend of hers, 

 Mrs. Turner already known to fame as Shelley's Cornelia de 

 Boinville Fleemingsaw and heard such men as Manin, Gioberti, 

 and the Ruffinis. He was thus prepared to sympathise with 

 revolution ; and when the hour came, and he found himself in the 

 midst of stirring and influential events, the lad's whole character 

 was moved. He corresponded at that time with a young Edin- 

 burgh friend, one Frank Scott; and I am here going to draw 

 somewhat 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 sentiment. 



'February 23, 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 

 everybody 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 Caumartin] ' 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. . . . ' 



[At] ' ten minutes to ten ... I went a long way along the 

 Boulevards, passing by the office of Foreign Affairs, where 

 Guizot lives, and where to-night there were about a thousand 

 troops protecting him from the fury of the populace. After 

 this was passed, the number of the people thickened, till about 



