cxviii MEMOIR 



any principle of science involved, they must understand the 

 principle ; and whatever was attempted, that was to be done 

 thoroughly. If it was but play, if it was but a puppetshow 

 they were to build, he set them the example of being no slug- 

 gard in play. When Frewen the second son embarked on the 

 ambitious design to make an engine for a toy steamboat, Fleem- 

 ing made him begin with a proper drawing doubtless to the 

 disgust of the young engineer ; but once that foundation laid, 

 helped in the work with unflagging gusto, ' tinkering away,' for 

 hours, and assisted at the final trial ' in the big bath ' with no 

 less excitement than the boy. c He would take any amount of 

 trouble to help us,' writes my correspondent. .' We never felt 

 an affair was complete till we had called him to see, and he 

 would come at any time, in the middle of any work/ There 

 was indeed one recognised playhour, immediately after the de- 

 spatch of the day's letters ; and the boys were to be seen waiting 

 on the stairs until the mail should be ready and the fun could 

 begin. But at no other time did this busy man suffer his work 

 to interfere with that first duty to his children ; and there is a 

 pleasant tale of the inventive Master Frewen, engaged at the 

 time upon a toy crane, bringing to the study where his father 

 sat at work a half- wound reel that formed some part of his 

 design, and observing, ' Papa, you might finiss windin' this for 

 me ; I am so very busy to-day.' 



I put together here a few brief extracts from Fleeming's 

 letters, none very important in itself, but all together building 

 up a pleasant picture of the father with his sons. 



i Jan. 15th y 1875. Frewen contemplates suspending soap 

 bubbles by silk threads for experimental purposes. I don't 

 think he will manage that. Bernard ' [the youngest] ' volun- 

 teered to blow the bubbles with enthusiasm.' 



c Jan. 17 th. I am learning a great deal of electrostatics in 

 consequence of the perpetual cross-examination to which I am 

 subjected. I long for you on many grounds but one is that I 

 may not be obliged to deliver a running lecture on abstract 

 points of science, subject to cross-examination by two acute 

 students. Bernie does not cross-examine much ; but if anyone 



