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　and
  generalisations；　contrasting　the　dramatic　art　and　national
  character　of　England；　Germany；　Italy；　and　France。　　If　he　were　dull；
  he　would　write　stories　and　poems。　　'I　have　written；'　he　says　at
  thirteen；　'a　very　long　story　in　heroic　measure；　300　lines；　and
  another　Scotch　story　and　innumerable　bits　of　poetry'；　and　at　the
  same　age　he　had　not　only　a　keen　feeling　for　scenery；　but　could　do
  something　with　his　pen　to　call　it　up。　　I　feel　I　do　always　less　than
  justice　to　the　delightful　memory　of　Captain　Jenkin；　but　with　a　lad
  of　this　character；　cutting　the　teeth　of　his　intelligence；　he　was
  sure　to　fall　into　the　background。
  The　family　removed　in　1847　to　Paris；　where　Fleeming　was　put　to
  school　under　one　Deluc。　　There　he　learned　French；　and　（if　the
  captain　is　right）　first　began　to　show　a　taste　for　mathematics。　　But
  a　far　more　important　teacher　than　Deluc　was　at　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　…　Fleeming　saw　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　Edinburgh　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　half　a　mile
  further　on；　I　met　a　troop　of　vagabonds；　the　wildest　vagabonds　in
  the　world　…　Paris　vagabonds；　well　armed；　having　probably　broken
  into　gunsmiths'　shops　and　taken　the　guns　and　swords。　　They　were
  about　a　hundred。　　These　were　followed　by　about　a　thousand　（I　am
  rather　diminishing　than　exaggerating　numbers　all　through）；
  indifferently　armed　with　rusty　sabres；　sticks；　etc。　　An　uncountable
  troop　of　gentlemen；　workmen；　shopkeepers'　wives　（Paris　women　dare
  anything）；　ladies'　maids；　common　women　…　in　fact；　a　crowd　of　all
  classes；　though　by　far　the　greater　number　were　of　the　better
  dressed　class　…　followed。　　Indeed；　it　was　a　splendid　sight：　　the
  mob　in　front　chanting　the　〃MARSEILLAISE；〃　the　national　war　hymn；
  grave　and　powerful；　sweetened　by　the　night　air　…　though　night　in
  these　splendid　streets　was　turned　into　day；　every　window　was　filled
  with　lamps；　dim　torches　were　tossing　in　the　crowd　。　。　。　for　Guizot
  has　late　this　night　given　in　his　resignation；　and　this　was　an
  improvised　illumination。
  'I　and　my　father　had　turned　with　the　crowd；　and　were　close　behind
  the　second　troop　of　vagabonds。　　Joy　was　on　every　face。　　I　remarked
  to　papa　that　〃I　would　not　have　missed　the　scene　for　anything；　I
  might　never　see　such　a　splendid　one；〃　when　PLONG　went　one　shot　…
  every　face　went　pale　…　R…R…R…R…R　went　the　whole　detachment；　＇and＇
  the　whole　crowd　of　gentlemen　and　ladies　turned　and　cut。　　Such　a
  scene！　…　ladies；　gentlemen；　and　vagabonds　went　sprawling　in　the
  mud；　not　shot　but　tripped　up；　and　those　that　went　down　could　not
  rise；　they　were　trampled　over。　。　。　。　I　ran　a　short　time　straight　on
  and　did　not　fall；　then　turned　down　a　side　street；　ran　fifty　yards
  and　felt　tolerably　safe；　looked　for　papa；　did　not　see　him；　so
  walked　on　quickly；　giving　the　news　as　I　went。'　　＇It　appears；　from
  another　letter；　the　boy　was　the　first　to　carry　word　of　the　firing
  to　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　and　that　his　news　wherever　he　brought　it　was
  received　with　hurrahs。　　It　was　an　odd　entrance　upon　life　for　a
  little　English　lad；　thus　to　play　the　part　of　rumour　in　such　a
  crisis　of　the　history　of　France。＇
  'But　now　a　new　fear　came　over　me。　　I　had　little　doubt　but　my　papa
  was　safe；　but　my　fear　was　that　he　should　arrive　at　home　before　me
  and　tell　the　story；　in　that　case　I　knew　my　mamma　would　go　half　mad
  with　fright；　so　on　I　went　as　quick　as　possible。　　I　heard　no　more
  discharges。　　When　I　got　half　way　home；　I　found　my　way　blocked　up　by
  troops。　　That　way　or　the　Boulevards　I　must　pass。　　In　the　Boulevards
  they　were　fighting；　and　I　was　afraid　all　other　passages　might　be
  blocked　up　。　。　。　and　I　should　have　to　sleep　in　a　hotel　in　that
  case；　and　then　my　mamma　…　however；　after　a　long　DETOUR；　I　found　a
  passage　and　ran　home；　and　in　our　street　joined　papa。
  '。　。　。　I'll　tell　you　to…morrow　the　other　facts　gathered　from
  newspapers　and　papa。　。　。　。　Tonight　I　have　given　you　what　I　have
  seen　with　my　own　eyes　an　hour　ago；　and　began　trembling　with
  excitement　and　fear。　　If　I　have　been　too　long　on　this　one　subject；
  it　is　because　it　is　yet　before　my　eyes。
  'Monday；　24。
  'It　was　that　fire　raised　the　people。　　There　was　fighting　all
  through　the　night　in　the　Rue　Notre　Dame　de　Lorette；　on　the
  Boulevards　where　they　had　been　shot　at；　and　at　the　Porte　St。　Denis。
  At　ten　o'clock；　they　resigned　the　house　of　the　Minister　of　Foreign
  Affairs　（where　the　disastrous　volley　was　fired）　to　the　people；　who
  immediately　took　possession　of　it。　　I　went　to　school；　but　＇was＇
  hardly　there　when　the　row　in　that　quarter　commenced。　　Barricades
  began　to　be　fixed。　　Everyone　was　very　grave　now；　the　EXTERNES　went
  away；　but　no　one　came　to　fetch　me；　so　I　had　to　stay。　　No　lessons
  could　go　on。　　A　troop　of　armed　men　took　possession　of　the
  barricades；　so　it　was　supposed　I　should　have　to　sleep　there。　　The
  revolters　came　and　asked　for　arms；　but　Deluc　（head…master）　is　a
  National　Guard；　and　he　said　he　had　only　his　own　and　he　wanted　them；
  but　he　said　he　would　not　fire　on　them。　　Then　they　asked　for　wine；
  which　he　gave　them。　　They　took　good　care　not　to　get　drunk；　knowing
  they　would　not　be　able　to　fight。　　They　were　very　polite　and　behaved
  extremely　well。
  'About　12　o'clock　a　servant　came　for　a　boy　who　lived　near　me；　＇and＇
  Deluc　thought　it　best　to　send　me　with　him。　　We　heard　a　good　deal　of
  firing　near；　but　did　not　come　across　any　of　the　parties。　　As　we
  approached　the　railway；　the　barricades　were　no　longer　formed　of
  palings；　planks；　or　stones；　but　they　had　got　all　the　omnibuses　as
  they　passed；　sent　the　horses　and　passengers　about　their　business；
  and　turned　them　over。　　A　double　row　of　overturned　coaches　made　a
  capital　barricade；　with　a　few　paving　stones。
  'When　I　got　home　I　found　to　my　astonishment　that　in　our　fighting
  quarter　it　was　much　quieter。　　Mamma　had　just　been　out　seeing　the
  troops　in　the　Place　de　la　Concorde；　when　suddenly　the　Municipal
  Guard；　now　fairly　exasperated；　prevented　the　National　Guard　from
  proceeding；　and　fired　at　them；　the　National　Guard　had　come　with
  their　muskets　not　loaded；　but　at　length　returned　the　fire。　　Mamma
  saw　the　National　Guard　fire。　　The　Municipal　Guard　were　round　the
  corner。　　She　was　delighted　for　she　saw　no　person　killed；　though
  many　of　the　Municipals　were。　。　。　。　。
  'I　immediately　went　out　with　my　papa　（mamma　had　just　come　back　with
  him）　and　went