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knot of his special admirers；' is a spirit apt to be misconstrued。
He was not a dogmatist； even about Whistler。 'The house is full of
pretty things；' he wrote； when on a visit； 'but Mrs。 …'s taste in
pretty things has one very bad fault： it is not my taste。' And
that was the true attitude of his mind； but these eternal
differences it was his joy to thresh out and wrangle over by the
hour。 It was no wonder if he loved the Greeks； he was in many ways
a Greek himself； he should have been a sophist and met Socrates； he
would have loved Socrates； and done battle with him staunchly and
manfully owned his defeat； and the dialogue； arranged by Plato；
would have shown even in Plato's gallery。 He seemed in talk
aggressive； petulant； full of a singular energy； as vain you would
have said as a peacock； until you trod on his toes； and then you
saw that he was at least clear of all the sicklier elements of
vanity。 Soundly rang his laugh at any jest against himself。 He
wished to be taken； as he took others； for what was good in him
without dissimulation of the evil； for what was wise in him without
concealment of the childish。 He hated a draped virtue； and
despised a wit on its own defence。 And he drew （if I may so
express myself） a human and humorous portrait of himself with all
his defects and qualities； as he thus enjoyed in talk the robust
sports of the intelligence； giving and taking manfully； always
without pretence； always with paradox； always with exuberant
pleasure； speaking wisely of what he knew； foolishly of what he
knew not； a teacher； a learner； but still combative； picking holes
in what was said even to the length of captiousness； yet aware of
all that was said rightly； jubilant in victory； delighted by
defeat： a Greek sophist； a British schoolboy。
Among the legends of what was once a very pleasant spot； the old
Savile Club； not then divorced from Savile Row； there are many
memories of Fleeming。 He was not popular at first； being known
simply as 'the man who dines here and goes up to Scotland'； but he
grew at last； I think； the most generally liked of all the members。
To those who truly knew and loved him； who had tasted the real
sweetness of his nature； Fleeming's porcupine ways had always been
a matter of keen regret。 They introduced him to their own friends
with fear； sometimes recalled the step with mortification。 It was
not possible to look on with patience while a man so lovable
thwarted love at every step。 But the course of time and the
ripening of his nature brought a cure。 It was at the Savile that
he first remarked a change； it soon spread beyond the walls of the
club。 Presently I find him writing： 'Will you kindly explain what
has happened to me？ All my life I have talked a good deal； with
the almost unfailing result of making people sick of the sound of
my tongue。 It appeared to me that I had various things to say； and
I had no malevolent feelings； but nevertheless the result was that
expressed above。 Well； lately some change has happened。 If I talk
to a person one day； they must have me the next。 Faces light up
when they see me。 … 〃Ah； I say； come here；〃 … 〃come and dine with
me。〃 It's the most preposterous thing I ever experienced。 It is
curiously pleasant。 You have enjoyed it all your life； and
therefore cannot conceive how bewildering a burst of it is for the
first time at forty…nine。' And this late 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
schoolboy； 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 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 l'Exposition
Universelle。 On n'avait rien fait qui vaille a 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 proposai que la seance fut levee a la condition que
chaque membre francais； EMPORTAT a dejeuner un jure etranger。
Jenkin applaudit。 'Je vous emimene dejeuner；' lui criai…je。 'Je
veux bien。' 。 。 。 Nous partimes； en chemin nous vous rencontrions；
il vous presente et nous allons dejeuner tous trois aupres du
Trocadero。
Et； depuis ce temps； nous avons ete de vieux amis。 Non seulement
nous passions nos journees au jury； ou nous etions toujours
ensemble； cote…a…cote。 Mais nos habitudes s'etaient faites telles
que； non contents de dejeuner en face l'un de l'autre； je le
ramenais diner presque tous les jours chez moi。 Cela dura une
quinzaine： puis il fut rappele en Angleterre。 Mais il revint； et
nous fimes encore une bonne etape de vie intellectuelle； morale et
philosophique。 Je crois qu'il me rendait deja tout ce que
j'eprouvais de sympathie et d'estime； et que je ne fus pas pour
rien dans son retour a Paris。
Chose singuliere！ nous nous etions attaches l'un a l'autre par les
sous…entendus bien plus que par la matiere de nos conversations。 A
vrai dire； nous etions presque toujours en discussion； et il nous
arrivait de nous rire au nez l'un et l'autre pendant des heures；
tant nous nous etonnions reciproquement de la diversite de nos
points de vue。 Je le trouvais si Anglais； et il me trouvais si
Francais！ Il etait si franchement revolte de certaines choses
qu'il voyait chez nous； et je comprenais si mal certaines choses
qui se passaient chez vous！ Rien de plus interessant que ces
contacts qui etaient des contrastes； et que ces rencontres d'idees
qui etaient des choses； rien de si attachant que les echappees de
coeur ou d'esprit auxquelles ces petits conflits donnaient a tout
moment cours。 C'est dans ces conditions que； pendant son sejour a
Paris en 1878； je conduisis un peu partout mon nouvel ami。 Nous
all？mes chez Madame Edmond Adam； ou il vit passer beaucoup d'hommes
politiques avec lesquels il causa。 Mais c'est chez les ministres
qu'il fut interesse。 Le moment etait； d'ailleurs； curieu