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Jenkin。 The Kentish…Welsh family； facile； extravagant； generous to
a fault and far from brilliant； had given the father； an extreme
example of its humble virtues。 On the other side； the wild； cruel；
proud； and somewhat blackguard stock of the Scotch Campbell…
Jacksons； had put forth； in the person of the mother all its force
and courage。
The marriage fell in evil days。 In 1823； the bubble of the Golden
Aunt's inheritance had burst。 She died holding the hand of the
nephew she had so wantonly deceived； at the last she drew him down
and seemed to bless him； surely with some remorseful feeling； for
when the will was opened； there was not found so much as the
mention of his name。 He was deeply in debt； in debt even to the
estate of his deceiver； so that he had to sell a piece of land to
clear himself。 'My dear boy；' he said to Charles； 'there will be
nothing left for you。 I am a ruined man。' And here follows for me
the strangest part of this story。 From the death of the
treacherous aunt； Charles Jenkin； senior； had still some nine years
to live； it was perhaps too late for him to turn to saving； and
perhaps his affairs were past restoration。 But his family at least
had all this while to prepare； they were still young men； and knew
what they had to look for at their father's death； and yet when
that happened in September； 1831； the heir was still apathetically
waiting。 Poor John； the days of his whips and spurs； and Yeomanry
dinners； were quite over； and with that incredible softness of the
Jenkin nature； he settled down for the rest of a long life； into
something not far removed above a peasant。 The mill farm at
Stowting had been saved out of the wreck； and here he built himself
a house on the Mexican model； and made the two ends meet with
rustic thrift； gathering dung with his own hands upon the road and
not at all abashed at his employment。 In dress； voice； and manner；
he fell into mere country plainness； lived without the least care
for appearances； the least regret for the past or discontentment
with the present； and when he came to die； died with Stoic
cheerfulness； announcing that he had had a comfortable time and was
yet well pleased to go。 One would think there was little active
virtue to be inherited from such a race； and yet in this same
voluntary peasant； the special gift of Fleeming Jenkin was already
half developed。 The old man to the end was perpetually inventing；
his strange； ill…spelled； unpunctuated correspondence is full （when
he does not drop into cookery receipts） of pumps； road engines；
steam…diggers； steam…ploughs； and steam…threshing machines； and I
have it on Fleeming's word that what he did was full of ingenuity …
only； as if by some cross destiny； useless。 These disappointments
he not only took with imperturbable good humour； but rejoiced with
a particular relish over his nephew's success in the same field。
'I glory in the professor；' he wrote to his brother； and to
Fleeming himself； with a touch of simple drollery； 'I was much
pleased with your lecture； but why did you hit me so hard with
Conisure's' （connoisseur's； QUASI amateur's） 'engineering？ Oh；
what presumption！ … either of you or MYself！' A quaint； pathetic
figure； this of uncle John； with his dung cart and his inventions；
and the romantic fancy of his Mexican house； and his craze about
the Lost Tribes which seemed to the worthy man the key of all
perplexities； and his quiet conscience； looking back on a life not
altogether vain； for he was a good son to his father while his
father lived； and when evil days approached； he had proved himself
a cheerful Stoic。
It followed from John's inertia； that the duty of winding up the
estate fell into the hands of Charles。 He managed it with no more
skill than might be expected of a sailor ashore； saved a bare
livelihood for John and nothing for the rest。 Eight months later；
he married Miss Jackson； and with her money； bought in some two…
thirds of Stowting。 In the beginning of the little family history
which I have been following to so great an extent； the Captain
mentions； with a delightful pride： 'A Court Baron and Court Leet
are regularly held by the Lady of the Manor； Mrs。 Henrietta Camilla
Jenkin'； and indeed the pleasure of so describing his wife； was the
most solid benefit of the investment； for the purchase was heavily
encumbered and paid them nothing till some years before their
death。 In the meanwhile； the Jackson family also； what with wild
sons； an indulgent mother and the impending emancipation of the
slaves； was moving nearer and nearer to beggary； and thus of two
doomed and declining houses； the subject of this memoir was born；
heir to an estate and to no money； yet with inherited qualities
that were to make him known and loved。
CHAPTER II。 1833…1851。
Birth and Childhood … Edinburgh … Frankfort…on…the…Main … Paris …
The Revolution of 1848 … The Insurrection … Flight to Italy …
Sympathy with Italy … The Insurrection in Genoa … A Student in
Genoa … The Lad and his Mother。
HENRY CHARLES FLEEMING JENKIN （Fleeming； pronounced Flemming； to
his friends and family） was born in a Government building on the
coast of Kent； near Dungeness； where his father was serving at the
time in the Coastguard； on March 25； 1833； and named after Admiral
Fleeming； one of his father's protectors in the navy。
His childhood was vagrant like his life。 Once he was left in the
care of his grandmother Jackson； while Mrs。 Jenkin sailed in her
husband's ship and stayed a year at the Havannah。 The tragic woman
was besides from time to time a member of the family she was in
distress of mind and reduced in fortune by the misconduct of her
sons； her destitution and solitude made it a recurring duty to
receive her； her violence continually enforced fresh separations。
In her passion of a disappointed mother； she was a fit object of
pity； but her grandson； who heard her load his own mother with
cruel insults and reproaches； conceived for her an indignant and
impatient hatred； for which he blamed himself in later life。 It is
strange from this point of view to see his childish letters to Mrs。
Jackson； and to think that a man； distinguished above all by
stubborn truthfulness； should have been brought up to such
dissimulation。 But this is of course unavoidable in life； it did
no harm to Jenkin； and whether he got harm or benefit from a so
early acquaintance with violent and hateful scenes； is more than I
can guess。 The experience； at least； was formative； and in judging
his character it should not be forgotten。 But Mrs。 Jackson was not
the only stranger in their gates； the Captain's sister； Aunt Anna
Jenkin； lived with them until her death； she had all the Jenkin
beauty of countenance； though she was unhappily deformed in body
and of frail health； and she