His education, in the formal sense, began at Jedburgh. Thence he
went to the Edinburgh Academy, where he was the classmate of Tait
and Clerk Maxwell, bore away many prizes, and was once unjustly
flogged by Rector Williams. He used to insist that all his bad
schoolfellows had died early, a belief amusingly characteristic of
the man's consistent optimism. In 1846 the mother and son
proceeded to Frankfort-on-the-Main, where they were soon joined by
the father, now reduced to inaction and to play something like
third fiddle in his narrow household. The emancipation of the
slaves had deprived them of their last resource beyond the half-pay
of a captain; and life abroad was not only desirable for the sake
of Fleeming's education, it was almost enforced by reasons of
economy. But it was, no doubt, somewhat hard upon the captain.
Certainly that perennial boy found a companion in his son; they
were both active and eager, both willing to be amused, both young,
if not in years, then in character. They went out together on
excursions and sketched old castles, sitting side by side; they had
an angry rivalry in walking, doubtless equally sincere upon both
sides; and indeed we may say that Fleeming was exceptionally
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