memoir of fleeming jenkin-第11部分

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merit；　he　deserves　his　fortune？　　One　thing　at　least　reason　may　

discern：　　that　a　man　but　partly　chooses；　he　also　partly　forms；　his　

help…mate；　and　he　must　in　part　deserve　her；　or　the　treasure　is　but　

won　for　a　moment　to　be　lost。　　Fleeming　chanced　if　you　will　（and　

indeed　all　these　opportunities　are　as　'random　as　blind　man's　buff'）　

upon　a　wife　who　was　worthy　of　him；　but　he　had　the　wit　to　know　it；　

the　courage　to　wait　and　labour　for　his　prize；　and　the　tenderness　

and　chivalry　that　are　required　to　keep　such　prizes　precious。　　Upon　

this　point　he　has　himself　written　well；　as　usual　with　fervent　

optimism；　but　as　usual　（in　his　own　phrase）　with　a　truth　sticking　in　

his　head。



'Love；'　he　wrote；　'is　not　an　intuition　of　the　person　most　suitable　

to　us；　most　required　by　us；　of　the　person　with　whom　life　flowers　

and　bears　fruit。　　If　this　were　so；　the　chances　of　our　meeting　that　

person　would　be　small　indeed；　our　intuition　would　often　fail；　the　

blindness　of　love　would　then　be　fatal　as　it　is　proverbial。　　No；　

love　works　differently；　and　in　its　blindness　lies　its　strength。　　

Man　and　woman；　each　strongly　desires　to　be　loved；　each　opens　to　the　

other　that　heart　of　ideal　aspirations　which　they　have　often　hid　

till　then；　each；　thus　knowing　the　ideal　of　the　other；　tries　to　

fulfil　that　ideal；　each　partially　succeeds。　　The　greater　the　love；　

the　greater　the　success；　the　nobler　the　idea　of　each；　the　more　

durable；　the　more　beautiful　the　effect。　　Meanwhile　the　blindness　of　

each　to　the　other's　defects　enables　the　transformation　to　proceed　

＇unobserved；＇　so　that　when　the　veil　is　withdrawn　（if　it　ever　is；　

and　this　I　do　not　know）　neither　knows　that　any　change　has　occurred　

in　the　person　whom　they　loved。　　Do　not　fear；　therefore。　　I　do　not　

tell　you　that　your　friend　will　not　change；　but　as　I　am　sure　that　

her　choice　cannot　be　that　of　a　man　with　a　base　ideal；　so　I　am　sure　

the　change　will　be　a　safe　and　a　good　one。　　Do　not　fear　that　

anything　you　love　will　vanish；　he　must　love　it　too。'



Among　other　introductions　in　London；　Fleeming　had　presented　a　

letter　from　Mrs。　Gaskell　to　the　Alfred　Austins。　　This　was　a　family　

certain　to　interest　a　thoughtful　young　man。　　Alfred；　the　youngest　

and　least　known　of　the　Austins；　had　been　a　beautiful　golden…haired　

child；　petted　and　kept　out　of　the　way　of　both　sport　and　study　by　a　

partial　mother。　　Bred　an　attorney；　he　had　（like　both　his　brothers）　

changed　his　way　of　life；　and　was　called　to　the　bar　when　past　

thirty。　　A　Commission　of　Enquiry　into　the　state　of　the　poor　in　

Dorsetshire　gave　him　an　opportunity　of　proving　his　true　talents；　

and　he　was　appointed　a　Poor　Law　Inspector；　first　at　Worcester；　next　

at　Manchester；　where　he　had　to　deal　with　the　potato　famine　and　the　

Irish　immigration　of　the　'forties；　and　finally　in　London；　where　he　

again　distinguished　himself　during　an　epidemic　of　cholera。　　He　was　

then　advanced　to　the　Permanent　Secretaryship　of　Her　Majesty's　

Office　of　Works　and　Public　Buildings；　a　position　which　he　filled　

with　perfect　competence；　but　with　an　extreme　of　modesty；　and　on　his　

retirement；　in　1868；　he　was　made　a　Companion　of　the　Bath。　　While　

apprentice　to　a　Norwich　attorney；　Alfred　Austin　was　a　frequent　

visitor　in　the　house　of　Mr。　Barron；　a　rallying　place　in　those　days　

of　intellectual　society。　　Edward　Barron；　the　son　of　a　rich　saddler　

or　leather　merchant　in　the　Borough；　was　a　man　typical　of　the　time。　　

When　he　was　a　child；　he　had　once　been　patted　on　the　head　in　his　

father's　shop　by　no　less　a　man　than　Samuel　Johnson；　as　the　Doctor　

went　round　the　Borough　canvassing　for　Mr。　Thrale；　and　the　child　was　

true　to　this　early　consecration。　　'A　life　of　lettered　ease　spent　in　

provincial　retirement；'　it　is　thus　that　the　biographer　of　that　

remarkable　man；　William　Taylor；　announces　his　subject；　and　the　

phrase　is　equally　descriptive　of　the　life　of　Edward　Barron。　　The　

pair　were　close　friends；　'W。　T。　and　a　pipe　render　everything　

agreeable；'　writes　Barron　in　his　diary　in　1823；　and　in　1833；　after　

Barron　had　moved　to　London　and　Taylor　had　tasted　the　first　public　

failure　of　his　powers；　the　latter　wrote：　　'To　my　ever　dearest　Mr。　

Barron　say；　if　you　please；　that　I　miss　him　more　than　I　regret　him　…　

that　I　acquiesce　in　his　retirement　from　Norwich；　because　I　could　

ill　brook　his　observation　of　my　increasing　debility　of　mind。'　　This　

chosen　companion　of　William　Taylor　must　himself　have　been　no　

ordinary　man；　and　he　was　the　friend　besides　of　Borrow；　whom　I　find　

him　helping　in　his　Latin。　　But　he　had　no　desire　for　popular　

distinction；　lived　privately；　married　a　daughter　of　Dr。　Enfield　of　

Enfield's　SPEAKER；　and　devoted　his　time　to　the　education　of　his　

family；　in　a　deliberate　and　scholarly　fashion；　and　with　certain　

traits　of　stoicism；　that　would　surprise　a　modern。　　From　these　

children　we　must　single　out　his　youngest　daughter；　Eliza；　who　

learned　under　his　care　to　be　a　sound　Latin；　an　elegant　Grecian；　and　

to　suppress　emotion　without　outward　sign　after　the　manner　of　the　

Godwin　school。　　This　was　the　more　notable；　as　the　girl　really　

derived　from　the　Enfields；　whose　high…flown　romantic　temper；　I　wish　

I　could　find　space　to　illustrate。　　She　was　but　seven　years　old；　

when　Alfred　Austin　remarked　and　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　the　

union　thus　early　prepared　was　singularly　full。　　Where　the　husband　

and　wife　differed；　and　they　did　so　on　momentous　subjects；　they　

differed　with　perfect　temper　and　content；　and　in　the　conduct　of　

life；　and　in　depth　and　durability　of　love；　they　were　at　one。　　Each　

full　of　high　spirits；　each　practised　something　of　the　same　

repression：　　no　sharp　word　was　uttered　in　their　house。　　The　same　

point　of　honour　ruled　them；　a　guest　was　sacred　and　stood　within　the　

pale　from　criticism。　　It　was　a　house；　besides；　of　unusual　

intellectual　tension。　　Mrs。　Austin　remembered；　in　the　early　days　of　

the　marriage；　the　three　brothers；　John；　Charles；　and　Alfred；　

marching　to　and　fro；　each　with　his　hands　behind　his　back；　and　

'reasoning　high'　till　morning；　and　how；　like　Dr。　Johnson；　they　

would　cheer　their　speculations　with　as　many　as　fifteen　cups　of　tea。　　

And　though；　before　the　date　of　Fleeming's　visit；　the　brothers　were　

separated；　Charles　long　ago　retired　from　the　world　at　Brandeston；　

and　John　already　near　his　end　in　the　'rambling　old　house'　at　

Weybridge；　Alfred　Austin　and　his　wife　were　still　a　centre　of　much　

intellectual　society；　and　still；　as　indeed　they　remained　until　the　

last；　youthfully　alert　in　mind。　　There　was　but　one　child　of　the　

marriage；　Anne；　and　she　was　herself　something　new　for　the　eyes　of　

the　young　visitor；　brought　up；　as　she　had　been；　like　her　mother　

before　her；　to　the　standard　of　a　man's　acquirements。　　Only　one　art　

had　she　been　denied；　she　must　not　learn　the　violin　…　the　thought　

was　too　monstrous　even　for　the　Austins；　and　indeed　it　would　seem　as　

if　that　tide　of　reform　which　we　may　date　from　the　days　of　Mary　

Wollstonecraft　had　in　some　degree　even　receded；　for　though　Miss　

Austin　was　suffered　to　learn　Greek；　the　accomplishment　was　kept　

secret　like　a　piece　of　guilt。　　But　whether　this　stealth　was　caused　

by　a　backward　movement　in　public　thought　since　the　time　of　Edward　

Barron；　or　by　the　change　from　enlightened　Norwich　to　barbarian　

London；　I　have　no　means　of　judging。



When　Fleeming　presented　his　letter；　he　fell　in　love　at　first　sight　

with　Mrs。　Austin　and　the　life；　and　atmosphere　of　the　house。　　There　

was　in　the　society　of　the　Austins；　outward；　stoical　conformers　to　

the　world；　something　gravely　suggestive　of　essential　eccentricity；　

something　unpretentiously　breathing　of　intellectual　effort；　that　

could　not　fail　to　hit　the　fancy　of　this　hot…brained　boy。　　The　

unbroken　enamel　of　courtesy；　the　self…restraint；　the　dignified　

kindness　of　these　married　folk；　had　besides　a　particular　attraction　

for　their　visitor。　　He　could　not　but　compare　what　he　saw；　with　what　

he　knew　of　his　mother　and　himself。　　Whatever　virtues　Fleeming　

possessed；　he　could　never　count　on　being　civil；　whatever　brave；　

true…hearted　qualities　he　was　able　to　admire　in　Mrs。　Jenkin；　

mildness　of　demeanour　was　not　one　of　them。　　And　here　he　found　per　

sons　who　were　the　equals　of　his　mother　and　himself　in　intellect　and　

width　of　interest；　and　the　equals　of　his　father　in　mild　urbanity　of　

disposition。　　Show　Fleeming　an　active　virtue；　and　he　always　loved　

it。　　He　went　away　from　that　house　struck　through　with　admiration；　

and　vowing　to　himself　that　his　own　married　life　should　be　upon　that　

pattern；　his　wife　（whoever　she　might　be）　like　Eliza　Barron；　himself　

such　another　husband　as　Alfred　Austin。　　What　is　more　strange；　he　

not　only　brought　away；　but　left　behind　him；　golden　opinions。　　He　

must　have　been　…　he　was；　I　am　told　…　a　trying　lad；　but　there　shone　

out　of　him　such　a　light　of　innocent　candour；　enthusiasm；　

intelligence；　and　appreciation；　that　to　persons　already　some　way　

forward　in　years；　and　thus　able　to　enjoy　indulgently　the　perennial　

comedy　of　youth；　the　sight　of　him　was　delightful。　　By　a　pleasant　

coincidence；　there　was　one　person　in　the　house　whom　he　did　not　

appreciate　and　who　did　not　appreciate　him：　　Anne　Austin；　his　future　

wife。　　His　boyish　vanity　ruffled　her；　his　appearance；　never　

impressive；　was　then；　by　reason　of　obtrusive　boyishness；　still　less　

so；　she　found　occasion　to　put　him　in　the　wrong　by　correcting　a　

false　quantity；　and　when　Mr。　Austin；　after　doing　his　visitor　the　

almost　unheard…of　honour　of　accompanying　him　to　the　door；　announced　

'That　was　what　young　men　were　like　in　my　time'　…　she　could　only　

reply；　looking　on　her　handsome　father；　'I　thought　they　had　been　

better　looking。'



This　first　visit　to　the　Austins　took　place　in　1855；　and　it　seems　it　

was　some　time　before　Fleeming　began　to　know　his　mind；　and　yet　

longer　ere　he　ventured　to　show　it。　　The　corrected　quantity；　to　

those　who　knew　him　well；　will　seem　to　have　played　its　part；　he　was　

the　man　always　to　reflect　o