hat when
the pinch came and she suffered, she should not be disappointed in
herself nor tempted to doubt her own magnanimity: a letter of admirable
wisdom and solicitude. But now that the trouble came, he bore it very
lightly. It was his principle, as he once prettily expressed it, "to
enjoy each day's happiness, as it arises, like birds or children." His
optimism, if driven out at the door, would come in again by the window;
if it found nothing but blackness in the present, would hit upon some
ground of consolation in the future or the past. And his courage and
energy were indefatigable. In the year 1863, soon after the birth of
their first son, they moved into a cottage at Claygate near Esher; and
about this time, under manifold troubles both of money and health, I
find him writing from abroad: "The country will give us, please God,
health and strength. I will love and cherish you more than ever, you
shall go where you wish, you shall receive whom you wish--and as for
money, you shall have that too. I cannot be mistaken. I have now
measured myself with many men. I do not feel weak, I do not feel that I
shall fail. In many things I have succeeded, and I will in this. And
meanwhile the time of waiting, which, please Heaven, shall not be long,
shall also not be so bitter. Well, well, I promise much, and do not know
at this moment how you and the dear child are. If he is but better,
courage, my girl, for I see light."

This cottage at Claygate stood just without the village, well surrounded
with trees, and commanding a pleasant view. A piece of the garden was
turfed over to form a croquet-green, and Fleeming became (I need scarce
say) a very ardent player. He grew ardent, too, in gardening. This he
took up at first to please his wife, having no natural inclination; but
he had no sooner set his hand to it than, like everything else he
touched, it became with him a passion. He budded roses, he potted
cuttings in the coach-house; if there came a change of weather at night
he would rise out of bed to protect his favourites; when he was thrown
with a dull companion, it was enough for him to discover in the man a
fellow-gardener; on his travels, he would go out of his way to visit
nurseries and gather hints; and to the end of his life, after other
occupations prevented him putting his own hand to the spade, he drew up
a yearly programme for his gardener, in which all details were
regulated. He had begun by this time to write. H