Gutenberg Articles

Appearance

Excerpt ​

Excerpt from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin, by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Jenkins of Stowting—Fleeming’s grandfather—Mrs. Buckner’s
fortune—Fleeming’s father; goes to sea; at St. Helena; meets King Tom;
service in the West Indies; end of his career—The
Campbell-Jacksons—Fleeming’s mother—Fleeming’s uncle John.

IN the reign of Henry VIII., a family of the name of Jenkin, claiming to
come from York, and bearing the arms of Jenkin ap Philip of St. Melans,
are found reputably settled in the county of Kent. Persons of strong
genealogical pinion pass from William Jenkin, Mayor of Folkestone in
1555, to his contemporary ‘John Jenkin, of the Citie of York, Receiver
General of the County,’ and thence, by way of Jenkin ap Philip, to the
proper summit of any Cambrian pedigree—a prince; ‘Guaith Voeth, Lord of
Cardigan,’ the name and style of him. It may suffice, however, for the
present, that these Kentish Jenkins must have undoubtedly derived from
Wales, and being a stock of some efficiency, they struck root and grew to
wealth and consequence in their new home.

Of their consequence we have proof enough in the fact that not only was
William Jenkin (as already mentioned) Mayor of Folkestone in 1555, but no
less than twenty-three times in the succeeding century and a half, a
Jenkin (William, Thomas, Henry, or Robert) sat in the same place of
humble honour. Of their wealth we know that in the reign of Charles I.,
Thomas Jenkin of Eythorne was more than once in the market buying land,
and notably, in 1633, acquired the manor of Stowting Court. This was an
estate of some 320 acres, six miles from Hythe, in the Bailiwick and
Hundred of Stowting, and the Lathe of Shipway, held of the Crown in
capite by the service of six men and a constable to defend the passage
of the sea at Sandgate. It had a chequered history before it fell into
the hands of Thomas of Eythorne, having been sold and given from one to
another—to the Archbishop, to Heringods, to the Burghershes, to Pavelys,
Trivets, Cliffords, Wenlocks, Beauchamps, Nevilles, Kempes, and Clarkes:
a piece of Kentish ground condemned to see new faces and to be no man’s
home. But from 1633 onward it became the anchor of the Jenkin family in
Kent; and though passed on from brother to brother, held in shares
between uncle and nephew, burthened by debts and jointures, and at least
once sold and bought in again, it remains to this day in the hands of the
direct line. It is not my design, nor have I the necessary knowledge, to
give a history of this obscure family. But this is an age when genealogy
has taken a new lease of life, and become for the first time a human
science; so that we no longer study it in quest of the Guaith Voeths, but
to trace out some of the secrets of descent and destiny; and as we study,
we think less of Sir Bernard Burke and more of Mr. Galton. Not only do
our character and talents lie upon the anvil and receive their temper
during generations; but the very plot of our life’s story unfolds itself
on a scale of centuries, and the biography of the man is only an episode
in the epic of the family. From this point of view I ask the reader’s
leave to begin this notice of a remarkable man who was my friend, with
the accession of his great-grandfather, John Jenkin.

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin by Robert Louis Stevenson ​

This passage is the opening of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Memoir of Fleeming Jenkin (1887), a biographical sketch of the Scottish engineer and academic Fleeming Jenkin (1833–1885), a friend of Stevenson’s. The excerpt serves as an introduction to Jenkin’s family history, tracing the origins of the Jenkin (or Jenkyn) family from Wales to Kent, England, and establishing their social and economic standing over centuries. Stevenson, though primarily known for his fiction (Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), was also a skilled biographer and essayist, and this work reflects his interest in genealogy, heredity, and the interplay between personal and familial destiny.

Context of the Source ​

  1. Purpose of the Memoir:

    • Stevenson wrote this memoir as a tribute to Fleeming Jenkin, a professor of engineering at the University of Edinburgh and a prominent figure in Victorian scientific circles (known for his work on telegraphy and electrical engineering).
    • The opening focuses not on Jenkin himself but on his ancestry, framing his life as part of a larger family epic. This reflects Stevenson’s belief (influenced by contemporary scientific thought) that individual lives are shaped by hereditary and historical forces.

  2. Victorian Interest in Genealogy:

    • The 19th century saw a surge in genealogical studies, partly due to Darwinian evolution and Galton’s eugenics, which emphasized heredity’s role in shaping individuals.
    • Stevenson contrasts traditional genealogy (obsessed with noble lineages, like "Guaith Voeth, Lord of Cardigan") with a modern, scientific approach (referencing Francis Galton, a cousin of Darwin and pioneer of hereditary studies).
    • The passage critiques the romanticization of ancestry while still acknowledging its influence on identity.

Themes in the Excerpt ​

  1. Heredity and Destiny:

    • Stevenson presents the Jenkin family’s history as a long-unfolding narrative, where individual lives are "episodes in the epic of the family."
    • The idea that "the biography of the man is only an episode in the epic of the family" suggests that Fleeming Jenkin’s achievements are part of a larger hereditary pattern—his talents and social position are not solely his own but inherited from generations of ambitious, resilient ancestors.
    • This aligns with Victorian determinism, the belief that biology and lineage heavily influence one’s fate.

  2. Social Mobility and Stability:

    • The Jenkins are described as a "stock of some efficiency" who "struck root and grew to wealth and consequence" in Kent.
    • Their rise from Welsh origins to landowning gentry (via Thomas Jenkin’s purchase of Stowting Court) illustrates social climbing through land acquisition, a common path to status in pre-industrial England.
    • The repeated mayoral terms (23 times over 150 years) suggest local political dominance, reinforcing their stability and influence.

  3. The Transience of Ownership vs. Family Permanence:

    • Stowting Court is described as a "piece of Kentish ground condemned to see new faces and to be no man’s home" before the Jenkins acquired it.
    • The long list of former owners (Archbishop, Heringods, Burghershes, Pavelys, etc.) contrasts with the Jenkins’ enduring hold on the estate, despite financial struggles ("burthened by debts and jointures").
    • This underscores the family’s resilience—even when the estate was sold and repurchased, it remained in their line, symbolizing permanence amid historical flux.

  4. Genealogy as Science vs. Romance:

    • Stevenson mocks the traditional obsession with noble ancestry (e.g., tracing back to a Welsh prince, "Guaith Voeth").
    • Instead, he advocates for a scientific study of heredity, referencing Francis Galton (a key figure in eugenics and statistical heredity).
    • The shift from "Sir Bernard Burke" (a 19th-century genealogist who compiled aristocratic lineages) to "Mr. Galton" (a scientist) reflects Stevenson’s modernist perspective—genealogy should explore how traits and destinies are passed down, not just glorify ancient bloodlines.

Literary Devices and Style ​

  1. Irony and Understatement:

    • Stevenson uses dry humor in describing the Jenkins’ rise:
      • "a stock of some efficiency" (understated praise for their ambition).
      • "humble honour" (ironic, since being mayor 23 times is far from humble).
    • The mock-epic tone in "the proper summit of any Cambrian pedigree—a prince" pokes fun at the grandiosity of genealogical claims.

  2. Metaphor and Imagery:

    • "Struck root and grew to wealth" → The family is likened to a tree, emphasizing organic growth and deep connection to place.
    • "The biography of the man is only an episode in the epic of the family" → Frames individual life as part of a larger, ongoing saga.
    • "The plot of our life’s story unfolds itself on a scale of centuries" → Suggests that personal narratives are shaped by deep historical forces.

  3. Historical Detail and Realism:

    • Stevenson grounds the narrative in specific dates, places, and legal terms (e.g., "held of the Crown in capite by the service of six men and a constable").
    • The litany of former owners of Stowting Court creates a sense of historical depth, reinforcing the idea that the Jenkins’ claim is both recent and enduring.

  4. Juxtaposition:

    • Old vs. New Genealogy: The contrast between medieval noble claims (Guaith Voeth) and modern scientific heredity (Galton).
    • Transience vs. Permanence: The many past owners of Stowting Court vs. the Jenkins’ lasting possession.

Significance of the Passage ​

  1. Biographical Framing:

    • By beginning with family history, Stevenson suggests that Fleeming Jenkin’s intellectual and professional achievements are rooted in his ancestry.
    • This reflects a Victorian biographical convention—great men were often presented as products of great lineages.

  2. Stevenson’s Philosophical Views:

    • The passage reveals Stevenson’s interest in heredity and fate, themes that appear in his fiction (e.g., Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde explores dual inheritance—genetic and moral).
    • His skepticism of pure romanticism (seen in his dismissal of "Guaith Voeth") aligns with his realist tendencies, even in adventure stories.

  3. Cultural Commentary:

    • The excerpt critiques Victorian class obsession—while the Jenkins were not aristocrats, their landownership and political influence gave them gentry status.
    • The reference to Galton ties the memoir to scientific racism and eugenics, controversial but influential ideas in Stevenson’s time.

  4. Narrative Technique:

    • Stevenson delays the introduction of Fleeming Jenkin himself, building anticipation by first establishing his historical and familial context.
    • This mirrors epic storytelling, where the prologue sets the stage for the hero’s emergence.

Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters ​

This opening is not just a dry genealogical record but a meditation on how history, heredity, and social structures shape individual lives. Stevenson uses the Jenkins’ story to explore:

  • The tension between personal achievement and inherited privilege.
  • The shift from mythic ancestry to scientific heredity in Victorian thought.
  • The enduring power of family legacies, even amid financial and political instability.

By framing Fleeming Jenkin’s life within centuries of family history, Stevenson suggests that no man is entirely self-made—his genius, like his name, is a gift and a burden from the past. This idea resonates with Stevenson’s broader literary concerns, where identity is often a negotiation between inheritance and individual will.

Would you like a deeper analysis of any specific aspect, such as the legal terminology or Stevenson’s use of irony?