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Description of Jasmin and the Entertainment
Jasmin and the French Academy
Visit to Louis Napoleon
Intercedes for return of M. Baze
Again Visits Paris
Louis Napoleon Emperor, and Empress Eugenie
The Interview
M. Baze Restored to his Family at Agen
The Church of Vergt Finished, with Jasmin Bells
CHAPTER XVIII. Jasmin enrolled Maitre-es-Jeux at toulouse
--crowned by Agen
Jasmin invited to Toulouse
Enrolled as Maitre-es-Jeux
The Ceremony in the Salle des Illustres
Jasmin acknowledgment
The Crowd in the Place de Capitol
Agen awards him a Crown of Gold
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
The Committee
Construction of the Crown
The Public Meeting
Address of M. Noubel, Deputy
Jasmin's Poem, 'The Crown of My Birthplace'
CHAPTER XIX. Last poems--more missions of charity
His 'New Recollections'
Journey to Albi and Castera
Bordeaux
Montignac, Saint Macaire
Saint Andre, Monsegur
Recitation at Arcachon
Societies of Mutual Help
'Imitation of Christ' Testimony from Bishop of Saint Flour
Jasmin's Self-denial
Collects about a Million and a half of Francs for the Poor
Expenses of his Journey of fifty Days
His Faithful Record
Jasmin at Rodez
Aurillac
Toulouse
His last Recital at Villeneuve-sur-Lot
CHAPTER XX. Death of Jasmin--his character.
Jasmin's Illness from Overwork and Fatigue
Last Poem to Renan
Receives the Last Sacrament
Takes Leave of his Wife
His Death, at Sixty-five
His Public Funeral
The Ceremony
Eulogiums
M. Noubel, Deputy; Capot and Magen
Inauguration of Bronze Statue
Character of Jasmin
His Love of Truth
His Fellow-Feeling for the Poor
His Pride in Agen
His Loyalty and Patience
Charity his Heroic Programme
His long Apostolate
APPENDIX
Jasmin Defence of the Gascon Dialect
The Mason's Son
The Poor Man's Doctor
My Vineyard
Franconnette
PREFACE.
My attention was first called to the works of the poet Jasmin by
the eulogistic articles which appeared in the Revue des Deux
Mondes, by De Mazade, Nodier, Villemain, and other well-known
reviewers.
I afterwards read the articles by Sainte-Beuve, perhaps the
finest critic of French literature, on the life and history of
Jasmin, in his 'Portraits Contemporains' as well as his
admirable article on the same subject, in the 'Causeries du
Lundi.'
While Jasmin was still alive, a translation was published by the
American poet Longfellow, of 'The Blind Girl of Castel-Cuille,'
perhaps the best of Jasmin's poems. In his note to the
translation, Longfellow said that "Jasmin, the author of this
beautiful poem, is to the South of France what Burns is to the
South of Scotland, the representative of the heart of the people;
one of those happy bards who are born with their mouths
full of birds (la bouco pleno d'aouvelous). He has written his
own biography in a poetic form, and the simple narrative of his
poverty, his struggles, and his triumphs, is very touching.
He still lives at Agen, on the Garonne; and long may he live
there to delight his native land with native songs."
I had some difficulty in obtaining Jasmin's poems; but at length
I received them from his native town of Agen. They consisted of
four volumes octavo, though they were still incomplete. But a
new edition has since been published, in 1889, which was
heralded by an interesting article in the Paris Figaro.
While at Royat, in 1888, I went across the country to Agen,
the town in which Jasmin was born, lived, and died. I saw the
little room in which he was born, the banks of the Garonne which
sounded so sweetly in his ears, the heights of the Hermitage
where he played when a boy, the Petite Seminaire in which he was
partly educated, the coiffeur's shop in which he carried on his
business as a barber and hair-dresser, and finally his tomb in
the cemetery where he was buried with all the honours that his
towns-fellows could bestow upon him.
From Agen I went south to Toulouse, where I saw the large room
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