Jasmin’scompatriotandassociateattheAcademyofAgen，”hasgivenmelettersofadmissiontoVersailles，Saint-Cloud，Meudoninfact，toallthepublicplacesthatIhaveforsolongatimebeenburningtoseeandadmire。”
Afteraweek’strampingabout，andseeingthemostattractivesightsofthecapital，Jasminbethoughthimofhisliteraryfriendsandcritics。ThefirstpersonhecalleduponwasSainte-Beuve，attheMazarinLibrary，ofwhichhewasdirector。”Hereceivedmelikeabrother，”saidJasmin，”andembracedme。
HesaidthemostflatteringthingsaboutmyFranconnette，andconsidereditanimprovementuponL’Aveugle。’Continue，’
hesaid，’mygoodfriend’andyouwilltakeaplaceinthebrightestpoetryofourepoch。’InshowingmeovertheshelvesintheLibrarycontainingtheworksoftheoldpoets，whicharestillreadandadmired，hesaid，’Likethem，youwillneverdie。’”
JasminnextcalleduponCharlesNodierandJulesJanin。
Nodierwasdelightedtoseehisoldfriend，andafteralongconversation，Jasminsaidthat”helefthimwithtearsinhiseyes。”Janincomplimentedhimuponhisworks，especiallyuponhismasterlyuseoftheGasconlanguage。”Goon，”hesaid，”andwriteyourpoetryinthepatoiswhichalwaysappearstomesodelicious。Youpossessthetalentnecessaryforthepurpose；
itissogenuineandrare。”
TheParisianjournalsmentionedJasmin’sappearanceinthecapital；themostdistinguishedcriticshadhighlyapprovedofhisworks；andbeforelonghebecametheherooftheday。
Themodesthotelinwhichhestayedduringhisvisit，wascrowdedwithvisitors。Peers，ministers，deputies，journalists，membersoftheFrenchAcademy，cametosalutetheauthorofthe’Papillotos。’
Theproprietorofthehotelbegantothinkthathewasentertainingsomeprinceindisguise——thathemusthavecomefromsomeforeigncourttonegotiatesecretlysomeloftyquestionsofstate。Butwhenhewasentertainedatabanquetbythebarbersandhair-dressersofParis，theopinionsof”minehost”underwentasuddenalteration。HeinformedJasmin’ssonthathecouldscarcelybelievethatministersofstatewouldbotherthemselveswithacountryperuke-maker！Thesonlaughed；
hetoldthemaitred’hotelthathisbillwouldbepaid，andthatwasallheneedtocarefor。
Jasminwasnot，however，withouthisdetractors。Eveninhisowncountry，manywhohadlaughedheartilyandweptbitterlywhilelisteningtohisvoice，fearedlesttheymighthavegivenventtotheiremotionsagainstthelegitimaterulesofpoetry。
SomeoftheParisiancriticswereofopinionthathewasimmenselyoverrated。TheyattributedthesuccessoftheGasconpoettothelivelinessofthesoutherners，whowereexcitedbythemeresttrifles；andtheysuspectedthatJasmin，insteadofbeingapoet，wasbutaclevergasconader，differingonlyfromtherestofhisclassbyspeakinginverseinsteadofprose。
NowthatJasminwasinthecapital，hisrealfriends，whoknewhispoeticalpowers，desiredhimtoputanendtotheseprejudicesbyrecitingbeforeacompetenttribunalsomeofhismostadmiredverses。HewouldhavehadnodifficultyinobtainingareceptionattheTuileries。HehadalreadyreceivedseveralkindfavoursfromtheDukeandDuchessofOrleanswhilevisitingAgen。TheDukehadpresentedhimwitharingsetinbrilliants，andtheDuchesshadgivenhimagoldpinintheshapeofaflower，withafinepearlsurroundedbydiamonds，inmemoryoftheirvisit。Itwasthiscircumstancewhichinducedhimtocomposehispoem’LaBagoetL’Esplingo’LaBagueetL’EpinglewhichhededicatedtotheDuchessofOrleans。
ButJasminaimedhigherthantheRoyalfamily。HisprincipaldesirewastoattendtheFrenchAcademy；butastheAcademydidnotpermitstrangerstoaddresstheirmeetings，Jasminwasunderthenecessityofadoptinganothermethod。TheSalonswereopen。
M。LeoncedeLavergnesaidtohim：”YouarenowclassedamongourFrenchpoets；giveusarecitationinGascon。”JasminexplainedthathecouldnotgivehisreadingbeforethemembersoftheAcademy。”Thatdifficulty，”saidhisfriend，”cansoonbegotover：Iwillarrangeforameetingatthesalonofoneofourmostdistinguishedmembers。”
ItwasaccordinglyarrangedthatJasminshouldgiveareadingatthehouseofM。AugustinThierry，oneofthegreatestoflivinghistorians。TheeliteofParisiansocietywerepresentontheoccasion，includingAmpere，Nizard，Burnouf，Ballanche，Villemain，andmanydistinguishedpersonagesofliterarycelebrity。
AwordastoJasmin’sdistinguishedentertainer，M。AugustinThierry。Hehadwrittenthe’HistoryoftheConquestofEnglandbytheNormans’——anoriginalworkofgreatvalue，thoughsinceovershadowedbythemoreminute’HistoryoftheNormanConquest，’byProfessorFreeman。YetThierry’sworkisstillofgreatinterest，displayinggiftsofthehighestandrarestkindinfelicitouscombination。Itshowsthecarefulploddingoftheantiquary，thekeenvisionofthemanoftheworld，thepassionatefervourofthepolitician，thecalmdignityofthephilosophicthinker，andthegrandeuroftheepicpoet。Thierrysucceededinexhumingthedrybonesofhistory，clothingthemforusanew，andpresentingalmostvisiblythe”ageandbodyofthetimes”longsincepassedaway。
Thierryhadalsowrittenhis’NarrativesoftheMerovingianTimes，’andrevivedalmostalostepochintheearlyhistoryofFrance。Inwritingouttheseandotherworks——theresultsofimmenselabourandresearch——hepartlylosthiseyesight。HetravelledintoSwitzerlandandtheSouthofFranceinthecompanyofM。Fauriel。Hecouldreadnomore，andtowardstheendoftheyeartheremainsofhissightentirelydisappeared。
Hehadnowtoreadwiththeeyesofothers，andtodictateinsteadofwriting。InhisworkshewasassistedbythefriendshipofM。ArmandCarrel，andtheaffectionandjudgmentofhislovingyoungwife。
Heproceededwithcourage，andwasabletocompletethefundamentalbasisofthetwoFrankishdynasties。HewasabouttofollowhisinvestigationsintothehistoryoftheGoths，Huns，andVandals，andotherraceswhichhadtakenpartinthedismembermentoftheempire。”Howeverextendedtheselabours，”
hesays，[1]”mycompleteblindnesscouldnothavepreventedmygoingthroughthem；Iwasresignedasmuchasacourageousmancanbe：Ihadmadeafriendshipwithdarkness。Butothertrialscame：acutesufferingsandthedeclineofmyhealthannouncedanervousdiseaseofthemostseriouskind。Iwasobligedtoconfessmyselfconquered，andtosave，ifitwasstilltime，thelastremainsofmyhealth。”
ThelastwordsofThierry’sAutobiographicalPrefacearemosttouching。”If，asIdelightinthinking，theinterestofscienceiscountedinthenumberofgreatnationalinterests，Ihavegivenmycountryallthatthesoldiermutilatedonthefieldofbattlegivesher。Whatevermaybethefateofmylabours，thisexampleIhopewillnotbelost。Iwouldwishittoservetocombatthespeciesofmoralweaknesswhichisthediseaseofthepresentgeneration；tobringbackintothestraightroadoflifesomeofthoseenervatedsoulsthatcomplainofwantingfaith，thatknownotwhattodo，andseekeverywhere，withoutfindingit，anobjectofworshipandadmiration。Whysay，withsomuchbitterness，thatinthisworld，constitutedasitis，thereisnoairforalllungs，noemploymentforallminds?Istherenotopportunityforcalmandseriousstudy?andisnotthatarefuge，ahope，afieldwithinthereachofallofus?Withit，evildaysarepassedoverwithouttheirweightbeingfelt；everyonecanmakehisowndestiny；everyonecanemployhislifenobly。ThisiswhatIhavedone，andwoulddoagainifIhadtorecommencemycareer：IwouldchoosethatwhichhasbroughtmetowhereIam。Blind，andsufferingwithouthope，andalmostwithoutintermission，Imaygivethistestimony，whichfrommewillnotappearsuspicious；thereissomethinginthisworldbetterthansensualenjoyments，betterthanfortune，betterthanhealthitself：itisdevotiontoscience。”
FootnotesforChapterXI。
[1]AutobiographicalPrefacetothe’NarrativesoftheMerovingianTimes。’
CHAPTERXII。
JASMIN’SRECITATIONSINPARIS。
ItwasasolemnandanxiousmomentforJasminwhenheappearedbeforethisselectpartyofthemostdistinguishedliterarymeninParis：hewasnodoubtplacedataconsiderabledisadvantage，forhisjudgesdidnotevenknowhislanguage。HehadfrequentlyrecitedtoaudienceswhodidnotknowGascon；andonsuchoccasionsheused，beforecommencinghisrecitation，togiveinFrenchashortsketchofhispoem，with，anexplanationofsomeofthemoredifficultGasconwords。Thiswasall；hismimictalentdidtherest。Hisgestureswerenobleandwell-marked。
Hiseyeswereflashing，buttheybecamelanguishingwhenherepresentedtendersentiments。Thenhisutterancechangedentirely，oftensuddenly，followingtheexpressionsofgriefandjoy。Therewerenowsmiles，nowtearsinhisvoice。
ItwasremarkablethatJasminshouldfirstrecitebeforetheblindhistorianTheBlindGirlofCastel-Cuille。Itmaybethathethoughtithisfinestpoem，withinthecompassoftimeallottedtohim，andthatitmightbestpleasehisaudience。
WhenhebegantospeakinGasconhewasheardwithinterest。
Alaughwas，indeed，raisedbyaportionofhisyouthfulhearers，butJasminflashedhispenetratingeyeuponthem；andtherewasnomorelaughter。Whenhereachedthetenderestparthegavewaytohisemotion，andwept。Tearsareascontagiousassmiles；
andeventheacademicians，whomaynothaveweptwithRachel，weptwithJasmin。Itwastheechoofsorrowtosorrow；thewordswhichblinddespairhadevokedfromtheblindMargaret。
AlleyeswereturnedtoThierryasJasmindescribedthegirl’sblindness。Thepoetomittedsomeofthemorepainfullines，whichmighthaveoccasionedsorrowtohiskindentertainer。
Theselines，forinstance，inGascon：”Jourperaoutres，toutjour！etperjou，malhurouzo，Toutjourney！toutjourney！
Quefaynegrelend’el！Oh！quemounamoestristo！
Oh！quesouffri，mounDiou！Courobendoun，Batisto！”
or，astranslatedbyLongfellow：”Dayfortheothersever，butformeForevernight！forevernight！
Whenheisgone，’tisdark！mysoulissad！
Isuffer！OmyGod！come，makemeglad。”
WhenJasminomittedthisverse，Thierry，whohadlistenedwithraptattention，interruptedhim。”Poet，”hesaid，”youhaveomittedapassage；readthepoemasyouhavewrittenit。”
Jasminpaused，andthenaddedtheomittedpassage。”Canitbe?”
saidthehistorian：”surelyyou，whocandescribesovividlytheagonyofthosewhocannotsee，mustyourselfhavesufferedblindness！”ThewordsofJasminmighthavebeenspokenbyThierryhimself，whoinhishoursofsadnessoftensaid，”Iseenothingbutdarknesstoday。”
AttheendofhisrecitalJasminwasmuchapplauded。Ampere，whohadfollowedhimcloselyintheFrenchtranslationofhispoem，said：”IfJasminhadneverwrittenverse，itwouldbeworthgoingahundredleaguestolistentohisprose。”Whatcharmedhisauditorsmostwashisfrankness。Hewouldevenaskthemtolistentowhathethoughthisbestverses。”Thispassage，”
hewouldsay，”isveryfine。”Thenhereaditafresh，andwasapplauded。Helikedtobecheered。”Applaud！applaud！”hesaidattheendofhisreading，”theclappingofyourhandswillbeheardatAgen。”
Aftertherecitationaninterestingconversationtookplace。
Jasminwasaskedhowitwasthathefirstbegantowritepoetry；
foreveryonelikestoknowthebeginningsofself-culture。
Hethereuponenteredintoabriefhistoryofhislife；howhehadbeenbornpoor；howhisgrandfatherhaddiedatthehospital；
andhowhehadbeenbroughtupbycharity。Hedescribedhislimitededucationandhisadmissiontothebarber’sshop；
hisreadingofFlorian；hisdeterminationtodosomethingofasimilarkind；hisfirstefforts，hisprogress，andeventuallyhissuccess。Hesaidthathisobjectwastorelyuponnatureandtruth，andtoinvestthewholewithimaginationandsensibility——thatdelicatetouchwhichvibratedthroughallthepoemshehadwritten。Hisauditorswererivetedbyhissparklingandbrilliantconversation。
ThisseanceatM。Thierry’scompletedthetriumphofJasminatParis。Thedoorsofthemostrenownedsalonswerethrownopentohim。Themostbrilliantsocietyinthecapitallistenedtohimandfetedhim。MadamedeRemusatsenthimapresentofagoldenpen，withthewords：”Iadmireyourbeautifulpoetry；Ineverforgetyou；acceptthislittlegiftasatokenofmysincereadmiration。”LamartinedescribedJasmin，perhapswithsomeexaggeration，asthetruestandmostoriginalofmodernpoets。
MuchofJasmin’sworkwasnodoubttheresultofintuition，for”thepoetisborn，notmade。”Hewasnotsomuchthepoetofartasofinstinct。YetM。CharlesdeMazedesaidofhim：”Lefttohimself，withoutstudy，hecarriedarttoperfection。”
Hisdefectofliteraryeducationperhapshelpedhim，byleavinghimtohisownnaturalinstincts。Hehimselfsaid，withrespecttotheperusalofbooks：”IconstantlyreadLafontaine，VictorHugo，LamartineandBeranger。”Itisthusprobablethathemayhavebeeninfluencedtoaconsiderableextentbyhisstudyoftheworksofothers。
BeforeJasminleftParishehadthehonourofbeinginvitedtovisittheroyalfamilyatthepalaceofNeuilly，afavouriteresidenceofLouisPhilippe。TheinvitationwasmadethroughGeneraldeRumigny，whocametoseethepoetathishotelforthepurpose。JasminhadalreadymadetheacquaintanceoftheDukeandDuchessofOrleans，whileatAgenafewyearsbefore。
HisvisittoNeuillywasmadeonthe24thofMay，1842。Hewasgraciouslyreceivedbytheroyalfamily。TheDuchessofOrleanstookherseatbesidehim。ShereadtheverseinGasconwhichhadbeenengravedonthepedestalofthestatueatNerac，erectedtothememoryofHenryIV。Thepoetwassurprisedaswellascharmedbyhercondescension。”What，Madame，”heexclaimed，”youspeakthepatois?””Eljoutabe”andIalso，saidLouisPhilippe，whocameandjoinedthePrincessandthepoet。NeverwasJasminmorepleasedthanwhenheheardthewordsoftheKingatsuchamoment。
Jasminwasplacedquiteathiseasebythisgraciousreception。
TheKingandtheDuchessunitedindesiringhimtorecitesomeofhispoetry。Heatoncecompliedwiththeirrequest，andrecitedhisCaritatandL’Abuglo’TheBlindGirl’。
Afterthisthepartyengagedinconversation。