”Thefirstthingwhichstruckmewastheutterabsenceofallthemock-modesty，andthepretendedself-underrating，conventionallyassumedbypersonsexpectingtobecomplimentedupontheirsayingsordoings。Jasminseemedthoroughlytodespiseallsuchflimsyhypocrisy。’GodonlymadefourFrenchmenpoets，’heburstoutwith，’andtheirnamesare，Corneille，Lafontaine，Beranger，andJasmin！’”Talkingwiththemostimpassionedvehemence，andthemostredundantenergyofgesture，hewentontodeclaimagainsttheinfluencesofcivilisationuponlanguageandmannersasbeingfataltoallrealpoetry。Ifthetrueinspirationyetexisteduponearth，itburnedintheheartsandbrainsofmenfarremovedfromcities，salons，andtheclashanddinofsocialinfluences。Youronlytruepoetsweretheunletteredpeasants，whopouredforththeirheartsinsong，notbecausetheywishedtomakepoetry，butbecausetheywerejoyousandtrue。”Colleges，academies，schoolsoflearning，schoolsofliterature，andallsuchinstitutions，Jasmindenouncedasthecurseandthebaneoftruepoetry。Theyhadspoiled，hesaid，theveryFrenchlanguage。YoucouldnomorewritepoetryinFrenchnowthanyoucouldinarithmeticalfigures。Thelanguagehadbeenlickedandkneaded，andtrickedout，andplumed，anddandified，andscented，andminced，andruledsquare，andchipped——Iamtryingtogiveanideaofthestrangefloodofepithetsheused——andprankedout，andpolished，andmuscadined——until，forallhonestpurposesoftruehighpoetry，itwasmereunavailableandcontemptiblejargon。”ItmightdoforcheatingagentsdechangeontheBourse——
forsquabblingpoliticiansintheChambers——formincingdandiesinthesalons——forthesarcasmofScribe-ishcomedies，orthecoarsedrolleriesofPalaisRoyalfarces，butforpoetrytheFrenchlanguagewasextinct。Allmodernpoetswhouseditwerefaiseursdephrase——thinkingaboutwordsandnotfeelings。
’No，no，’myTroubadourcontinued，’towritepoetry，youmustgetthelanguageofaruralpeople——alanguagetalkedamongfields，andtrees，andbyriversandmountains——alanguagenevermincedordisfiguredbyacademiesanddictionary-makers，andjournalists；youmusthavealanguagelikethatwhichyourownBurns，whomIreadofinChateaubriand，used；orlikethebrave，old，mellowtongue——unchangedforcenturies——stuffedwiththestrangest，quaintest，richest，raciestidiomsandoddsolemnwords，fullofshiftingmeaningsandassociations，atoncepatheticandfamiliar，homelyandgraceful——thelanguagewhichIwritein，andwhichhasneveryetbeendefiledbycalculatingmenofscienceorjack-a-dandylitterateurs。’”TheabovesentencesmaybetakenasaspecimenoftheideaswithwhichJasminseemedtobeactuallyoverflowingfromeveryporeinhisbody——sorapid，vehement，andloudwashisenunciationofthem。Warmingmoreandmoreashewenton，hebegantosketchtheoutlinesofhisfavouritepieces。Everynowandthenplungingintorecitation，jumpingfromFrenchintopatois，andfrompatoisintoFrench，andsometimessplutteringthemout，mixeduppell-melltogether。Hardlypausingtotakebreath，herushedabouttheshopashediscoursed，luggingout，fromoldchestsanddrawers，pilesofoldnewspapersandreviews，pointingoutapassagehereinwhichtheestimateofthewriterpleasedhim，apassagetherewhichshowedhowperfectlythecritichadmistakenthescopeofhispoeticphilosophy，andexclaiming，withthemostperfectnaivete，howmortifyingitwasformenoforiginalandprofoundgeniustobemisconceivedandmisrepresentedbypigmywhipper-snapperscampsofjournalists。”Therewasonereviewofhisworks，publishedinaLondon’Recueil，’ashecalledit，towhichJasminreferredwithgreatpleasure。Aportionofithadbeentranslated，hesaid，intheprefacetoaFrencheditionofhisworks；andhehadmostofthehighlycomplimentaryphrasesbyheart。TheEnglishcritic，hesaid，wroteintheTintinum，andhelookeddubiouslyatmewhenIconfessedthatIhadneverheardoftheorganinquestion。
’Pourtant，’hesaid，’jevousleferaivoir，’andIsoonperceivedthatJasmin’sTintinumwasnootherthantheAthenaeum！”Inthelittlebackdrawing-roombehindtheshop，towhichthepoetspeedilyintroducedme，hissister[itmusthavebeenhiswife]，ameek，smilingwoman，whoseeyesneverlefthim，followingashemovedwithabeautifulexpressionofloveandprideinhisglory，receivedmewithsimplecordiality。Thewallswerecoveredwithtestimonials，presentations，andtrophies，awardedbycriticsanddistinguishedpersons，literaryandpolitical，tothemodernTroubadour。Notafewoftheseareofanaturetomakeanymanmostlegitimatelyproud。Jasminpossessesgoldandsilvervases，laurelbranches，snuff-boxes，medalsofhonour，andawholemuseumofsimilargifts，inscribedwithsuchcharacteristicandlaconiclegendsas’AuPoete，LesJeunesfillesdeToulousereconnaissantes！’&c。”Thenumberofgarlandsofimmortelles，wreathsofivy-jasminpunninguponthename，laurel，andsoforth，utterlyastonishedme。Jasminpreservedaperfectshrubberyofsuchtokens；andeachsymbolhad，ofcourse，itspleasantassociativeremembrance。Onewasgivenbytheladiesofsuchatown；anotherwasthegiftoftheprefect’swifeofsuchadepartment。
Ahandsomefull-lengthportraithadbeenpresentedtothepoetbythemunicipalauthoritiesofAgen；andaletterfromM。
Lamartine，framed，abovethechimney-piece，avowedthewriter’sbeliefthattheTroubadouroftheGaronnewastheHomerofthemodernworld。M。JasminwearstheribbonoftheLegionofHonour，andhasseveralvaluablepresentswhichweremadetohimbythelateex-kinganddifferentmembersoftheOrleansfamily。”IhavebeensomewhatminuteingivinganaccountofmyinterviewwithM。Jasmin，becauseheisreallythepopularpoet——thepeasantpoetoftheSouthofFrance——theBurnsofLimousin，Provece，andLanguedoc。Hissongsareinthemouthsofallwhosinginthefieldsandbythecottagefiresides。Theirsubjectsarealwaysrural，naive，andfullofrusticpathosandrusticdrollery。Tousehiswordstome，hesingswhattheheartsofthepeoplesay，andhecannomorehelpitthancanthebirdsinthetrees。TranslationsintoFrenchofhismainpoemshaveappeared；andcompositionsmorefullofnaturalandthoroughlyunsophisticatedpathosandhumouritwouldbedifficulttofind。”Jasminwritesfromateemingbrainandabeamingheart；
andthereisawarmthandaglow，andastrong，happy，triumphantmarchofsongabouthispoems，whichcarryyouawayintheperusalastheycarriedawaytheauthorinthewriting。Ispeak，ofcourse，fromtheFrenchtranslations，andIcanwellconceivethattheygivebutacomparativelyfainttranscriptofthepithandpoweroftheoriginal。ThepatoisinwhichthesepoemsarewrittenisthecommonpeasantlanguageoftheSouth-westofFrance。Itvariesinsomeslightdegreeindifferentdistricts，butnotmorethanthebroadScotchofForfarshirediffersfromthatofAyrshire。Asforthedialectitself，itseemsinthemaintobeaspeciesofcrossbetweenoldFrenchandSpanish——
holding，however，Iamassured，rathertothelattertonguethantotheformer，andconstitutingabold，copious，andvigorousspeech，veryrichinitscolouring，fullofquaintwordsandexpressivephrases，andespeciallystronginallthatrelatestothelanguageofthepassionsandaffections。”IhardlyknowhowlongmyinterviewwithJasminmighthavelasted，forheseemedbynomeanslikelytotireoftalking，andhistalkwastoogoodandtoocuriousnottobelistenedtowithinterest；butthesister[orwife]whohadleftusforamoment，comingbackwiththeintelligencethattherewasquiteagatheringofcustomersintheshop，Ihastilytookmyleave，thepoetsqueezingmyhandlikeavice，andimmediatelythereafterdashingintoallthatappertainstocurling-irons，scissors，razors，andlather，withjustasmuchapparentenergyandenthusiasmashehadflungintohisrhapsodicaldiscourseonpoetryandlanguage！”
Itisscarcelynecessarytoapologiseforthelengthofthisextract，becausenoauthorthatweknowof——notevenanyFrenchauthor——hasgivensovividadescriptionofthemanashelived，moved，andtalked，asMr。Reach；andwebelievethereaderwillthankusforquotingfromanalmostentirelyforgottenbook，theabovegraphicdescriptionoftheGasconPoet。
FootnotesforChapterXIII。
[1]TheAthenaeum，5thNovember，1842。’TheCurl-papersofJasmin，theBarberofAgen。’’LasPapillotosdeJasmin，Coiffeur。’
[2]’APilgrimagetoAuvergne，fromPicardytoVelay。’1842。
[3]’BearnandthePyrenees。’1844。
[4]”TherearenopoetsinFrancenow”，hesaidtoMissCostello。”Therecannotbe。Thelanguagedoesnotadmitofit。
Whereisthefire，thespirit，theexpression，thetenderness，theforce，oftheGascon?FrenchisbuttheladdertoreachthefirstflooroftheGascon；howcanyougetuptoaheightexceptbymeansofaladder?”
[5]WestminsterReviewforOctober，1849。
[6]PublishedbyDavidBogue，FleetStreet。1852。Mr。Reachwasveryparticularaboutthepronunciationofhisname。BeinganativeofInverness，thelastvowelwasguttural。Oneday，diningwithDouglasJerrold，whoinsistedonaddressinghimasMr。ReekorReech，”No，”saidtheother；”mynameisneitherReeknorReech，butReach，””Verywell，”saidJerrold，”Mr。ReachwillyouhaveaPeach?”
CHAPTERXIV。
JASMIN’STOURSOFPHILANTHROPY。
ThepoethadnosoonerreturnedfromhisvisittoParisthanhewasbesiegedwithappealstoproceedtothereliefofthepoorintheSouthofFrance。Indeed，formorethanthirtyyearshedevotedaconsiderablepartofhistimetoworksofcharityandbenevolence。Hevisitedsuccessivelycitiesandtownssofarremotefromeachother，asBayonneandMarseilles，BagneresandLyons。Heplacedhistalentsattheserviceofthepublicfrommotivesofsheerbenevolence，forthelargecollectionswhichweremadeathisrecitationswerenotoftheslightestpersonaladvantagetohimself。
ThefirstplacehevisitedonthisoccasionwasCarcassonne，south-eastofToulouse，——atownofconsiderableimportance，andcontainingalargenumberofpoorpeople。M。Dugue，prefectoftheAude，wrotetoJasmin：”Thecryingneedsofthiswinterhavecalledforthadesiretohelpthepoor；butthemeansaresadlywanting。Ourthoughtsarenecessarilydirectedtoyou。
Willyoucomeandhelpus?”Jasminatoncecomplied。Hewasentertainedbytheprefect。
Afterseveralsuccessfulrecitations，aconsiderablesumofmoneywascollectedforthereliefofthepoorofCarcassonne。
ToperpetuatetherecollectionofJasmin’snoblework，andtopopularisethegeniusofthepoet，thePrefectoftheAudearrangedthatJasmin’spoemsshouldbedistributedamongstalltheschoolsofhisdepartment，andforthispurposeaportionofthesurplusfundswasplacedatthedisposaloftheCouncil-general。
Bordeauxnextappealedtothepoet。HehadastrongloveforBordeaux。ItwastheplacewherehehadfirstrecitedhisBlindGirl，wherehehadfirstattractedpublicattention，andwherehewasalwaysadmiredandalwaysfeted。TheOrphanInstitutionofthecitywasindifficulties；itsfundswerequiteexhausted；
andwhoshouldbeinvitedtocometotheirhelpbuttheiroldfriendJasmin?Hewasagainenthusiasticallyreceived。
TheFranklinRoomswerecrowded，andmoneyflowedquicklyintotheorphans’treasury。Amongthepoemsherecitedwasthefollowing：——
THESHEPHERDANDTHEGASCONPOET。[1]
AuxBordelais，aujourdemagrandeSeanceauCasino。
Inafarland，Iknownotwhere，Ereviol’ssigh；ororgan’sswell，HadmadethesonsofsongawareThatmusic！isapotentspell：
Ashepherdtoacitycame，Play’donhispipe，androsetofame。
Hesangoffields，andateachclose，Applausefromreadyhandsarose。
Thesimpleswainwashail’dandcrown’d，Inmansionswherethegreatreside，Andcheeringsmilesandpraisehefound，Andinhisheartrosehonestpride。
Allseem’dwithjoyandrapturegleaming，Hetrembledlesthewasbutdreaming。