Jasmin，onhisarrival，wasreceivedwithatriplesalvoofapplausefromthecrowdwithout，andnextfromtheassemblywithin。Ontheplatformwerethemembersofthesubscriptioncommittee，theprefect，theBishopofAgen，thechiefsofthelocalgovernment，thegeneralincommandofthedistrict，andalargenumberofofficersandecclesiastics。
Jasmin，whentakinghisplaceontheplatformsalutedtheaudiencewithoneofhisbrilliantimpromptus，andproceededtorecitesomeofhisfavouritepoems：Charity；TheDoctorofthePoor；TownandCountry；and，TheWeek’sWorkofaSon。ThenM。
Noubel，inhisdoublecapacityofdeputyforthedepartment，andmemberofthesubscriptioncommittee，addressedJasmininthefollowingwords：”Poet，IappearhereinthenameofthepeopleofAgen，toofferyouthetestimonyoftheiradmirationandprofoundsympathy。
Iaskyoutoacceptthiscrown！Itisgivenyoubyalovingandheartyfriend，inthenameofyournativetownofAgen，whichyourpoetryhascharmed，whichrejoicesinyourpresentsuccess，andisproudofthegloryofyourgenius。Agenwelcomedthefirstgermsofyourtalent；shehasseenitgrowing，andincreasingyourfame；shehasenteredwithyouintothepalacesofkings；shehasassociatedherselfwithyourtriumphsthroughout；nowthehourofrecognisingyourmeritshasarrived，andshehonoursherselfincrowningyou。”ButitisnotmerelythePoetwhomwerecogniseto-day；youhaveamuchgreaterclaimtoourhomage。Inanageinwhichegoismandtheeagerthirstforrichesprevails，youhave，inthenobleworkwhichyouhaveperformed，displayedthevirtuesofbenevolenceandself-sacrifice。Youyourselfhaveputthemintopractice。Ardentintheworkofcharity，youhavegonewherevermiseryandpovertyhadtoberelieved，andallthatyouyourselfhavereceivedwasmerelytheblessingsoftheunfortunate。Eachofyourdayshasbeencelebratedforitsgoodworks，andyourwholelifehasbeenahymntobenevolenceandcharity。”Accept，then，Jasmin，thiscrown！Greatpoet，goodcitizen，youhavenoblyearnedit！Giveitanhonouredplaceinthatgloriousmuseumofyours，whichthetownsandcitiesoftheSouthhaveenrichedbytheirgifts。Mayitremainthereintestimonyofyourpoeticaltriumphs，andattestthewelcomerecognitionofyourmeritsbyyourfellow-citizens。”Formyself，Icannotbutbeproudofthemissionwhichhasbeenentrustedtome。Ionlyoweit，Iknow，tothepositionofdeputyinwhichyouhaveplacedmebypopularelection。Iamproud，nevertheless，ofhavingthehonourofcrowningyou，andI
shalleverregardthiseventasthemostgloriousrecollectionofmylife。”
Afterthisaddress，duringwhichM。Noubelwasgreatlymoved，hetookthecrownofgoldandplaceditontheheadofthepoet。
Itisimpossibletodescribetheenthusiasmofthemeetingatthissuprememoment。Thepeoplewerealmostbesidethemselves。
Theirexclamationsofsympathyandapplausewerealmostfrantic。
Jasminweptwithhappiness。Aftertheemotionhardsubsided，withhiseyesfulloftears，herecitedhispieceofpoetryentitled：TheCrownofmyBirthplace。[2]
Inthispoem，Jasmintookoccasiontorecitethestateofpovertyinwhichhewasborn，yetwiththestarofpoetryinhisbreast；hisdearmother，andheranxietiesabouthiseducationandup-bringing；hisgrowth；hisfirsteffortsinpoeticalcomposition，andhisfinaltriumph；andatlasthiscrownofgoldconferreduponhimbythepeopleofAgen——thecrownofhisbirthplace。”Ifeelthatifmybirthplacecrownsme，Inplaceofsinging……Ishouldweep！”
AfterJasminhadrecitedhistouchingpoem，heaffectionatelytookleaveofhisfriends，andtheassemblydispersed。
FootnotestoChapterXVIII。
[1]ThereisaGasconproverbwhichsays：”Qu’avingtansnounspo，Qu’atrentansnounsa，Qu’acrantonouner，Qu’acincantosepaousopa，Sabepaquepotesper。””Whoattwentydoesnothing；
Whoatthirtyknowsnothing；
Whoatfortyhasnothing；
Whoatfiftychangesnothing：
Forhimthereisnohope。”
[2]Perhapsthismightbebetterrendered”TheCrownofmyInfancy；”inGascon，”LaCourounodelBres。”
CHAPTERXIX。
LASTPOEMS——MOREMISSIONSOFCHARITY。
ThiswasthelastoccasiononwhichJasminpubliclyappearedbeforehisfellow-townsmen；anditcouldnotperhapshavebeenmorefittingandappropriate。Hestillwentoncomposingpoetry；
amongstotherpieces，LaVierge，dedicatedtotheBishopofAlgiers，whoacknowledgeditinacomplimentaryletter。Inhissixty-secondyear，whenhishairhadbecomewhite，hecomposedsomeNewRecollectionsMousNoubelsSoubenis，inwhichheagainrecalledthememoriesofhisyouth。InhisnewSouvenirsheonlygivesafewfreshstoriesrelatingtotheperiodofhisinfancyandyouth。IndeedtheyscarcelygobeyondtheperiodcoveredbyhisoriginalSouvenirs。
InthemidstofhisvarioushonoursatParis，Toulouse，andAgen，hedidnotforgethistruemission，thehelpandreliefoftheafflicted。HewenttoAlbi，andgavearecitationwhichproduced2000francs。Thewholeofthissumwenttothepoor。Therewasnothingforhimselfbutapplause，andshowersofflowersthrownathisfeetbytheladiespresent。
Itwasconsideredquiteunprecedentedthatsolargeasumshouldhavebeencollectedinsopooradistrict。Themayorhoweverwaspreparedfortheevent。Afteratouchingaddresstothepoet，hepresentedhimwitharingofhonour，withthearmsofthetown，andtheinscribedwords：”AlbiaJasmin。”
Hewentforthesamepurpose，toCasteraintheGers，adecayedtown，torecitehispoems，inthewordsofthecure，for”ourpoorchurch。”Hewasreceivedasusualwithgreatenthusiasm；andapresentofsilverwasgiventohimwiththeinscribedwords：AJasmin，l’EgliseduCasterareconnaissante！”
Jasminanswered，byrecitinganimpromptuhehadcomposedfortheoccasion。
AtBordeaux，oneofhisfavouritecities，hewasreceivedwithmorethantheusualenthusiasm。TherehemadeacollectioninaidoftheConferenceofSaint-vincentdePaul。Inthemidstoftheseance，heappearedalmostinspired，andrecited”LaCharitedansBordeaux”——thegrandpieceoftheevening。Theassemblyroseenmasse，andcheeredthepoetwithfranticapplause。
Theladiesthrewanavalancheofbouquetsattheheroofthefete。
Afterquiethadbeenrestored，theSocietyofSaint-vincentdePaulcordiallythankedJasminthroughthemouthoftheirPresident；andpresentedhimwithamagnificentgoldencirclet，withthisinscription：”LaCaritatdinsBourdeau！”
Amonghisotherrecitationstowardsthecloseofhislife，forthepurposeofcollectingmoneyforthereliefofthepoor，werethoseatMontignacinPerigord；atSaint-Macaire；
atSaint-AndredeCubzac，andatMonsegur。Mostofthesewereremotevillagesfarapartfromeachother。HehaddisappointedhisfriendsatArcachonseveralyearsbefore，whenhefailedtomakehisappearancewiththeAbbeMasson，duringtheirtouronbehalfofthechurchofVergt，owingtotheunpunctualityofthesteamboat；buthepromisedtovisitthematsomefutureperiod。
Henowredeemedhispromise。Thepoorwereinneed，andhewenttotheirhelp。Alargeaudiencehadassembledtolistentohisrecitations，andaconsiderablesumofmoneywascollected。
TheaudienceoverwhelmedhimwithpraisesandtheMayorofTestetheheaddepartmentofthedistrict——afterthankingJasminforhisadmirableassistance，presentedhimwithagoldmedal，onwhichwasinscribed：”FetedeCharited’Arcachon：AJasmin。”
Theselaurelsandmedalshadbecomesonumerous，thatJasminhadalmostbecometiredofsuchtributestohisbenevolence。
HewenttoBaregesagain，whereMonseigneurtheBishopofTarbeshadappealedtohimforhelpintheerectionofanhospital。
FromthattownheproceededtoSaint-EmilionandCastel-Naudary，toaidtheSocietyofMutualHelpinthesetwotowns。Infact，hewasneverwearyofwell-doing。”Thiscalamitouswinter，”
hewroteinJanuary，1854，”requiresallmydevotion。Iwillobeymyconscienceandgivemyselftothehelpofthefamishedandsuffering，eventotheextinctionofmypersonalhealth。”
Andsoitwastotheend。Whenhisfriendsofferedhimpublicentertainments，hewouldsay，”No，no！givethemoneytothepoor！”WhatgaveJasminasmuchpleasureasanyofthelaurelsandcrownsconferreduponhim，wasabeautifullyboundcopyofthe’ImitationofChrist，’withthefollowinginscription：”AtestimonyfromtheBishopofSaint-Flour，inacknowledgmentoftheserviceswhichthegreatpoethasrenderedtothepoorofhisdiocese。”
Nopoethadsomanyopportunitiesofmakingmoney，andofenrichinghimselfbythecontributionsoftherichaswellasthepoor。Butsuchanideaneverenteredhismind。Hewouldhaveregardeditasasacrilegetoevoketheenthusiasmofthepeople，andmakemoney；forhisownbenefit，ortospeculateuponthetriumphsofhismuse。Goldearnedinthisway，hesaid，wouldhaveburnthisfingers。Heworkedsolelyforthebenefitofthosewhocouldnothelpthemselves。Hispoetrywastohimlikeasweetrosethatdelightedthesoulandproducedthefruitsofcharity。
HisconducthasbeencalledQuixotic。WouldthatthereweremoreQuixotesintheworld！Afterhisreadings，whichsometimesproducedfromtwotothreethousandfrancs，thewholeoftheproceedswerehandedovertothoseforwhosebenefittheyhadbeengiven，afterdeducting，ofcourse，theexpensesoftravelling，ofwhichhekeptamostaccurateaccount。
ItisestimatedthattheamountofmoneycollectedbyJasminduringhisrecitationsforphilanthropicobjectsamountedtoatleast1，500，000francsequalto62，500sterling。Besides，therewerethelabourofhisjourneys，andtheamountofhiscorrespondence，whichwerealmostheroic。M。Rabain[1]statesthatfrom1825to1860，thenumberoflettersreceivedbyJasminwasmorethantwelvethousand。
Mr。Dickens，ingivingthereadingsfromhisworksinGreatBritain，nettedover35，000sterling，besideswhathereceivedforhisreadingsinAmerica。This，ofcourse，ledquitereasonablytotheenhancingofhisfortune。ButallthatJasminreceivedfromhisreadingswasgivenaway——somesay”thrownaway”——tothepoorandtheneedy。Itisnotnecessarytocommentonsuchfacts；onecanonlymentionandadmirethem。
TheeditorofLePayssays：”ThejourneysofJasminintheSouthwerelikeatriumphalmarch。Noprinceeverreceivedmorebrilliantovations。Flowerswerestrewninhisway；thebellsrangoutonhisappearance；thehouseswereilluminated；
theMayorsaddressedhiminwordsofpraise；themagistrates，theclergyfollowedhiminprocession。Bestoweduponaman，andapoet，suchhonoursmightseemexaggerated；butJasmin，underthecircumstances，representedmorethanpoetry：
herepresentedCharity。Eachofhisversestransformedhimintoanalms-giver；andfromtheharvestofgoldwhichhereapedfromthepeople，hepreservedforhimselfonlytheflowers。
Hisepicswerefortheunfortunate。Thiswasverynoble；