[1]InthelasteditionofJasmin’spoems4vols。8vo，editedbyBuyerd’Agenitisstatedp。40，1stvol。that”M。Durand，physician，wasoneofthoseraremenwhomProvidenceseemstohaveprovidedtoassuagethelotofthepoorestclasses。Hiscareerwasfullofnobleactsofdevotiontowardsthesickwhomhewascalledupontocure。Hediedattheearlyageofthirty-five，ofastrokeofapoplexy。HisremainswereaccompaniedtothegravebynearlyallthepoorofAgenandtheneighbourhood。
MYVINEYARD。[1]
[MABIGNO。]
ToMADAMELOUISVEILL，Paris。
Dearlady，itistrue，thatlastmonthIhavesignedAlittlescrapofparchment；nowmyselfIfindThemasterofapieceofgroundWithinthesmallestbound——
Not，asyouheard，aspaciousEnglishgardenCoveredwithflowersandtrees，toshrineyourbardin——
Butofatinylittlevineyard，WhichIhavechristened”Papilhoto”！
Where，forachamber，Ihavebutagrotto。
Thevine-stockshangabouttheirboughs，Atotherendascreenofhedgerows，Sosmalltheydonothalfunroll；
Ahundredwouldnotmakeamile，Sixsheetswouldcoverthewholepile。
Well！asitis，ofthisI’vedreamtfortwentyyears——
Youlaugh，Madame，atmygreathappiness，Perhapsyou’lllaughstillmore，whenitappears，ThatwhenIboughttheplace，ImustconfessTherewerenofruits，Thoughrichinroots；
Ninecherrytrees——beholdmywood！
Tenrowsofvines——mypromenade！
Afewpeachtrees；thehazelstoo；
Ofelmsandfountainstherearetwo。
HowrichIam！Mymuseisgratefulvery；
Oh！mightIpaint?whileIthepenciltry，OurcountrylovestheHeavenssobrightandcheery。
Here，verdurestartsupaswescratchtheground，Whoownsit，stripsitintopiecesround；
Beneathoursunthere’snoughtbutgayestsound。
Youtellme，true，thatinyourParishot-house，Youripentwomonthssooner’neathyourglass，ofcourse。
Whatisyourfruit?Mostlyofwaterclear，Theheatmayreddenwhatyourtendrilsbear。
But，ladydear，youcannotliveonfruitsalonewhilehere！
NowslipawayyourglossygloveAndpluckthatripenedpeachabove，ThenplaceitinyourpearlymouthAndsuckit——howit’laysyourdrouth——
MeltsinyourlipslikehoneyoftheSouth！
DearMadame，intheNorthyouhavegreatsights——
Ofchurches，castles，theatresofgreatestheights；
Yourworksofartaregreaterfarthanhere。
Butcomeandsee，quitenearThebanksoftheGaronne，onasweetsummer’sday，AllworksofGod！andthenyou’llsayNoplacemorebeautifulandgay！
Youseetherocksinalltheirvelvetgreenery；
Theplainsarealwaysgold；andmossyvery，Thevalleys，wherewebreathethehealthyair，Andwherewewalkonbedsofflowersmostfair！
ThecountryroundyourParishasitsflowersandgreensward，But’tistoograndadameforme，itistoodullandsad。
Here，thousandhousessmilealongtheriver’sstream；
Ourskyisbright，itlaughsaloudfrommorntoe’en。
SincemonthofMay，whenbrightestweatherboundsForsixmonths，musicthroughtheairresounds——
Athousandnightingalestheshepherd’searsdelight：
AllsingofLove——Lovewhichisnewandbright。
YourOpera，surprised，wouldsilenthearken，Whendayfornighthasdrawnasideitscurtain，Underourheavens，whichverysooncomesglowing。
Listen，goodGod！ourconcertisbeginning！
Whatnotes！whatraptures?Listen，shepherd-swains，Onechauntisforthehill-side，theother’sfortheplains。”ThoseloftymountainsFarupabove，IcannotseeAllthatIlove；
Movelower，mountains，Plains，up-move，ThatImayseeAllthatIlove。”[2]
AndthousandvoicessoundthroughHeaven’salcove，Comingacrosstheskiessoblue，Makingtheangelssmileabove——
Theearthembalmsthesongsterstrue；
Thenightingales，fromtreetoflower，Singlouder，fuller，stronger。
’Tisallsosweet，thoughnoonebeatsthemeasure，Tohearitallwhileconcertslast——suchpleasure！
Indeedmyvineyard’sbutaseatofhonour，For，frommyhillock，shadowedbymybower，IlookuponthefieldsofAgen，thevalleyofVerone。[3]
HowhappyamI’mongstmyvines！Suchpleasurestherearenone。
ForhereIamthepoet-dresser，workingforthewines。
Ionlythinkofproppingupmyarboursandmyvines；
UpontheroadIpickthelittlestones——
Andtakethemtomyvineyardtosetthemupincones，AndthusImakealittlehousewithbutasheltereddoor——
Aseachfriend，inhisturn，nowhelpstomakethestore。
Andthentherecomesthevintage——thegroundisfirmandfast，Withallmyfriends，withwalletsorwithbasketscast，Wethenproceedtogatherupthefertilegrapesatlast。
Oh！myyoungvine，Thesun’sbrightshineHathripenedtheeAll——allforme！
NodrizzlingshowersHavespoiltthehours。
Mymusecan’tborrow；
Myfriends，to-morrowCannotmelend；
Butthee，youngfriend，Grapesnicelydrest，WithfigsthefinestAndraisinsgatherBindthemtogether！
Th’abundantseasonWillstillusbringAgloriousharvesting；
CloseupthyhandswithbraveryUponthelusciousgrapery！
Nowallpushforththeirtendrils；thoughnotpastremedy，Atth’hourwhenIamhere，myfaithfulmemoryComescrowdingback；myoldestfriendsNowmakemeyoungagain——forpleasurebindsMetotheirheartsandminds。
Butnowthecurtainednightcomesonagain。
Isee，themeadowssweetaround，Mylittleisland，midstthevaryingground，WhereIhaveoftenlaughed，andsometimesIhavegroaned。
Iseefarofftheleafywoodland，Ornearthefountain，whereI’ve；oftendreamed；
Longtimeagotherewasafamousman[4]
WhogaveitsfametoAgen。
IwhobutwritetheseversesslightMidstthoughtsofmemorybright。
ButIwilltellyouall——infront，toleft，toright，MorethanahedgerowthickthatIhavebroughtthelight，Morethananapple-treethatIhavetrimmed，Morethananoldvine-stalkthatIhavethinnedToripenlovelyMuscat。
Madame，youseethatIlookbackuponmypast，Withoutablushatlast；
Whatwouldyou?ThatIgavemyvineyardback——
Andthatwithusury?Alack！
AndyetuntomygardenI’venodoor——
Twothornsareallmyfence——nomore！
Whenthemarauderscome，andthroughaholeIseetheirnose，Insteadoftakingupasticktogivethemblows，Iturnaside；perhapstheynevermayreturn，thehorde！
Hewhoyoungrobs，whenolderletshimselfberobbed！
FootnotestoMYVINEYARD。
[1]Jasminpurchasedalittlepieceofground，whichhededicatedtohis”Curl-papers”Papilhoto，ontheroadtoScaliger’svilla，andaddressedtheabovelinestohislady-admirerinParis，MadameLouisveill。
[2]FromapopularsongbyGastonPhebus。
[3]ReferringtoVerona，thevillaofScaliger，thegreatscholar。
[4]Scaliger。
FRANCONNETTE。
FIRSTPART。
BlaisedeMontluc——FestivalatRoquefort——ThePrettiestMaiden——TheSoldierandtheShepherds——KissingandPanting——
CourageofPascal——FuryofMarcel——TerribleContest。
’TwasatthetimewhenBlaisethemurderousStruckheavyblowsbyforceofarms。
HehewedtheProtestantstopieces，And，inthenameofGodtheMerciful，Floodedtheearthwithsorrow，blood，andtears。
Alas！’twaspitiful——farworsebeyondthehills，Whereflashinggunandculverinwereheard；
Theretheunhappyboretheirheavycross，Andsuffered，morethanelsewhere，agonisingpain，Werekilledandstrangled，tumbledintowells；
’TweenPenneandFumelthesaddenedearthwasgorged。
Men，women，children，murderedeverywhere，Thehangmanevenstoppedforbreath；
WhileBlaise，withheartofsteel，dismountedatthegateOfhisstrongcastlewall，Withtriplebridgeandtriplefosse；
Thenkneeling，madehispiousprayers，TakingtheHolySacrament，Hishandsyetdrippingwithfraternalblood！[1]
Noweveryshepherd，everyshepherdlass，AtthewordHuguenotshudderedwithaffright，Even’midsttheirlaughingcourtship。
AndyetitcametopassThatinahamlet，’neathacastledheight，OneSunday，whenatroopofsweetheartsdancedUponthedayofRoquefortfete，AndtoafifethepraisessangOfSaintJamesandtheAugustweather——
Thatbounteousmonthwhichyearbyyear，Throughdew-falloftheeveningbright，AndheatofAutumnnoonsdothbringBothgrapesandfigstoripening。
ItwasthefinestfetethateyeshadeverseenUndertheshadowoftheleafyparasol，Whereayethecountry-folkconvene。
O’erflowingwerethespacesall，Fromcliff，fromdale，fromeveryhomeOfMontagnacandSainte-Colombe，Stilltheydocome，Toomanyfartonumber；
More，evermore，whileflamesthesunshineo’er，There’sroomforall，theircomingwillnotcumber，Thefieldsshallbetheirchamber，andthelittlehillocksgreenThecouchesoftheirslumber。
Whatpleasure！whatdelight！thesunnowfillstheair；
ThesweetestthinginlifeIsthemusicofthefifeAndthedancingofthefair。