第2章

WhileatRoyat，in1888，IwentacrossthecountrytoAgen，thetowninwhichJasminwasborn，lived，anddied。Isawthelittleroominwhichhewasborn，thebanksoftheGaronnewhichsoundedsosweetlyinhisears，theheightsoftheHermitagewhereheplayedwhenaboy，thePetiteSeminaireinwhichhewaspartlyeducated，thecoiffeur’sshopinwhichhecarriedonhisbusinessasabarberandhair-dresser，andfinallyhistombinthecemeterywherehewasburiedwithallthehonoursthathistowns-fellowscouldbestowuponhim。

FromAgenIwentsouthtoToulouse，whereIsawthelargeroomintheMuseuminwhichJasminfirstrecitedhispoemof’Franconnette’；andthehallintheCapitol，wherethepoetwashailedasTheTroubadour，andenrolledmemberoftheAcademyofJeuxFloraux——perhapsthecrowningeventofhislife。

IntheAppendixtothismemoirIhaveendeavouredtogivetranslationsfromsomeofJasmin’spoems。Longfellow’stranslationof’TheBlindGirlofCastel-Cuille’hasnotbeengiven，asithasalreadybeenpublishedinhispoems，whichareinnearlyeverylibrary。Inthosewhichhavebeengiven，IhaveincertaincasestakenadvantageofthetranslationsbyMissCostelloMissPreston(ofBoston，U。S。)，andtheReverendMr。

Craig，D。D。，forsometimeRectorofKinsale，Ireland。

Itis，however，verydifficulttotranslateFrenchpoetryintoEnglish。Thelanguages，especiallytheGascon，areveryunlikeFrenchaswellasEnglish。HenceVillemainremarks，that”everytranslationmustvirtuallybeanewcreation。”But，suchastheyare，Ihaveendeavouredtotranslatethepoemsasliterallyaspossible。Jasmin’spoetryisratherwordy，andrequirescondensation，thoughitisadmirablysuitedforrecitation。

Whenotherpersonsrecitedhispoems，theywerenotsuccessful；

butwhenJasminrecited，orratheractedthem，theywerealwaysreceivedwithenthusiasm。

TherewasaspecialfeatureinJasmin’slifewhichwasaltogetherunique。ThiswasthepartwhichheplayedintheSouthofFranceasaphilanthropist。Wherefamineorhungermadeitsappearanceamongstthepoorpeople——whereacreche，ororphanage，orschool，orevenachurch，hadtobehelpedandsupportedJasminwasusuallycalledupontoassistwithhisrecitations。Hetravelledthousandsofmilesforsuchpurposes，duringwhichhecollectedabout1，500，000francs，andgavethewholeofthishard-earnedmoneyovertothepubliccharities，reservingnothingforhimselfexceptthegratitudeofthepoorandneedy。Andafterhislongjourneyingswereover，hequietlyreturnedtopursuehishumbleoccupationatAgen。Perhapsthereisnothinglikethisinthehistoryofpoetryorliterature。

Forthisreason，thecharacterofthemanasaphilanthropistisevenmoretobeesteemedthanhischaracterasapoetandasong-writer。

TheauthorrequeststheindulgenceofthereaderwithrespecttothetranslationsofcertainpoemsgivenintheAppendix。

ThememoirofJasminmustspeakforitself。

London，Nov。1891。

JASMIN。

CHAPTERI。

AGEN——JASMIN’SBOYHOOD。

AgenisanimportanttownintheSouthofFrance，situatedontherightbankoftheGaronne，abouteightymilesaboveBordeaux。

ThecountrytothesouthofAgencontainssomeofthemostfertilelandinFrance。Thewidevalleyiscoveredwithvineyards，orchards，fruitgardens，andcorn-fields。

ThebestpanoramicviewofAgenandthesurroundingcountryistobeseenfromtherockyheightsonthenorthernsideofthetown。Aholyhermithadonceoccupiedacellontheascendingcliffs；andnearittheConventoftheHermitagehassincebeenerected。Farunderneathareseenthered-roofedhousesofthetown，andbeyondthemthegreenpromenadeoftheGravier。

FromthesummitofthecliffstheviewextendstoagreatdistancealongthewidevalleyoftheGaronne，coveredwithwoods，vineyards，andgreenery。Thespiresofvillagechurchespeepuphereandthereamongstthetrees；andinthefardistance，onaclearday，areseenthesnow-cappedpeaksofthePyrenees。

ThreebridgesconnectAgenwiththecountrytothewestoftheGaronne——thebridgeforordinarytraffic，alightandelegantsuspensionbridge，andabridgeoftwenty-threearcheswhichcarriesthelateralcanaltotheothersideoftheriver。

ThetownofAgenitselfisnotparticularlyattractive。

Theoldstreetsarenarrowandtortuous，pavedwithpointedstones；butafinebroadstreet——theRuedelaRepublique——hasrecentlybeenerectedthroughtheheartoftheoldtown，whichgreatlyaddstotheattractionsoftheplace。AtoneendofthisstreetanidealstatueoftheRepublichasbeenerected，andattheotherendalife-likebronzestatueofthefamouspoetJasmin。

ThisstatuetoJasministheonlyoneinthetownerectedtoanindividual。YetmanydistinguishedpersonshavebelongedtoAgenandtheneighbourhoodwhohavenotbeencommemoratedinanyform。AmongstthesewereBernardPalissy，thefamouspotter[1]；

JosephJ。Scaliger，thegreatscholarandphilologist；

andthreedistinguishednaturalists，BoudondeSaint-Aman，BorydeSaint-Vincent，andtheCountdeLacepede。

ThebronzestatueofJasminstandsinoneofthefinestsitesinAgen，atoneendoftheRuedelaRepublique，andnearlyoppositethelittleshopinwhichhecarriedonhishumbletradeofabarberandhairdresser。Itrepresentsthepoetstanding，withhisrightarmandhandextended，asifintheactofrecitation。

HowthefameofJasmincametobecommemoratedbyastatueerectedinhisnativetownbypublicsubscription，willbefoundrelatedinthefollowingpages。Hehastoldthestoryofhisearlylifeinabright，natural，andtouchingstyle，inoneofhisbestpoems，entitled，”MyRecollections”(MesSouvenirs)，writteninGascon；whereinherevealedhisowncharacterwithperfectfrankness，andatthesametimewithexquisitesensibility。

SeveralofJasmin’sworkshavebeentranslatedintoEnglish，especiallyhis”BlindGirlofCastel-Cuille，byLongfellowandLadyGeorginaFullerton。TheeleganttranslationbyLongfellowissowellknownthatitisunnecessarytorepeatitintheappendixtothisvolume。ButafewothertranslationsofJasmin’sworkshavebeengiven，toenablethereadertoformsomeideaofhispoeticalpowers。

AlthoughJasmin’srecitationsofhispoemswereinvariablyreceivedwithenthusiasticapplausebyhisquick-spiritedaudiencesintheSouthofFrance，thestoryofhislifewillperhapsbefoundmoreattractivetoEnglishreadersthananyrenderingofhispoems，howeveraccurate，intoalanguagedifferentfromhisown。Forpoetry，morethanallformsofliterature，losesmostbytranslation——especiallyfromGasconintoEnglish。Villemain，oneofthebestofcritics，says：”Toutetraductionenversestuneautrecreationquel’original。”

Weproceedtogiveanaccount——mostlyfromhisownSouvenirs——oftheearlylifeandboyhoodofJasmin。Theeighteenthcentury，old，decrepit，andvicious，wasabouttocometoanend，wheninthecornerofalittleroomhauntedbyrats，achild，thesubjectofthisstory，wasborn。ItwasonthemorningofShroveTuesday，the6thofMarch，1798，——justasthedayhadflungasideitsblacknight-cap，andthemorningsunwasabouttosheditsraysupontheearth，——thatthissonofacrippledmotherandahumpbackedtailorfirstsawthelight。

ThechildwasborninahousesituatedinoneoftheoldstreetsofAgen——15RueFon-de-Rache——notfarfromtheshopontheGravierwhereJasminafterwardscarriedonthetradeofabarberandhairdresser。”Whenaprinceisborn，”saidJasmininhisSouvenirs，”hisentranceintotheworldissalutedwithroundsofcannon，butwhenI，thesonofapoortailormademyappearance，Iwasnotsalutedevenwiththesoundofapopgun。”YetJasminwasafterwardstobecomeakingofhearts！ACharivariwas，however，goingoninfrontofaneighbour’sdoor，asanuptialserenadeontheoccasionofsomeunsuitablemarriage；whentheclamourofhornsandkettles，marrow-bonesandcleavers，salutedthemother’sears，accompaniedbythirtyburlesqueverses，thecompositionofthefatherofthechildwhohadjustbeenborn。

JacquesJasminwasonlyonechildamongstmany。Theparentshadconsiderabledifficultyinprovidingforthewantsofthefamily，infoodaswellasclothing。Besidesthefather’ssmallearningsasatailoroftheloweststanding，themotheroccasionallyearnedalittlemoneyasalaundress。Agrandfather，Boe，formedoneofthefamilygroup。Hehadbeenasoldier，butwasnowtoooldtoserveintheranks，thoughFrancewaswagingwarinItalyandAustriaunderhernewEmperor。Boe，however，helpedtoearnthefamilyliving，bybeggingwithhiswalletfromdoortodoor。

Jasmindescribesthedwellinginwhichthispoorfamilylived。

Itwasmiserablyfurnished。Thewindsblewinateverycorner。

Therewerethreeraggedbeds；acupboard，containingafewbitsofbrokenplates；astonebottle；twojugsofcrackedearthenware；awoodencupbrokenattheedges；arustycandlestick，usedwhencandleswereavailable；asmallhalf-blacklooking-glasswithoutaframe，heldagainstthewallbythreelittlenails；fourbrokenchairs；aclosetwithoutakey；oldBoe’ssuspendedwallet；atailor’sboard，withclippingsofstuffandpatched-upgarments；suchwerethecontentsofthehouse，thefamilyconsistinginallofninepersons。

Itiswellthatpoorchildrenknowcomparativelylittleoftheirmiserablebringings-up。Theyhavenoopportunityofcontrastingtheirlifeandbelongingswiththoseofotherchildrenmorerichlynurtured。TheinfantJasminsleptnolesssoundlyinhislittlecotstuffedwithlarks’feathersthanifhehadbeenlaidonabedofdown。Thenhewasnourishedbyhismother’smilk，andhegrew，thoughsomewhatleanandangular，asfastasanyking’sson。Hebegantotoddleabout，andmadeacquaintanceswiththeneighbours’children。

Afterafewyearshadpassed，Jasmin，beingaspiritedfellow，wasallowedtoaccompanyhisfatheratnightintheconcertsofroughmusic。Heplacedalongpapercaponhishead，likeaFrenchclown，andwithahorninhishandhemadeasmuchnoise，andplayedasmanyantics，asanyfoolinthecrowd。Thoughthetailorcouldnotread，heusuallycomposedtheversesfortheCharivari；andthedoggerelofthefather，mysteriouslyfructified，afterwardsbecametheseedofpoetryintheson。

TheperformanceoftheCharivariwascommonatthattimeintheSouthofFrance。Whenanoldmanproposedtomarryamaidenlessthanhalfhisage，orwhenanelderlywidowproposedtomarryamanmuchyoungerthanherself，orwhenanythingofaheterogeneouskindoccurredinanyproposedunion，aterriblerowbegan。Thepopulaceassembledintheeveningofthedayonwhichthebannshadbeenfirstproclaimed，andsalutedthehappypairintheirrespectivehouseswithaCharivari。Bells，horns，pokersandtongs，marrow-bonesandcleavers，oranythingthatwouldmakeanoise，wasbroughtintorequisition，andthenoisethusmade，accompaniedwithhowlingrecitationsoftheCharivari，madethenightpositivelyhideous。

Theriotwentonforseveralevenings；andwhenthewedding-dayarrived，theCharivarists，withthesamenoiseandviolence，enteredthechurchwiththemarriageguests；andatnighttheybesiegedthehouseofthehappypair，throwingintotheirwindowsstones，brickbats，andeverykindofmissile。

Suchwastheirhoneymoon！

Thisbarbarouscustomhasnowfallenentirelyintodisuse。

Ifattemptedtoberenewed，itissummarilyputdownbythepolice，thoughitstillexistsamongtheBasquesasaToberac。

ItmayalsobementionedthatasimilarpracticeonceprevailedinDevonshiredescribedbytheRev。S。BaringGouldinhis”RedSpider。”ItwasthereknownastheHareHunt，orSkimmity-riding。

Thetailor’sCharivarisbroughthiminnomoney。

Theydidnotincreasehisbusiness；infact，theymadehimmanyenemies。Hisuncouthrhymesdidnotincreasehismendingofoldclothes。Howeversharphisneedlemightbe，hischildren’steethwerestillsharper；andoftentheyhadlittleenoughtoeat。

Themaintenanceofthefamilymainlydependedonthemother，andthewalletofgrandfatherBoe。

Themother，poorthoughshewas，hadaheartofgoldunderhersergegown。Shewashedandmendedindefatigably。Whenshehadfinishedherwashing，thechildren，sosoonastheycouldwalk，accompaniedhertothewillowsalongthebanksoftheGaronne，wheretheclotheswerehungouttodry。Theretheyhadatleastthebenefitofbreathingfreshandpureair。GrandfatherBoewasavenerableoldfellow。Heamusedthechildrenatnightwithhisstoriesofmilitarylife——”Wepto’erhiswounds，or，talesofsorrowdone，Shoulderedhiscrutch，andshowedhowfieldswerewon。”

DuringthedayhecarriedhiswalletfromdoortodoorinAgen，oramongstthefarmhousesintheneighbourhood；andwhenhecamehomeateveheemptiedhiswalletanddividedthespoilamongstthefamily。Ifheobtained，duringhisday’sjourney，somemoresucculentmorselthananother，hebestowedituponhisgrandsonJacques，whomhelovedmostdearly。

Likeallhealthyboys，youngJasmin’schiefdelightwasinthesunshineandtheopenair。Healsoenjoyedthepleasuresoffellowshipandthehappinessofliving。Richandpoor，oldandyoung，shareinthisglorifiedgladness。Jasminhadasyetknownnosorrow。Hiscompanionswerepoorboyslikehimself。

Theyhadneverknownanyothercondition。

Justasthenoontidebellsbegantoring，Jasminsetoutwithahunchofbreadinhishand——perhapstakenfromhisgrandfather’swallet——toenjoytheafternoonwithhiscomrades。Withoutcaporshoeshesped’away。Thesunwasoftengenial，andheneverbethoughthimofcold。Onthecompanywent，sometwentyorthirtyinnumber，togatherwillowfaggotsbythebanksoftheGaronne。”Oh，howmysoulleapt！”heexclaimedinhisSouvenirs，”whenweallsetouttogetheratmid-day，singing。’TheLambwhomThouhastgivenme，’awellknowncarolinthesouth。