M。deLavergnesaysofFranconnette，that，ofallJasmin’swork，itistheoneinwhichheaimedatbeingmostentirelypopular，andthatitisatthesametimethemostnobleandthemostchastened。Hemightalsohaveaddedthemostchivalrous。”Thereissomethingessentiallyknightly，”saysMissPreston，”inPascal’scastofcharacter，anditissingularthatatthesupremecrisisofhisfateheassumes，asifunconsciously，theveryphraseologyofchivalry。”Somesquiredonzelshouldfollowmetodeath。
　　Itisaltogethernaturalandbecominginthehigh-mindedsmith。”
　　M。CharlesNodier——Jasmin’soldfriend——wasequallycomplimentaryinhispraisesofFranconnette。Whenacopyofthepoemwassenttohim，withanaccompanyingletter，Nodierreplied：——”Ihavereceivedwithlivelygratitude，mydearandillustriousfriend，yourbeautifulverses，andyourcharmingandaffectionateletter。Ihavereadthemwithgreatpleasureandprofoundadmiration。AAlthoughillinbed，IhavedevouredFranconnetteandtheotherpoems。Iobserve，withacertainpride，thatyouhavefollowedmyadvice，andthatyouthinkinthatfinelanguagewhichyourecitesoadmirably，inplaceoftranslatingthepatoisintoFrench，whichdeprivesitofitsfullnessandfairness。Ithankyouathousandtimesforyourveryflatteringepistle。Iamtoohappytoexpostulatewithyouseriouslyastothegraciousthingsyouhavesaidtome；mynamewillpasstoposterityintheworksofmyfriends；thegloryofhavingbeenlovedbyyougoesforagreatdeal。”
　　ThetimeatlengtharrivedforthepresentationofthetestimonialofToulousetoJasmin。Itconsistedofabranchoflaurelingold。Theartistwhofashioneditwaschargedtoputhisbestworkintothegoldenlaurel，sothatitmightbeachefd’oeuvreworthyofthecitywhichconferredit，andofbeingtreasuredinthemuseumoftheiradoptedpoet。Theworkwasindeedadmirablyexecuted。Thestemwasrough，asinnature，thoughtheleaveswerebeautifullypolished。Ithadaribbondelicatelyornamented，withthewords”ToulouseaJasmin。”
　　Whentheworkwasfinishedandplacedinitscase，theMayordesiredtosendittoJasminbyatrustymessenger。HeselectedMademoiselleGasc，assistedbyherfather，advocateandmemberofthemunicipalcouncil，topresentthetributetoJasmin。
　　ItoughttohavebeenafetedayforthepeopleofAgen，whentheirillustrioustownsman，thoughabarber，wasabouttoreceivesocordialanappreciationofhispoeticalgeniusfromthelearnedcityofToulouse。ItoughtalsotohavebeenafetedayforJasminhimself。
　　Butalas！anunhappycoincidenceoccurredwhichsaddenedthedaythatoughttohavebeenadayoftriumphforthepoet。
　　Hismotherwasdying。WhenMademoiselleGasc，accompaniedbyherfather，theMayorofAgen，andotherfriendsofJasmin，enteredtheshop，theywereinformedthathewasbythebedsideofhismother，whowasatdeath’sdoor。Thephysician，whowasconsultedastoherstate，saidthattheremightonlybesufficienttimeforJasmintoreceivethedeputation。
　　Heaccordinglycameoutforafewmomentsfromhismother’sbed-side。M。Gascexplainedtheobjectofthevisit，andreadtoJasminthegraciousletteroftheMayorofToulouse，concludingasfollows：——”Ithankyou，inthenameofthecityofToulouse，forthefinepoemwhichyouhavededicatedtous。ThisbranchoflaurelwillremindyouoftheyouthfulandbeautifulMusewhichhasinspiredyouwithsuchcharmingverses。”
　　TheMayorofAgenhereintroducedMademoiselleGasc，who，inherturn，said：——”AndIalso，sir，ammosthappyandproudofthemissionwhichhasbeenentrustedtome。”
　　Thenshepresentedhimwiththecasketwhichcontainedthegoldenlaurel。Jasminrespondedinthelinesentitled’YesterdayandTo-day，’fromwhichthefollowingwordsmaybequoted：——”Yesterday！Thanks，Toulouse，forouroldlanguageandformypoetry。Yourbeautifulgoldenbranchennoblesboth。Andyouwhoofferittome，graciousmessenger——queenofsongandqueenofhearts——tellyourcityofmyperfecthappiness，andthatI
　　neveranticipatedsuchanhonoureveninmymostgoldendreams。”To-day！FascinatedbythelaurelwhichToulousehassentme，andwhichfillsmyheartwithjoy，Icannotforget，mydearyounglady，thesorrowwhichoverwhelmsme——thefatalillnessofmymother——whichmakesmefearthatthemostjoyfuldayofmylifewillalsobethemostsorrowful。”
　　Jasmin’salarmswerejustified。Hisprayerswereofnoavail。
　　Hismotherdiedwithherhandinhisshortlyafterthedeputationhaddeparted。Herhusbandhadprecededhertothetombafewyearsbefore。Healwayshadafirmpresentimentthatheshouldbecarriedinthearm-chairtothehospital，”wherealltheJasminsdie。”ButJasmindidhisbesttosavehisfatherfromthatindignity。Hehadalreadybrokenthearm-chair，andtheoldtailordiedpeacefullyinthearmsofhisson。
　　SomefourmonthsaftertherecitationofFranconnetteatToulouse，Jasminresumedhisreadingsinthecauseofcharity。
　　InOctober1840hevisitedOleron，andwasreceivedwiththeusualenthusiasm；andonhisreturntoPau，hepassedtheobeliskerectedtoDespourrins，theBurnsofthePyrenees。
　　AtPauherecitedhisFranconnettetoanimmenseaudienceamidstfrenziesofapplause。ItwasallegedthatthepeopleofthePyreneancountrywereprosaicandindifferenttoart。ButM。
　　Dugenne，inthe’MemorialdesPyrenees，’saidthatitonlywantedsuchabewitchingpoetasJasmin——withhisvibratingandmagicalvoice——torousethemandsettheirmindsonfire。
　　Anotherwriter，M。AlfredDanger，paidhimastillmoredelicatecompliment。”Hispoetry，”hesaid，”isnotmerelythepoetryofillusions；
　　itisalive，andinspireseveryheart。Hisadmirabledelicacy！
　　Hisprofoundtactineveryverse！Whataristocraticpoetcouldbetterexpressinahigherdegreethepolitenessoftheheart，thetruestofallpoliteness。”[6]
　　Jasmindidnotseemtobeatallelatedbytheseeulogiums。
　　Whenhehadfinishedhisrecitations，hereturnedtoAgen，sometimesonfoot，sometimesinthediligence，andquietlyresumedhisdailywork。Hissuccessasapoetneverinducedhimtoresignhismorehumbleoccupation。Althoughhereceivedsomereturnsfromthesaleofhispoems，hefelthimselfmoreindependentbyrelyingupontheincomederivedfromhisownbusiness。
　　Hisincreasingreputationneverengenderedinhim，asistoooftenthecasewithself-taughtgeniuseswhosuddenlyriseintofame，asuperciliouscontemptfortheordinarytransactionsoflife。”Afterall，”hesaid，”contentmentisbetterthanriches。”
　　FootnotestoChapterX。
　　[1]JournaldeToulouse，4thJuly，1840。
　　[2]TheSocietyoftheJeux-FlorauxderivesitsoriginfromtheancientTroubadours。ItclaimstobetheoldestsocietyofthekindinEurope。ItissaidtohavebeenfoundedinthefourteenthcenturybyClemenceIsaure，aToulousianlady，tocommemoratethe”GayScience。”Ameetingofthesocietyisheldeveryyear，whenprizesaredistributedtotheauthorsofthebestcompositionsinproseandverse。ItsomewhatresemblestheannualmeetingoftheEisteddfod，heldforawardingprizestothebardsandcomposersofWales。
　　[3]ThefollowingwashisimpromptutothesavantsofToulouse，4thJuly，1840：——”Oh，bonDieu！quedegloire！Oh，bonDieu！qued’honneurs！
　　Messieurs，cejourpourmaMuseestbiendoux；
　　Maismaintenant，d’etrequittej’aiperdul’esperance：
　　Carjeviens，plusfierquejamais，Vouspayermareconnaissance，Etjem’endettequeplus！”
　　[4]Thisistheimpromptu，givenonthe5thJuly，1840：”Toulousem’adonneunbeaubouquetd’honneur；
　　Votrefestin，amis，enestunebellefleur；
　　Aussi，clanslesplaisirsdecettelonguefete，Quandjeveuxremercierdecela，JepoursuismonespritpournepasetreenresteIci，l’espritmenaitettombedemoncoeur！”
　　[5]’CauseriesduLundi，’iv。240edit。1852。
　　[6]”Lapolitesseducoeur，”aFrenchexpressionwhichcanscarcelybetranslatedintoEnglish；justas”gentleman”hasnopreciseequivalentinFrench。
　　CHAPTERXI。
　　JASMIN’SVISITTOPARIS。
　　JasminhadbeensooftenadvisedtovisitParisandtesthispowersthere，thatatlengthhedeterminedtoproceedtothecapitalofFrance。Itistrue，hehadbeeneulogizedinthecriticismsofSainte-Beuve，LeoncedeLavergne，CharlesNodier，andCharlesdeMazade；buthedesiredtomakethepersonalacquaintanceofsomeoftheseillustriouspersons，aswellastoseehisson，whowasthensettledinParis。Itwasthereforeinsomerespectsavisitofpaternalaffectionaswellasliteraryreputation。HesetoutforParisinthemonthofMay1842。
　　Jasminwasaboyinhisheartandfeelings，thenasalways。
　　Indeed，heneverceasedtobeaboy——inhismanners，hisgaiety，hisartlessness，andhisenjoymentofnewpleasures。
　　WhatasuccessionofwonderstohimwasParis——itsstreets，itsboulevards，itsTuileries，itsLouvre，itsArcdeTriomphe——remindinghimoftheRevolutionandthewarsofthefirstNapoleon。
　　AccompaniedbyhissonEdouard，hespentaboutaweekinvisitingthemoststrikingmemorialsofthecapital。
　　TheyvisitedtogetherthePlacedelaConcorde，theHoteldeVille，NotreDame，theMadeleine，theChampsElysees，andmostoftheothersights。AttheColonneVendome，Jasminraisedhishead，lookedup，andstooderect，proudofthegloriesofFrance。
　　Hesawallthesethingsforthefirsttime，buttheyhadlongbeenassociatedwithhisrecollectionsofthepast。
　　Thereare”countrycousins”inParisaswellasinLondon。
　　Theyareknownbytheirdress，theirmanners，theiramazementatalltheysee。WhenJasminstoodbeforetheVendomeColumn，heextendedhishandasifhewereabouttoreciteoneofhispoems。”Oh，myson，”heexclaimed，”suchgloriesasthesearetrulymagnificent！”Theson，whowasfamiliarwiththeglories，wasratherdisposedtolaugh。Hedesired，fordecorum’ssake，torepresshisfather’sexclamations。Hesawthepeoplestandingabouttohearhisfather’swords。”Come，”saidtheyoungman，”letusgototheMadeleine，andseethatfamouschurch。””Ah，Edouard，”saidJasmin，”Icanseewellenoughthatyouarenotapoet；notyouindeed！”
　　Duringhisvisit，JasminwroteregularlytohiswifeandfriendsatAgen，givingthemhisimpressionsofParis。Hisletterswerefullofhisusualsimplicity，brightness，boyishness，andenthusiasm。”WhatwonderfulthingsIhavealreadyseen，”hesaidinoneofhisletters，”andhowmanymorehaveItoseeto-morrowandthefollowingdays。M。Dumon，MinisterofPublicWorks”