Jasmin’scompatriotandassociateattheAcademyofAgen，”hasgivenmelettersofadmissiontoVersailles，Saint-Cloud，Meudoninfact，toallthepublicplacesthatIhaveforsolongatimebeenburningtoseeandadmire。”
　　Afteraweek’strampingabout，andseeingthemostattractivesightsofthecapital，Jasminbethoughthimofhisliteraryfriendsandcritics。ThefirstpersonhecalleduponwasSainte-Beuve，attheMazarinLibrary，ofwhichhewasdirector。”Hereceivedmelikeabrother，”saidJasmin，”andembracedme。
　　HesaidthemostflatteringthingsaboutmyFranconnette，andconsidereditanimprovementuponL’Aveugle。’Continue，’
　　hesaid，’mygoodfriend’andyouwilltakeaplaceinthebrightestpoetryofourepoch。’InshowingmeovertheshelvesintheLibrarycontainingtheworksoftheoldpoets，whicharestillreadandadmired，hesaid，’Likethem，youwillneverdie。’”
　　JasminnextcalleduponCharlesNodierandJulesJanin。
　　Nodierwasdelightedtoseehisoldfriend，andafteralongconversation，Jasminsaidthat”helefthimwithtearsinhiseyes。”Janincomplimentedhimuponhisworks，especiallyuponhismasterlyuseoftheGasconlanguage。”Goon，”hesaid，”andwriteyourpoetryinthepatoiswhichalwaysappearstomesodelicious。Youpossessthetalentnecessaryforthepurpose；
　　itissogenuineandrare。”
　　TheParisianjournalsmentionedJasmin’sappearanceinthecapital；themostdistinguishedcriticshadhighlyapprovedofhisworks；andbeforelonghebecametheherooftheday。
　　Themodesthotelinwhichhestayedduringhisvisit，wascrowdedwithvisitors。Peers，ministers，deputies，journalists，membersoftheFrenchAcademy，cametosalutetheauthorofthe’Papillotos。’
　　Theproprietorofthehotelbegantothinkthathewasentertainingsomeprinceindisguise——thathemusthavecomefromsomeforeigncourttonegotiatesecretlysomeloftyquestionsofstate。Butwhenhewasentertainedatabanquetbythebarbersandhair-dressersofParis，theopinionsof”minehost”underwentasuddenalteration。HeinformedJasmin’ssonthathecouldscarcelybelievethatministersofstatewouldbotherthemselveswithacountryperuke-maker！Thesonlaughed；
　　hetoldthemaitred’hotelthathisbillwouldbepaid，andthatwasallheneedtocarefor。
　　Jasminwasnot，however，withouthisdetractors。Eveninhisowncountry，manywhohadlaughedheartilyandweptbitterlywhilelisteningtohisvoice，fearedlesttheymighthavegivenventtotheiremotionsagainstthelegitimaterulesofpoetry。
　　SomeoftheParisiancriticswereofopinionthathewasimmenselyoverrated。TheyattributedthesuccessoftheGasconpoettothelivelinessofthesoutherners，whowereexcitedbythemeresttrifles；andtheysuspectedthatJasmin，insteadofbeingapoet，wasbutaclevergasconader，differingonlyfromtherestofhisclassbyspeakinginverseinsteadofprose。
　　NowthatJasminwasinthecapital，hisrealfriends，whoknewhispoeticalpowers，desiredhimtoputanendtotheseprejudicesbyrecitingbeforeacompetenttribunalsomeofhismostadmiredverses。HewouldhavehadnodifficultyinobtainingareceptionattheTuileries。HehadalreadyreceivedseveralkindfavoursfromtheDukeandDuchessofOrleanswhilevisitingAgen。TheDukehadpresentedhimwitharingsetinbrilliants，andtheDuchesshadgivenhimagoldpinintheshapeofaflower，withafinepearlsurroundedbydiamonds，inmemoryoftheirvisit。Itwasthiscircumstancewhichinducedhimtocomposehispoem’LaBagoetL’Esplingo’LaBagueetL’EpinglewhichhededicatedtotheDuchessofOrleans。
　　ButJasminaimedhigherthantheRoyalfamily。HisprincipaldesirewastoattendtheFrenchAcademy；butastheAcademydidnotpermitstrangerstoaddresstheirmeetings，Jasminwasunderthenecessityofadoptinganothermethod。TheSalonswereopen。
　　M。LeoncedeLavergnesaidtohim：”YouarenowclassedamongourFrenchpoets；giveusarecitationinGascon。”JasminexplainedthathecouldnotgivehisreadingbeforethemembersoftheAcademy。”Thatdifficulty，”saidhisfriend，”cansoonbegotover：Iwillarrangeforameetingatthesalonofoneofourmostdistinguishedmembers。”
　　ItwasaccordinglyarrangedthatJasminshouldgiveareadingatthehouseofM。AugustinThierry，oneofthegreatestoflivinghistorians。TheeliteofParisiansocietywerepresentontheoccasion，includingAmpere，Nizard，Burnouf，Ballanche，Villemain，andmanydistinguishedpersonagesofliterarycelebrity。
　　AwordastoJasmin’sdistinguishedentertainer，M。AugustinThierry。Hehadwrittenthe’HistoryoftheConquestofEnglandbytheNormans’——anoriginalworkofgreatvalue，thoughsinceovershadowedbythemoreminute’HistoryoftheNormanConquest，’byProfessorFreeman。YetThierry’sworkisstillofgreatinterest，displayinggiftsofthehighestandrarestkindinfelicitouscombination。Itshowsthecarefulploddingoftheantiquary，thekeenvisionofthemanoftheworld，thepassionatefervourofthepolitician，thecalmdignityofthephilosophicthinker，andthegrandeuroftheepicpoet。Thierrysucceededinexhumingthedrybonesofhistory，clothingthemforusanew，andpresentingalmostvisiblythe”ageandbodyofthetimes”longsincepassedaway。
　　Thierryhadalsowrittenhis’NarrativesoftheMerovingianTimes，’andrevivedalmostalostepochintheearlyhistoryofFrance。Inwritingouttheseandotherworks——theresultsofimmenselabourandresearch——hepartlylosthiseyesight。HetravelledintoSwitzerlandandtheSouthofFranceinthecompanyofM。Fauriel。Hecouldreadnomore，andtowardstheendoftheyeartheremainsofhissightentirelydisappeared。
　　Hehadnowtoreadwiththeeyesofothers，andtodictateinsteadofwriting。InhisworkshewasassistedbythefriendshipofM。ArmandCarrel，andtheaffectionandjudgmentofhislovingyoungwife。
　　Heproceededwithcourage，andwasabletocompletethefundamentalbasisofthetwoFrankishdynasties。HewasabouttofollowhisinvestigationsintothehistoryoftheGoths，Huns，andVandals，andotherraceswhichhadtakenpartinthedismembermentoftheempire。”Howeverextendedtheselabours，”
　　hesays，[1]”mycompleteblindnesscouldnothavepreventedmygoingthroughthem；Iwasresignedasmuchasacourageousmancanbe：Ihadmadeafriendshipwithdarkness。Butothertrialscame：acutesufferingsandthedeclineofmyhealthannouncedanervousdiseaseofthemostseriouskind。Iwasobligedtoconfessmyselfconquered，andtosave，ifitwasstilltime，thelastremainsofmyhealth。”
　　ThelastwordsofThierry’sAutobiographicalPrefacearemosttouching。”If，asIdelightinthinking，theinterestofscienceiscountedinthenumberofgreatnationalinterests，Ihavegivenmycountryallthatthesoldiermutilatedonthefieldofbattlegivesher。Whatevermaybethefateofmylabours，thisexampleIhopewillnotbelost。Iwouldwishittoservetocombatthespeciesofmoralweaknesswhichisthediseaseofthepresentgeneration；tobringbackintothestraightroadoflifesomeofthoseenervatedsoulsthatcomplainofwantingfaith，thatknownotwhattodo，andseekeverywhere，withoutfindingit，anobjectofworshipandadmiration。Whysay，withsomuchbitterness，thatinthisworld，constitutedasitis，thereisnoairforalllungs，noemploymentforallminds?Istherenotopportunityforcalmandseriousstudy?andisnotthatarefuge，ahope，afieldwithinthereachofallofus?Withit，evildaysarepassedoverwithouttheirweightbeingfelt；everyonecanmakehisowndestiny；everyonecanemployhislifenobly。ThisiswhatIhavedone，andwoulddoagainifIhadtorecommencemycareer：IwouldchoosethatwhichhasbroughtmetowhereIam。Blind，andsufferingwithouthope，andalmostwithoutintermission，Imaygivethistestimony，whichfrommewillnotappearsuspicious；thereissomethinginthisworldbetterthansensualenjoyments，betterthanfortune，betterthanhealthitself：itisdevotiontoscience。”
　　FootnotesforChapterXI。
　　[1]AutobiographicalPrefacetothe’NarrativesoftheMerovingianTimes。’
　　CHAPTERXII。
　　JASMIN’SRECITATIONSINPARIS。
　　ItwasasolemnandanxiousmomentforJasminwhenheappearedbeforethisselectpartyofthemostdistinguishedliterarymeninParis：hewasnodoubtplacedataconsiderabledisadvantage，forhisjudgesdidnotevenknowhislanguage。HehadfrequentlyrecitedtoaudienceswhodidnotknowGascon；andonsuchoccasionsheused，beforecommencinghisrecitation，togiveinFrenchashortsketchofhispoem，with，anexplanationofsomeofthemoredifficultGasconwords。Thiswasall；hismimictalentdidtherest。Hisgestureswerenobleandwell-marked。
　　Hiseyeswereflashing，buttheybecamelanguishingwhenherepresentedtendersentiments。Thenhisutterancechangedentirely，oftensuddenly，followingtheexpressionsofgriefandjoy。Therewerenowsmiles，nowtearsinhisvoice。
　　ItwasremarkablethatJasminshouldfirstrecitebeforetheblindhistorianTheBlindGirlofCastel-Cuille。Itmaybethathethoughtithisfinestpoem，withinthecompassoftimeallottedtohim，andthatitmightbestpleasehisaudience。
　　WhenhebegantospeakinGasconhewasheardwithinterest。
　　Alaughwas，indeed，raisedbyaportionofhisyouthfulhearers，butJasminflashedhispenetratingeyeuponthem；andtherewasnomorelaughter。Whenhereachedthetenderestparthegavewaytohisemotion，andwept。Tearsareascontagiousassmiles；
　　andeventheacademicians，whomaynothaveweptwithRachel，weptwithJasmin。Itwastheechoofsorrowtosorrow；thewordswhichblinddespairhadevokedfromtheblindMargaret。
　　AlleyeswereturnedtoThierryasJasmindescribedthegirl’sblindness。Thepoetomittedsomeofthemorepainfullines，whichmighthaveoccasionedsorrowtohiskindentertainer。
　　Theselines，forinstance，inGascon：”Jourperaoutres，toutjour！etperjou，malhurouzo，Toutjourney！toutjourney！
　　Quefaynegrelend’el！Oh！quemounamoestristo！
　　Oh！quesouffri，mounDiou！Courobendoun，Batisto！”
　　or，astranslatedbyLongfellow：”Dayfortheothersever，butformeForevernight！forevernight！
　　Whenheisgone，’tisdark！mysoulissad！
　　Isuffer！OmyGod！come，makemeglad。”
　　WhenJasminomittedthisverse，Thierry，whohadlistenedwithraptattention，interruptedhim。”Poet，”hesaid，”youhaveomittedapassage；readthepoemasyouhavewrittenit。”
　　Jasminpaused，andthenaddedtheomittedpassage。”Canitbe?”
　　saidthehistorian：”surelyyou，whocandescribesovividlytheagonyofthosewhocannotsee，mustyourselfhavesufferedblindness！”ThewordsofJasminmighthavebeenspokenbyThierryhimself，whoinhishoursofsadnessoftensaid，”Iseenothingbutdarknesstoday。”
　　AttheendofhisrecitalJasminwasmuchapplauded。Ampere，whohadfollowedhimcloselyintheFrenchtranslationofhispoem，said：”IfJasminhadneverwrittenverse，itwouldbeworthgoingahundredleaguestolistentohisprose。”Whatcharmedhisauditorsmostwashisfrankness。Hewouldevenaskthemtolistentowhathethoughthisbestverses。”Thispassage，”
　　hewouldsay，”isveryfine。”Thenhereaditafresh，andwasapplauded。Helikedtobecheered。”Applaud！applaud！”hesaidattheendofhisreading，”theclappingofyourhandswillbeheardatAgen。”
　　Aftertherecitationaninterestingconversationtookplace。
　　Jasminwasaskedhowitwasthathefirstbegantowritepoetry；
　　foreveryonelikestoknowthebeginningsofself-culture。
　　Hethereuponenteredintoabriefhistoryofhislife；howhehadbeenbornpoor；howhisgrandfatherhaddiedatthehospital；
　　andhowhehadbeenbroughtupbycharity。Hedescribedhislimitededucationandhisadmissiontothebarber’sshop；
　　hisreadingofFlorian；hisdeterminationtodosomethingofasimilarkind；hisfirstefforts，hisprogress，andeventuallyhissuccess。Hesaidthathisobjectwastorelyuponnatureandtruth，andtoinvestthewholewithimaginationandsensibility——thatdelicatetouchwhichvibratedthroughallthepoemshehadwritten。Hisauditorswererivetedbyhissparklingandbrilliantconversation。
　　ThisseanceatM。Thierry’scompletedthetriumphofJasminatParis。Thedoorsofthemostrenownedsalonswerethrownopentohim。Themostbrilliantsocietyinthecapitallistenedtohimandfetedhim。MadamedeRemusatsenthimapresentofagoldenpen，withthewords：”Iadmireyourbeautifulpoetry；Ineverforgetyou；acceptthislittlegiftasatokenofmysincereadmiration。”LamartinedescribedJasmin，perhapswithsomeexaggeration，asthetruestandmostoriginalofmodernpoets。
　　MuchofJasmin’sworkwasnodoubttheresultofintuition，for”thepoetisborn，notmade。”Hewasnotsomuchthepoetofartasofinstinct。YetM。CharlesdeMazedesaidofhim：”Lefttohimself，withoutstudy，hecarriedarttoperfection。”
　　Hisdefectofliteraryeducationperhapshelpedhim，byleavinghimtohisownnaturalinstincts。Hehimselfsaid，withrespecttotheperusalofbooks：”IconstantlyreadLafontaine，VictorHugo，LamartineandBeranger。”Itisthusprobablethathemayhavebeeninfluencedtoaconsiderableextentbyhisstudyoftheworksofothers。
　　BeforeJasminleftParishehadthehonourofbeinginvitedtovisittheroyalfamilyatthepalaceofNeuilly，afavouriteresidenceofLouisPhilippe。TheinvitationwasmadethroughGeneraldeRumigny，whocametoseethepoetathishotelforthepurpose。JasminhadalreadymadetheacquaintanceoftheDukeandDuchessofOrleans，whileatAgenafewyearsbefore。
　　HisvisittoNeuillywasmadeonthe24thofMay，1842。Hewasgraciouslyreceivedbytheroyalfamily。TheDuchessofOrleanstookherseatbesidehim。ShereadtheverseinGasconwhichhadbeenengravedonthepedestalofthestatueatNerac，erectedtothememoryofHenryIV。Thepoetwassurprisedaswellascharmedbyhercondescension。”What，Madame，”heexclaimed，”youspeakthepatois?””Eljoutabe”andIalso，saidLouisPhilippe，whocameandjoinedthePrincessandthepoet。NeverwasJasminmorepleasedthanwhenheheardthewordsoftheKingatsuchamoment。
　　Jasminwasplacedquiteathiseasebythisgraciousreception。
　　TheKingandtheDuchessunitedindesiringhimtorecitesomeofhispoetry。Heatoncecompliedwiththeirrequest，andrecitedhisCaritatandL’Abuglo’TheBlindGirl’。
　　Afterthisthepartyengagedinconversation。