andthepeopleofAgenshouldbeproudoftheirpoet。”[2]
　　TheaccountwhichJasminrecordsofhisexpensesduringajourneyoffiftydays，inwhichhecollectedmorethan20，000francs，isveryremarkable。Itisgiveninthefourthvolumeof’LesPapillotes，’publishedin1863，theyearbeforehisdeath，andisentitled，”Noteofmyexpensesofthejourney，whichI
　　havedeductedfromthereceiptsduringmycircuitoffiftydays。”
　　Oncertainoccasionsnothingwhateverwascharged，butacarriagewasprobablyplacedathisdisposal，ortheticketforarailwayoradiligencemayhavebeenpaidforbyhisfriends。
　　Onmanyoccasionshewalkedthedistancebetweentheseveralplaces，andthussavedthecostofhisconveyance。Buteveryitemofexpensewassetforthinhis”Note”withthemostscrupulousexactness。
　　HereisthetranslationofJasmin’srecordforhisjourneysduringthesefiftydays：——”……AtFoix，fromM。deGroussou，PresidentoftheCommunionofBienfaisance，33fr。，50c。
　　AtPamiers，nil。AtSaint-Girons，fromthePresidentoftheSocietyofSt。VincentdePaul，16fr。AtLavaur，fromM。theMayor，22fr。AtSaint-Sulpice，nil。AtToulouse，whereIgavefivespecialseances，ofwhichthetwofirst，toSaint-VincentdePaulandthePrefecture，producedmorethan1600fr。，nil。Mymusewassufficientlyaccountedfor；itwasduringmyreceptionasMaitre-es-jeux。AtRodez，fromthePresidentoftheConferenceofSaint-VincentdePaul，29fr。50c。AtSaint-Geniez，nil。AtSaint-Flour，fromM。Simon，vicar-general，22fr。50c。AtMurat，nil。AtMauriac，nil。AtAurillac，fromM。Geneste，mayor，formyreturntoAgen，24fr。Total，147fr。
　　50centimes。”
　　Thus，morethan20，000francswerecollectedforthepoor，Jasminhavingdeducted147fr。50c。forthecostofhisjourneysfromplacetoplace。Itmustalsoberememberedthathetravelledmostlyinwinter，whenthegroundwascoveredwithsnow。InFebruary，1854，M。Migneret，PrefectofHaute-garonne，addressedalettertoJasmin，whichisworthyofpreservation。”Itispleasant，”hesaid，’afterhavingenjoyedatnightthecharmsofyourpoetry，tobeginthenextdaybytakingaccountofthemisfortunestheyrelieve。Ioweyouthisdoublehonour，andIthankyouwiththegreatestgratitude……Astoouradmirationofyourtalent，ityieldstoouresteemforyournobleheart；thepoetcannotbejealousofthegoodcitizen。”[3]
　　Notwithstandingtherigouroftheseason，andthesnowandwind，thelikeofwhichhadnotbeenknownformorethantwentyyears，JasminwaswelcomedbyanimmenseaudienceatRodez。TherecitationwasgiveninthelargehallofthePalaisdeJustice，andneverhadsolargeacollectionbeenmade。TheyoungpeopleofthetownwishedtogiveJasminabanquet，buthedeclined，ashehadtohurryontoanotherplaceforasimilarpurpose。
　　Heleftthem，however，oneofhispoemspreparedfortheoccasion。
　　HearrivedatSaint-Flourexhaustedbyfatigue。Hisvoicebegantofail，partlythroughtherigoursoftheclimate，yethecontinuedtopersevere。Thebishopentertainedhiminhispalace，andintroducedhimpersonallytotheaudiencebeforewhichhewastogivehisrecitations。Overtheentrance-doorwaswrittentheinscription，”AJasmin，lePoetedesPauvres，Saint-fleurreconnaissante！”BeforeJasminbegantorecitehewasserenadedbytheaudience。Thecollectionwasgreaterthanhadeverbeenknown。ItwasherethatthebishoppresentedJasminwiththatfamousmanual，’TheImitationofChrist，’
　　alreadyreferredto。
　　ItwasthesameatMurat，Mauriac，andAurillac。TherecitationatAurillacwasgiveninthetheatre，andthereceiptswere1200
　　francs。Herealsohewasserenaded。HedepartedfromAurillaccoveredwiththepoorpeople’sblessingsandgratitude。
　　AtToulousehegaveanotherentertainment，attheinstanceoftheConferenceofSaint-FrancoisXavier。Therewereabout3000
　　personspresent，mostlyoftheworkingclasses。Theseancewasprolongedalmosttomidnight。Theaudience，mostofwhomhadtoriseearlyinthemorning，forgottheirsleep，andwishedthepoettoprolonghisrecitations！
　　AlthoughthepoormachineofJasmin’sbodywasofteninneedofrest，hestillwentaboutdoinggood。Heneverceasedministeringtothepooruntilhewasaltogetherunabletogototheirhelp。Eveninthedistressingcold，rain，andwindofwinter——anditwasinwintermorethaninsummerthathetravelled，foritwasthenthatthepoorweremostdistressed——
　　heentirelydisregardedhisowncomfort，andsometimestravelledatmuchperil；yethewentnorthandsouth，byhighwaysandbyways，byriversandrailways，inanyandeverydirection，providedhisservicescouldbeofuse。
　　Hesacrificedhimselfalways，andwasperfectlyregardlessofself。Hewasoverwhelmedwithhonoursandpraises。Hebecamewearyoftriumphs——oflaurels，flowers，andmedals——hesometimesbecamewearyofhislife；yethenevercouldrefuseanypressingsolicitationmadetohimforanewrecitalofhispoems。
　　Histrials，especiallyinwintertime，wereoftenmostdistressing。Hewouldrecitebeforeacrowdedaudience，inaheatedroom，andafterwardsfacetheicyairwithout，oftenwithoutanycoveringforhisthroatandneck。Hencehisrepeatedbronchialattacks，thelossofhisvoice，andotherseriousaffectionsofhislungs。
　　ThelastmeetingwhichJasminattendedonbehalfofthepoorwasattheendofJanuary1864，onlythreemonthsbeforehisdeath。
　　ItwasatVilleneuve-sur-Lot，atownseveralmilesnorthofAgen。
　　Hedidnotdesiretoputthepeopletotheexpenseofaconveyance，andthereforehedecidedtowalk。Hewasalreadyprematurelyoldandstooping。
　　Thediseasewhichendedhislifehadalreadymadeconsiderableprogress。Heshouldhavebeeninbed；nevertheless，asthepoorneededhishelp，thebraveoldmandeterminedtoproceedtoVilleneuve。Hewashelpedalongtheroadbysomeofhisfriends；
　　andatlast，weariedandpanting，hearrivedathisdestination。
　　Themeetingwasheldinthetheatre，whichwascrowdedtosuffocation。
　　NosoonerhadJasminreachedtheplatform，amidsttheusualtriumphantcheering，than，aftertakingashortrest，hesprangtohisfeetandbegantherecitationofhispoems。Neverhadhisvoiceseemedmorespiritedandentrancing。Hedelightedhisaudience，whilehepleadedmosteloquentlyforthereliefofthepoor。”Iseehimnow，”wroteoneofhisfriends，”frombehindtheside-scenesofthetheatre，perspiringprofusely，wettotheskin，withacarafeofwatertoallaytheardentthirstoccasionedbythreehoursofsplendiddeclamation。”
　　Inhisthencriticalstate，thethreehours’declamationwasenoughtokillhim。Atallevents，itwashislastrecitation。
　　Itwasthesongofthedyingswan。Inthemidstofhistriumphs，helaiddownhislifeforthepoor；likethesoldierwhodieswiththesoundofvictoryinhisears。
　　FootnotestoChapterXIX。
　　[1]’Jasmin，saVieetsesOEuvres。’Paris，1867。
　　[2]LePays，14thFebruary，1854。
　　[3]’LasPapillotosdeJasmin，’iv。56。
　　CHAPTERXX。
　　DEATHOFJASMIN——HISCHARACTER。
　　AfterhisfinalrecitationatVilleneuve，Jasmin，sick，ill，andutterlyexhausted，reachedAgenwithdifficulty。Hecouldscarcelystand。Itwasnotoftenthattravellinghadsoaffectedhim；butnaturenowcriedoutandrebelled。Hiswifewas，ofcourse，greatlyalarmed。Hewasatoncecarefullyputtobed，andtherehelayforfifteendays。
　　Whenhewasatlengthabletorise，hewasplacedinhiseasychair，buthewasstillweak，wearied，andexhausted。Mariettebelievedthathewouldyetrecoverhisstrength；butthediseaseunderwhichhelabouredhadtakenastrongholdofhim，andJasminfeltthatbewasgraduallyapproachingthecloseofhislife。
　　AboutthistimeRenan’s’LifeofJesus’waspublished。Jasminwasinexpressiblyshockedbytheappearanceofthebook，foritseemedtohimtostrikeatthefoundationsofChristianity，andtobeentirelyopposedtotheteachingsoftheChurch。
　　Heimmediatelybegantocomposeapoem，entitledThePoetofthePeopletoM。Renan，[1]inwhichhevindicatedtheCatholicfaith，anddenouncedthepoisonousmischiefcontainedinthenewattackuponChristianity。Thepoemwasfullofpoeticfeeling，withmanypathetictouchesillustrativeofthelifeandtrialsofmanwhileherebelow。
　　Thecompositionofthispoemoccupiedhimforsometime。
　　Althoughbrokenbygriefandpain，hemadeeveryhastetocorrecttheproofs，feelingthatitwouldprobablybethelastworkthatheshouldgivetotheworld。Anditwashislast。
　　Itwasfinishedandprintedonthe24thofAugust，1864。Hesentseveralcopiestohismoreintimatefriendswithadedication；
　　andthenhetookfinallytohisbed，nevertoriseagain。”Iamhappy，”hesaid，”tohaveterminatedmycareerbyanactoffaith，andtohaveconsecratedmylastworktothenameofJesusChrist。”Hefeltthatitwashispassporttoeternity。
　　Jasmin’slifewasfastdrawingtoaclose。Heknewthathemustsoondie；yetneverawordoffearescapedhislips；norwashisserenityofminddisturbed。Hemadehispreparationsfordeparturewithasmuchtranquillityandhappiness，asonthedayswhenhewasabouttostartononeofhisphilanthropicmissions。
　　HedesiredthatM。Saint-Hilaire，thevicaroftheparish，shouldbesentfor。Thepriestwasatoncebythebedsideofhisdyingfriend。Jasminmadehisrepliestohiminaclearandcalmvoice。Hiswife，hisson，hisgrand-children，werepresentwhenhereceivedtheViaticum——thelastsacramentofthechurch。
　　Aftertheceremonyheturnedtohiswifeandfamily，andsaid：”InmylastcommunionIhaveprayedtoGodthatHemaykeepyouallinthemostaffectionatepeaceandunion，andthatHemayeverreignintheheartsofthosewhomIlovesomuchandamabouttoleavebehindme。”Thenspeakingtohiswife，hesaid，”NowMariette，——nowIcandiepeacefully。”
　　Hecontinuedtoliveuntilthefollowingmorning。Heconversedoccasionallywithhiswife，hisson，andafewattachedfriends。
　　Hetalked，thoughwithdifficulty，ofthefutureofthefamily，forwhomhehadmadeprovision。Atlast，liftinghimselfupbytheaidofhisson，helookedtowardshiswife。Thebrightnessofloveglowedinhiseyes；butinamomenthefellbacksenselessuponthepillow，andhisspiritquietlypassedaway。
　　Jasmindepartedthislifeonthe5thofOctober，1864，attheageofsixty-five。Hewasnotanoldman；butthebrightestjewelssoonestweartheirsetting。Whenlaidinhiscoffin，thepoemtoRenan，hislastactoffaith，wasplacedonhisbreast，withhishandscrossedoverit。
　　Thegrieffeltathisdeathwaswideanduniversal。IntheSouthofFrancehewaslamentedasapersonalfriend；andhewasfollowedtothegravebyanimmensenumberofhistownspeople。
　　Themunicipaladministrationtookchargeofthefuneral。
　　Atteno’clockinthemorningofthe8thOctobertheprocessionstartedfromJasmin’shouseonthePromenadeduGravier。
　　OnthecoffinwereplacedtheCrownofGoldpresentedtohimbyhisfellow-townsmen，thecrossofChevalieroftheLegionofHonour，andthatofSaint-GregorytheGreat。Acompanyoffivemen，andadetachmentoftroopscommandedbyanofficer，formedtheline。