[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。