When the political turmoils in France had for a time subsided,Jasmin and the Abbe Masson recommenced their journeys in the South for the collection of funds for the church at Vergt.
They had already made two pilgrimages--the first through Perigord,the second to Angouleme,Limoges,Tulle,and Brives.
The third was begun early in 1850,and included the department of the Landes,the higher and lower Pyrenees,and other districts in the South of France.
At Bagneres de Bigorre and at Bagneres de Luchon the receipts were divided between the church at Vergt and that at Luchon.
The public hospitals and the benevolent societies frequently shared in the receipts.There seemed to be no limits to the poet's zeal in labouring for those who were in want of funds.
Independent of his recitations for the benefit of the church at Vergt,he often turned aside to one place or another where the poor were in the greatest need of assistance.
On one occasion he went to Arcachon.He started early in the morning by the steamer from Agen to Bordeaux,intending to proceed by railway (a five hours'journey)from Bordeaux to Arcachon.But the steamers on the Garonne were then very irregular,and Jasmin did not reach Bordeaux until six hours later than the appointed time.In the meanwhile a large assembly had met in the largest room in Arcachon.They waited and waited;but no Jasmin!The Abbe Masson became embarrassed;but at length he gave his address,and the receipts were 800francs.The meeting dispersed very much disappointed,because no Jasmin had appeared,and they missed his recitations.At midnight the cure returned to Bordeaux and there he found Jasmin,just arrived from Agen by the boat,which had been six hours late.He was in great dismay;but he afterwards made up for the disappointment by reciting to the people of Arcachon.
The same thing happened at Biarritz.A large assembly had met,and everything was ready for Jasmin.But there was no Jasmin!
The omnibus from Bayonne did not bring him.It turned out,that at the moment of setting out he was seized with a sudden loss of voice.As in the case of Arcachon,the cure had to do without him.The result of his address was a collection of 700francs.
The Abbe Masson was a liberal-minded man.When Jasmin urged him to help others more needy than himself,he was always ready to comply with his request.When at Narbonne,in the department of Aude,a poor troupe of comedians found themselves in difficulties.It was winter-time,and the weather was very cold.
The public could not bear their canvas-covered shed,and deserted the entertainment.Meanwhile the artistes were famished.
Knowing the generosity of Jasmin,they asked him to recite at one of their representations.He complied with their request;the place was crowded;and Jasmin's recitations were received with the usual enthusiasm.It had been arranged that half the proceeds should go to the church at Vergt,and the other half to the comedians.But when the entire troupe presented themselves to the Abbe and offered him the full half,he said:"No!no!keep it all.You want it more than I do.Besides,I can always fall back upon my dear poet!"A fourth pilgrimage of the priest and poet was afterwards made to the towns of Rodez,Villefranche-d'aveyron,Cahors,Figeac,Gourdon,and Sarlat;and the proceeds of these excursions,added to a subvention of 5,000francs from the Government,enabled the church of Vergt to be completed.In 1852the steeple was built,and appropriately named "Jasmin's Bell-tower"(Clocher Jasmin).
But it was still without bells,for which a subsequent pilgrimage was made by Jasmin and Masson.
To return to the honours paid to Jasmin for his works of benevolence and charity.What was worth more to him than the numerous golden laurels which had been bestowed upon him,was his recognition by the highest and noblest of institutions,the Academy of France.Although one of the objects of its members was to preserve the French language in its highest purity they were found ready to crown a poet who wrote his poems in the patois of the South.
There were,however,several adverse criticisms on the proposed decision of the Academy;though poetry may be written in every tongue,and is quite independent of the language or patois in which it is conveyed.Indeed;several members of the Academy--such as MM.Thiers,De Remusat,Viennet,and Flourens--came from the meridional districts of France,and thoroughly understood the language of Jasmin.They saw in him two men--the poet,and the benefactor of humanity.
This consideration completely overruled the criticisms of the minority.Jasmin had once before appeared at M.Thierry's before the best men of the Academy;and now the whole of the Academy,notwithstanding his patois,approached and honoured the man of good deeds.
Jasmin owed to M.Villemain one of the most brilliant panegyrics which he had ever received.The Academy desired to award a special prize in accordance with the testamentary bequest of M.de Montyon[1]--his last debt to art and morality;a talent that employs itself in doing good under a form the most brilliant and popular.This talent,he continued,is that of the true poet;and Jasmin,during his pure and modest life,has employed his art for the benefit of morality with a noble,helpful influence,while nothing detracted from the dignity of his name.
Like the Scottish poet Burns,Jasmin had by his dialect and his poetical talents enriched the literature of his country.Jasmin,the hair-dresser of Agen,the poet of the South,who drew crowds to hear the sound of his voice--who even embellished the festivals of the rich,but who still more assisted in the pleasures of the poor--who spent his time in endowing charitable establishments--who helped to build churches,schools,and orphanages--Jasmin,the glory of his Commune as well as of the South of France,deserved to be adopted by all France and publicly acknowledged by the Academy.
