It is now necessary to consider Jasmin in an altogether different
character--that of a benefactor of his species. Self-sacrifice and
devotion to others, forgetting self while spending and being spent
for the good of one's fellow creatures, exhibit man in his noblest
characteristics. But who would have expected such virtues to be
illustrated by a man like Jasmin, sprung from the humblest condition of
life?
Charity may be regarded as a universal duty, which it is in every
person's power to practise. Every kind of help given to another, on
proper motives, is an act of charity; and there is scarcely any man in
such a straitened condition as that he may not, on certain occasions,
assist his neighbour. The widow that gives her mite to the treasury, the
poor man that brings to the thirsty a cup of cold water, perform their
acts of charity, though they may be of comparatively little moment.
Wordsworth, in a poetic gem, described the virtue of charity:
"... Man is dear to man; the poorest poor
Long for some moments in a weary life
When they can know and feel that they have been,
Themselves, the fathers and the dealers out
Of some small blessings, have been kind to such
As needed kindness, for the single cause
That we have all of us one human heart."
This maxim of Wordsworth's truly describes the life and deeds of Jasmin.
It may be said that he was first incited to exert himself on behalf of
charity to his neighbours, by the absence of any Poor Law in France such
as we have in England. In the cases of drought, when the crops did not
ripen; or in the phylloxera blights, when the grapes were ruined; or
in the occasional disastrous floods, when the whole of the agricultural
produce was swept away; the small farmers and labourers were reduced to
great distress. The French peasant is usually very thrifty; but where
accumulated savings were not available for relief, the result, in many
cases, was widespread starvation.
Jasmin felt that, while himself living in the midst of blessings,
he owed a duty, on such occasions, to the extreme necessities of his
neighbours. The afflicted could not appeal to the administrators of
local taxes; all that they could do was to appeal to the feelings of the
benevolent, and rely upon local charity. He believed that the extremely
poor should excite our liberality, the miserable our pity, the sick our
assistance, the ignorant our instruction, and the fallen our helping
hand.
It was under such circumstances that Jasmin consented to recite his
poems for the relief of the afflicted poor. His fame had increased from
year to year. His songs were sung, and his poems were read, all over
the South of France. When it was known that he was willing to recite
his poems for charitable purposes he was immediately assailed with
invitations from far and near.
When bread fell short in winter-time, and the poor were famished; when
an hospital for the needy was starving for want of funds; when a creche
or infants' asylum had to be founded; when a school, or an orphanage,
had to be built or renovated, and money began to fail, an appeal was at
once made to Jasmin's charitable feelings.
It was not then usual for men like Jasmin to recite their poems in
public. Those who possessed his works might recite them for their own
pleasure. But no one could declaim them better than he could, and his
personal presence was therefore indispensable.
It is true, that about the same time Mr. Dickens and Mr. Thackeray were
giving readings from their works in England and America. Both readers
were equally popular; but while they made a considerable addition to
their fortunes,{1} Jasmin realised nothing for himself; all that was
collected at his recitations was given to the poor.
Of course, Jasmin was received with enthusiasm in those towns and cities
which he visited for charitable purposes. When it was known that he was
about to give one of his poetical recitals, the artisan left his shop,
the blacksmith his smithy, the servant her household work; and the
mother often shut up her house and went with her children to listen to
the marvelous poet. Young girls spread flowers before his pathway; and
lovely women tore flowers from their dresses to crown their beloved
minstrel with their offerings.
Since his appearance at Bordeaux, in 1835, when he recited his Blind
Girl for a charitable purpose, he had been invited to many meetings in
the neighbourhood of Agen, wherever any worthy institution had to be
erected or assisted. He continued to write occasional verses, though not
of any moment, for he was still dreaming of another masterpiece.
All further thoughts of poetical composition were, however, dispelled,
by the threatened famine in the Lot-et-Garonne. In the winter of 1837
bread became very dear in the South of France. The poor people were
suffering greatly, and the usual appeal was made to Jasmin to come
to their help. A concert was advertised to be given at Tonneins, a
considerable town to the north-west of Agen, when the local musicians
were to give their services, and Jasmin was to recite a poem.
For this purpose he composed his 'Charity' (La Caritat). It was
addressed to the ladies and musicians who assisted at the entertainment.
Charity is a short lyrical effusion, not so much a finished poem as the
utterings of a tender heart. Though of some merit, it looks pale beside
The Blind Girl. But his choice of the subject proved a forecast of the
noble uses which Jasmin was afterwards enabled to make of his poetical
talents.
Man, he said in his verses, is truly great, chiefly through his charity.
The compassionate man, doing his works of benevolence, though in secret,
in a measure resembles the Divine Author of his being. The following is
the introductory passage of the poem:--
"As we behold at sea great ships of voyagers
Glide o'er the waves to billows white with spray,
And to another world the hardy travellers convey;
Just as bold savants travel through the sky
To illustrate the world which they espy,
Men without ceasing cry, 'How great is man!'
But no! Great God! How infinitely little he!
Has he a genius? 'Tis nothing without goodness!
Without some grace, no grandeur do we rate.
It is the tender-hearted who show charity in kindness.
Unseen of men, he hides his gift from sight,
He does all that he owes in silent good,
Like the poor widow's mite;
Yet both are great,
Great above all--great as the Grace of God."
This is, of course, a very feeble attempt to render the words of Jasmin.
He was most pathetic when he recounted the sorrows of the poor. While
doing so, he avoided exciting their lower instincts. He disavowed all
envy of the goods of others. He maintained respect for the law, while
at the same time he exhorted the rich to have regard for their poorer
brethren. "It is the glory of the people," he said at a meeting of
workmen, "to protect themselves from evil, and to preserve throughout
their purity of character."
This was the spirit in which Jasmin laboured. He wrote some other poems
in a similar strain--'The Rich and Poor,' 'The Poor Man's Doctor,' 'The
Rich Benefactor' (Lou Boun Riche); but Jasmin's own Charity contained
the germ of them all. He put his own soul into his poems. At Tonneins,
the emotion he excited by his reading of Charity was very great, and the
subscriptions for the afflicted poor were correspondingly large.
The municipality never forgot the occasion; and whenever they became
embarrassed by the poverty of the people, they invariably appealed to
Jasmin, and always with the same success. On one occasion the Mayor
wrote to him: "We are still under the charm of your verses; and I
address you in the name of the poor people of Tonneins, to thank you
most gratefully for the charitable act you have done for their benefit.
The evening you appeared here, sir, will long survive in our memory. It
excited everywhere the most lively gratitude. The poor enjoyed a day of
happiness, and the rich enjoyed a day of pleasure, for nothing can be
more blessed than Charity!"
Jasmin, in replying to this letter, said: "Christ's words were, 'Ye have
the poor always with you'; in pronouncing this fact, he called the world
to deeds of charity, and instituted this admirable joint responsibility
(solidarite), in virtue of which each man should fulfil the duty of
helping his poorer neighbours. It is this responsibility which, when the
cry of hunger or suffering is heard, is most instrumental in bringing
all generous souls to the front, in order to create and multiply the
resources of the poor."
Jasmin's success at Tonneins led to numerous invitations of a like
character. "Come over and help us," was the general cry during that
winter of famine. The barber's shop was invaded by numerous deputations;
and the postman was constantly delivering letters of invitation at
his door. He was no longer master of his time, and had considerable
difficulty in attending to his own proper business. Sometimes his
leisure hours were appropriated six months beforehand; and he was often
peremptorily called upon to proceed with his philanthropic work.
When he could find time enough to spare from his business, he would
consent to give another recitation. When the distance was not great he
walked, partly for exercise, and partly to save money. There were few
railways in those days, and hiring a conveyance was an expensive affair.
Besides, his desire always was, to hand over, if possible, the whole of
the receipts to the charitable institutions for whose benefit he gave
his recitations.
The wayfaring poet, on his approach to the town in which he was to
appear, was usually met by crowds of people. They received him with joy
and acclamation. The magistrates presented him with a congratulatory
address. Deputations from neighbouring towns were present at the
celebration. At the entrance to the town Jasmin often passed under a
triumphal arch, with "Welcome, Jasmin! our native poet!" inscribed upon
it. He was conveyed, headed by the local band, to the hall where he was
to give his recitation.
Jasmin's appearance at Bergerac was a great event. Bergerac is a town of
considerable importance, containing about fourteen thousand inhabitants,
situated on the right or north bank of the river Dordogne. But during
that terrible winter the poor people of Bergerac were in great distress,
and Jasmin was summoned to their help. The place was at too great a
distance from Agen for him to walk thither, and accordingly he was
obliged to take a conveyance. He was as usual met by a multitude of
people, who escorted him into the town.
The magistrates could not find a place sufficiently large to give
accommodation to the large number of persons who desired to hear him.
At length they found a large building which had been used as a barn; and
there they raised a platform for the poet. The place was at once filled,
and those who could not get admission crowded about the entrance. Some
of the people raised ladders against the walls of the building, and
clambered in at the windows. Groups of auditors were seen at every place
where they could find a footing. Unfortunately the weather was rainy,
and a crowd of women filled the surrounding meadow, sheltered by their
umbrellas.
More than five hundred persons had not been able to find admission, and
it was therefore necessary for Jasmin to give several more readings
to satisfy the general enthusiasm. All the receipts were given over by
Jasmin for the benefit of the poor, and the poet hurried home at once to
his shaving and hair-dressing.
On another occasion, at Gontaud, the weather was more satisfactory. The
day was fine and sunny, and the ground was covered with flowers. About
the time that Jasmin was expected, an open carriage, festooned with
flowers, and drawn by four horses, was sent to the gate of the town,
escorted by the municipal council, to wait for the poet. When he arrived
on foot for the place was at no great distance from Agen twelve young
girls, clothed in white, offered him a bouquet of flowers, and presented
him with an address. He then entered the carriage and proceeded to the
place where he was to give his recitation. All went well and happily,
and a large offering was collected and distributed amongst the poor.
Then at Damazan, where he gave another reading for the same purpose,
after he had entered the carriage which was to convey him to the place
of entertainment, a number of girls preceded the carriage in which the
poet sat, and scattered flowers in his way, singing a refrain of the
country adapted to the occasion. It resembled the refrain sung before
the bride in The Blind Girl of Castel-Cuille:
"The paths with flowers bestrew,
So great a poet comes this way;
For all should flower and bloom anew,
So great a poet comes to-day."{2}
These are only specimens of the way in which Jasmin was received during
his missions of philanthropy. He went from north to south, from east to
west, by river and by road, sleeping where he could, but always happy
and cheerful, doing his noble work with a full and joyous heart.
He chirruped and sang from time to time as if his mouth was full of
nightingales. And he was never without enthusiastic multitudes to listen
to his recitals, and to share their means with the poor and afflicted.
We might fill this little story with a detailed account of his
journeyings; but a summary account is all that is at present necessary.
We shall afterwards return to the subject.
Endnotes to Chapter VIII.
{1} Mr. George Dolby, in his work 'Charles Dickens as I knew him,'
tells "the story of the famous 'reading tours,' the most brilliantly
successful enterprises that were ever undertaken." Chappell and Co. paid
him 1500 sterling for thirty readings in London and the provinces, by
which they realised 5000 sterling. Arthur Smith and Mr. Headland were
his next managers, and finally Mr. George Dolby. The latter says that
Mr. Dickens computed the money he netted under the Smith and Headland
management at about 12,000 sterling; and under Dolby's management "he
cleared nearly 33,000 sterling."
{2} In Gascon: "Las carreros diouyon fleuri,
Tan gran poete bay sourti;
Diouyon fleuri, diouyon graua,
Tan gran poete bay passa."