”Thefirstthingwhichstruckmewastheutterabsenceofallthemock-modesty，andthepretendedself-underrating，conventionallyassumedbypersonsexpectingtobecomplimentedupontheirsayingsordoings。Jasminseemedthoroughlytodespiseallsuchflimsyhypocrisy。’GodonlymadefourFrenchmenpoets，’heburstoutwith，’andtheirnamesare，Corneille，Lafontaine，Beranger，andJasmin！’”Talkingwiththemostimpassionedvehemence，andthemostredundantenergyofgesture，hewentontodeclaimagainsttheinfluencesofcivilisationuponlanguageandmannersasbeingfataltoallrealpoetry。Ifthetrueinspirationyetexisteduponearth，itburnedintheheartsandbrainsofmenfarremovedfromcities，salons，andtheclashanddinofsocialinfluences。Youronlytruepoetsweretheunletteredpeasants，whopouredforththeirheartsinsong，notbecausetheywishedtomakepoetry，butbecausetheywerejoyousandtrue。”Colleges，academies，schoolsoflearning，schoolsofliterature，andallsuchinstitutions，Jasmindenouncedasthecurseandthebaneoftruepoetry。Theyhadspoiled，hesaid，theveryFrenchlanguage。YoucouldnomorewritepoetryinFrenchnowthanyoucouldinarithmeticalfigures。Thelanguagehadbeenlickedandkneaded，andtrickedout，andplumed，anddandified，andscented，andminced，andruledsquare，andchipped——Iamtryingtogiveanideaofthestrangefloodofepithetsheused——andprankedout，andpolished，andmuscadined——until，forallhonestpurposesoftruehighpoetry，itwasmereunavailableandcontemptiblejargon。”ItmightdoforcheatingagentsdechangeontheBourse——
forsquabblingpoliticiansintheChambers——formincingdandiesinthesalons——forthesarcasmofScribe-ishcomedies，orthecoarsedrolleriesofPalaisRoyalfarces，butforpoetrytheFrenchlanguagewasextinct。Allmodernpoetswhouseditwerefaiseursdephrase——thinkingaboutwordsandnotfeelings。
’No，no，’myTroubadourcontinued，’towritepoetry，youmustgetthelanguageofaruralpeople——alanguagetalkedamongfields，andtrees，andbyriversandmountains——alanguagenevermincedordisfiguredbyacademiesanddictionary-makers，andjournalists；youmusthavealanguagelikethatwhichyourownBurns，whomIreadofinChateaubriand，used；orlikethebrave，old，mellowtongue——unchangedforcenturies——stuffedwiththestrangest，quaintest，richest，raciestidiomsandoddsolemnwords，fullofshiftingmeaningsandassociations，atoncepatheticandfamiliar，homelyandgraceful——thelanguagewhichIwritein，andwhichhasneveryetbeendefiledbycalculatingmenofscienceorjack-a-dandylitterateurs。’”TheabovesentencesmaybetakenasaspecimenoftheideaswithwhichJasminseemedtobeactuallyoverflowingfromeveryporeinhisbody——sorapid，vehement，andloudwashisenunciationofthem。Warmingmoreandmoreashewenton，hebegantosketchtheoutlinesofhisfavouritepieces。Everynowandthenplungingintorecitation，jumpingfromFrenchintopatois，andfrompatoisintoFrench，andsometimessplutteringthemout，mixeduppell-melltogether。Hardlypausingtotakebreath，herushedabouttheshopashediscoursed，luggingout，fromoldchestsanddrawers，pilesofoldnewspapersandreviews，pointingoutapassagehereinwhichtheestimateofthewriterpleasedhim，apassagetherewhichshowedhowperfectlythecritichadmistakenthescopeofhispoeticphilosophy，andexclaiming，withthemostperfectnaivete，howmortifyingitwasformenoforiginalandprofoundgeniustobemisconceivedandmisrepresentedbypigmywhipper-snapperscampsofjournalists。”Therewasonereviewofhisworks，publishedinaLondon’Recueil，’ashecalledit，towhichJasminreferredwithgreatpleasure。Aportionofithadbeentranslated，hesaid，intheprefacetoaFrencheditionofhisworks；andhehadmostofthehighlycomplimentaryphrasesbyheart。TheEnglishcritic，hesaid，wroteintheTintinum，andhelookeddubiouslyatmewhenIconfessedthatIhadneverheardoftheorganinquestion。
’Pourtant，’hesaid，’jevousleferaivoir，’andIsoonperceivedthatJasmin’sTintinumwasnootherthantheAthenaeum！”Inthelittlebackdrawing-roombehindtheshop，towhichthepoetspeedilyintroducedme，hissister[itmusthavebeenhiswife]，ameek，smilingwoman，whoseeyesneverlefthim，followingashemovedwithabeautifulexpressionofloveandprideinhisglory，receivedmewithsimplecordiality。Thewallswerecoveredwithtestimonials，presentations，andtrophies，awardedbycriticsanddistinguishedpersons，literaryandpolitical，tothemodernTroubadour。Notafewoftheseareofanaturetomakeanymanmostlegitimatelyproud。Jasminpossessesgoldandsilvervases，laurelbranches，snuff-boxes，medalsofhonour，andawholemuseumofsimilargifts，inscribedwithsuchcharacteristicandlaconiclegendsas’AuPoete，LesJeunesfillesdeToulousereconnaissantes！’&c。”Thenumberofgarlandsofimmortelles，wreathsofivy-jasminpunninguponthename，laurel，andsoforth，utterlyastonishedme。Jasminpreservedaperfectshrubberyofsuchtokens；andeachsymbolhad，ofcourse，itspleasantassociativeremembrance。Onewasgivenbytheladiesofsuchatown；anotherwasthegiftoftheprefect’swifeofsuchadepartment。
Ahandsomefull-lengthportraithadbeenpresentedtothepoetbythemunicipalauthoritiesofAgen；andaletterfromM。