Barber, Poet, Philanthropistt

S >> Samuel Smiles >> Barber, Poet, Philanthropistt

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Vergt is not a town of any considerable importance. It contains
the ruins of a fortress built by the English while this part of
France was in their possession. At a later period a bloody
battle was fought in the neighbourhood between the Catholics and
the Huguenots. Indeed, the whole of the South of France was for
a long period disturbed by the civil war which raged between
these sections of Christians. Though both Roman Catholics and
Protestants still exist at Vergt, they now live together in
peace and harmony.

Vergt is the chief town of the Canton, and contains about 1800
inhabitants. It is a small but picturesque town, the buildings
being half concealed by foliage and chestnut trees. Not far off,
by the river Candou, the scenery reminds one of the wooded
valley at Bolton Priory in Yorkshire.

Though the Abbe Masson was a man of power and vigour, he found
it very difficult to obtain funds from the inhabitants of the
town for the purpose of rebuilding his church. There were no
Ecclesiastical Commissioners to whom he could appeal, and the
people of the neighbourhood were too limited in their
circumstances to help him to any large extent.

However, he said to himself, "Heaven helps those who help
themselves;" or rather, according to the Southern proverb,
Qui trabaillo, Thion li baillo--"Who is diligent, God helps."
The priest began his work with much zeal. He collected what he
could in Vergt and the neighbourhood, and set the builders to
work. He hoped that Providence would help him in collecting the
rest of the building fund.

But the rebuilding of a church is a formidable affair; and
perhaps the priest, not being a man of business, did not count
the cost of the undertaking. He may have "counted his chickens
before they were hatched." Before long the priest's funds again
ran short. He had begun the rebuilding in 1840; the work went on
for about a year; but in 1841 the builders had to stop their
operations, as the Abbe Masson's funds were entirely exhausted.

What was he to do now? He suddenly remembered the barber of
Agen, who was always willing to give his friendly help. He had
established Mdlle. Roaldes as a musician a few years before;
he had helped to build schools, orphanages, asylums, and such
like. But he had never helped to build a church. Would he now
help him to rebuild the church of Vergt?

The Abbe did not know Jasmin personally, but he went over to
Agen, and through a relative, made his acquaintance. Thus the
Abbe and the poet came together. After the priest had made an
explanation of his position, and of his difficulties in obtaining
money for the rebuilding of the church of Vergt, Jasmin at once
complied with the request that he would come over and help him.
They arranged for a circuit of visits throughout the district--
the priest with his address, and Jasmin with his poems.

Jasmin set out for Vergt in January 1843. He was received at the
border of the Canton by a numerous and brilliant escort of
cavalry, which accompanied him to the presbytery. He remained
there for two days, conferring with the Abbe. Then the two set
out together for Perigueux, the chief city of the province,
accompanied on their departure by the members of the Municipal
Council and the leading men of the town.

The first meeting was held in the theatre of Perigueux, which
was crowded from floor to ceiling, and many remained outside who
could not obtain admission. The Mayor and Municipal Councillors
were present to welcome and introduce the poet. On this
occasion, Jasmin recited for the first time, "The Ruined Church"
(in Gascon: La Gleyzo Descapelado) composed in one of his
happiest moments. Jasmin compared himself to Amphion, the sweet
singer of Greece, who by his musical powers, enabled a city to
be built; and now the poet invoked the citizens of Perigueux to
enable the Abbe Masson to rebuild his church. His poem was
received with enthusiasm, and almost with tears of joy at the
pleading of Jasmin. There was a shower of silver and gold.
The priest was overjoyed at the popularity of his colleague,
and also at his purse, which was filled with offerings.

While at Perigueux the poet and the priest enjoyed the
hospitality of M. August Dupont, to whom Jasmin, in thanks,
dedicated a piece of poetry. Other entertainments followed--
matinees and soirees. Jasmin recited some of his poems before
the professors and students at the college, and at other places
of public instruction. Then came banquets--aristocratic and
popular--and, as usual, a banquet of the hair-dressers.
There was quite an ovation in the city while he remained there.

But other calls awaited Jasmin. He received deputations from
many of the towns in the department soliciting his appearance,
and the recitation of his poems. He had to portion out his time
with care, and to arrange the programme of his visits. When the
two pilgrims started on their journey, they were frequently
interrupted by crowds of people, who would not allow Jasmin to
pass without reciting some of his poetry. Jasmin and Masson
travelled by the post-office car--the cheapest of all
conveyances--but at Montignac they were stopped by a crowd of
people, and Jasmin had to undergo the same process. Free and
hearty, he was always willing to comply with their requests.
That day the postman arrived at his destination three hours
after his appointed time.

It was in the month of February, when darkness comes on so
quickly, that Jasmin informed the magistrates of Sarlat, whither
he was bound, that he would be there by five o'clock. But they
waited, and waited for him and the priest at the entrance to the
town, attended by the clergy, the sub-prefect, the town
councillors, and a crowd of people. It was a cold and dreary
night. Still no Jasmin! They waited for three long hours. At
last Jasmin appeared on the post-office car. "There he comes at
last!" was the general cry. His arrival was greeted with
enthusiastic cheers. It was now quite dark. The poet and the
priest entered Sarlat in triumph, amidst the glare of torches and
the joyful shouts of the multitude. Then came the priest's
address, Jasmin's recitations, and the final collection of
offerings.

It is unnecessary to repeat the scenes, however impressive,
which occurred during the journey of the poet and the priest.
There was the same amount of enthusiasm at Nontron, Bergerac,
and the other towns which they visited. At Nontron,
M. A. de Calvimont, the sub-prefect, welcomed Jasmin with the
following lines:

"To Jasmin, our grand poet,
The painter of humanity;
For him, elect of heaven, life is a fete
Ending in immortality."

Jasmin replied to this with some impromptu lines, 'To Poetry,'
dedicated to the sub-prefect. At Bergerac he wrote his Adieu to
Perigord, in which he conveyed his thanks to the inhabitants of
the department for the kindness with which they had received him
and his companion. This, their first journey through Perigord,
was brought to a close at the end of February, 1843.

The result of this brilliant journey was very successful.
The purse of the Abbe was now sufficiently well filled to enable
him to proceed with the rebuilding of the church of Vergt; and
the work was so well advanced, that by the 23rd of the following
month of July it was ready for consecration. A solemn ceremony
then took place. Six bishops, including an archbishop, and three
hundred priests were present, with more than fifteen thousand
people of all ranks and conditions of life. Never had such a
ceremony been seen before--at least in so small a town.

The Cardinal Gousset, Archbishop of Rheims, after consecrating
the church, turned to Jasmin, and said: "Poet, we cannot avoid
the recognition of your self-sacrificing labours in the
rebuilding of this church; and we shall be happy if you will
consent to say a few words before we part."

"Monseigneur," replied Jasmin, "can you believe that my muse has
laboured for fifteen days and fifteen nights, that I should
interrupt this day of the fete? Vergt keeps fete to-day for
religion, but not for poetry, though it welcomes and loves it.
The church has six pontiffs; the poet is only a subdeacon;
but if I must sing my hymn officially, it must be elsewhere."

The Archbishop--a man of intelligence who understood the
feelings of poets--promised, at the collation which followed
the consecration, to give Jasmin the opportunity of reciting the
verses which he had composed for the occasion. The poem was
entitled 'A Priest without a Church' (in Gascon: Lou Preste sans
Glegzo) dedicated to M. Masson, the Cure of Vergt. In his verses
the poet described the influence of a noble church upon the
imagination as well as the religion of the people. But he said
nothing of his own labours in collecting the necessary funds for
the rebuilding of the church. The recitation of the poem was
received with enthusiasm.

Monseigneur Bertaud, who preached in the afternoon on the
"Infinity of God," touchingly referred to the poems of Jasmin,
and developed the subject so happily referred to by the poet.

"Such examples as his," he said, "such delicate and generous
sentiments mingled together, elevate poetry and show its noble
origin, so that we cannot listen to him without the gravest
emotion."[1]

It was a great day for Vergt, and also a great day for the poet.
The consecration of the church amidst so large an assemblage of
clergy and people occasioned great excitement in the South.
It was noised abroad in the public journals, and even in the
foreign press. Jasmin's fame became greater than ever; and his
barber's shop at Agen became, as it were, a shrine, where
pilgrims,
passing through the district, stopped to visit him and praise his
almost divine efforts to help the cause of religion and
civilisation.

The local enthusiasm was not, however, without its drawbacks.
The success of the curate of Vergt occasioned a good deal of
jealousy. Why should he be patronised by Jasmin, and have his
purse filled by his recitations, when there were so many other
churches to be built and repaired, so many hospitals and schools
to found and maintain, so many orphanages to assist, so many
poor to relieve, so many good works to be done? Why should not
Jasmin, who could coin money with words which cost him nothing,
come to the help of the needy and afflicted in the various
districts throughout the South?

Thus Jasmin was constantly assailed by deputations. He must
leave his razors and his curling-tongs, and go here, there,
and everywhere to raise money by his recitations.

The members of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul were,
as usual, full of many charitable designs. There had been a
fire, a flood, an epidemic, a severe winter, a failure of crops,
which had thrown hundreds of families into poverty and misery;
and Jasmin must come immediately to their succour. "Come,
Jasmin! Come quick, quick!" He was always willing to give his
assistance; but it was a terrible strain upon his mental as well
as his physical powers.

In all seasons, at all hours, in cold, in heat, in wind, in rain,
he hastened to give his recitations--sometimes of more than
two hours' duration, and often twice or thrice in the same day.
He hastened, for fear lest the poor should receive their food
and firing too late.

What a picture! Had Jasmin lived in the time of St. Vincent de
Paul, the saint would have embraced him a thousand times, and
rejoiced to see himself in one way surpassed; for in pleading for
the poor, he also helped the rich by celebrating the great deeds
of their ancestors, as he did at Beziers, Riquet, Albi,
Lafeyrouse, and other places. The spectacle which he presented
was so extraordinary, that all France was struck with admiration
at the qualities of this noble barber of Agen.

On one occasion Jasmin was requested by a curate to come to his
help and reconcile him with his parishioners. Jasmin succeeded
in performing the miracle. It happened that in 1846 the curate
of Saint-Leger, near Penne, in the Tarn, had caused a ball-room
to be closed. This gave great offence to the young people, who
desired the ball-room to be opened, that they might have their
fill of dancing. They left his church, and declared that they
would have nothing further to do with him. To reconcile the
malcontents, the curate promised to let them hear Jasmin.
accordingly, one Sunday afternoon the inhabitants of four
parishes assembled in a beautiful wood to listen to Jasmin. He
recited his Charity and some other of his serious poems. When he
had finished, the young people of Saint-Leger embraced first the
poet, and then the curate. The reconciliation was complete.

To return to the church at Vergt. Jasmin was a poet, not an
architect. The Abbe Masson knew nothing about stone or mortar.
He was merely anxious to have his church rebuilt and consecrated
as soon as possible. That had been done in 1843. But in the
course of a few years it was found that the church had been very
badly built. The lime was bad, and the carpentry was bad.
The consequence was, that the main walls of the church bulged
out, and the shoddy building had to be supported by outside
abutments. In course of time it became clear that the work, for
the most part, had to be done over again.

In 1847 the Abbe again appealed to Jasmin. This new task was
more difficult than the first, for it was necessary to appeal to
a larger circle of contributors; not confining themselves to
Perigord only, but taking a wider range throughout the South of
France. The priest made the necessary arrangements for the joint
tour. They would first take the northern districts--Angouleme,
Limoges, Tulle, and Brives--and then proceed towards the south.

The pair started at the beginning of May, and began their usual
recitations and addresses, such as had been given during the
first journey in Perigord. They were received with the usual
enthusiasm. Prefects, bishops, and municipal bodies, vied with
each other in receiving and entertaining them. At Angouleme,
the queen of southern cities, Jasmin was presented with a crown
of immortelles and a snuff-box, on which was engraved:
"Esteem--Love--Admiration! To Jasmin, the most sublime of poets!
From the youth of Angouleme, who have had the happiness of seeing
and hearing him!"

The poet and priest travelled by night as well as by day in
order to economise time. After their tour in the northern towns
and cities, they returned to Vergt for rest. They entered the
town under a triumphal arch, and were escorted by a numerous
cavalcade. Before they retired to the priest's house, the
leading men of the commune, in the name of the citizens,
complimented Jasmin for his cordial help towards the rebuilding
of the church.

After two days of needful rest Jasmin set out for Bordeaux,
the city whose inhabitants had first encouraged him by their
applause, and for which he continued to entertain a cordial
feeling to the last days of his life. His mission on this
occasion was to assist in the inauguration of a creche, founded
and supported by the charitable contributions of the friends of
poor children. It is not necessary to mention the enthusiasm
with which he was received.

The further progress of the poet and the priest, in search of
contributions for rebuilding the church, was rudely interrupted
by the Revolution which broke out at Paris in 1848. His Majesty
Louis Philippe abdicated the throne of France on the 24th of
February, rather than come into armed collision with his
subjects; and, two days after, the Republic was officially
proclaimed at the Hotel de Ville. Louis Philippe and his family
took refuge in England--the usual retreat of persecuted
Frenchmen; and nine months later, Louis Napoleon Buonaparte,
who had also been a refugee in England, returned to France,
and on the 20th of December was proclaimed President of the
French Republic.

Jasmin and Masson accordingly suspended their tour. No one would
listen to poetical recitations in the midst of political
revolutions. Freedom and tranquillity were necessary for the
contemplation of ideas very different from local and national
squabbles. The poet and priest accordingly bade adieu to each
other; and it was not until two years later that they were able
to recommence their united journeys through the South of France.
The proclamation of the Republic, and the forth coming elections,
brought many new men to the front. Even poets made their
appearance. Lamartine, who had been a deputy, was a leader in
the Revolution, and for a time was minister for foreign affairs.
Victor Hugo, a still greater poet, took a special interest in
the politics of the time, though he was fined and imprisoned
for condemning capital punishment. Even Reboul, the poet-baker
of Nimes, deserted his muse and his kneading trough to solicit
the suffrages of his fellow-citizens. Jasmin was wiser.
He was more popular in his neighbourhood than Reboul,
though he cared little about politics. He would neither be a
deputy, nor a municipal councillor, nor an agent for elections.
He preferred to influence his country by spreading the seeds of
domestic and social virtues; and he was satisfied with his
position in Agen as poet and hair-dresser.

Nevertheless a deputation of his townsmen waited upon Jasmin to
request him to allow his name to appear as a candidate for their
suffrages. The delegates did not find him at his shop.
He was at his vineyard; and there the deputation found him
tranquilly seated under a cherry-tree shelling peas! He listened
to them with his usual courtesy, and when one of the committee
pressed him for an answer, and wished to know if he was not a
good Republican, he said, "Really, I care nothing for the
Republic. I am one of those who would have saved the
constitutional monarchy by enabling it to carry out further
reforms.... But," he continued, "look to the past; was it not a
loss to destroy the constitutional monarchy? But now we must
march forward, that we may all be united again under the same
flag. The welfare of France should reign in all our thoughts and
evoke our most ardent sympathy. Choose among our citizens a
strong and wise man... If the Republic is to live in France, it
must be great, strong, and good for all classes of the people.
Maintaining the predominance of the law will be its security; and
in preserving law it will strengthen our liberties.'"

In conclusion, Jasmin cordially thanked his fellow-citizens for
the honour they proposed to confer upon him, although he could
not accept it. The affairs of the State, he said, were in a very
confused condition, and he could not pretend to unravel them.
He then took leave of the deputation, and quietly proceeded to
complete his task--the shelling of his peas!

Footnotes for Chapter XVI.

[1] The whole of the interview between the Archbishop of Rheims
and Jasmin is given by Sainte-Beuve in 'Causeries du Lundi,' iv.
250.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE CHURCH OF VERGT AGAIN--FRENCH ACADEMY--EMPEROR AND EMPRESS.

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 800 francs. 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 700
francs.

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 5,000 francs from the Government, enabled the
church of Vergt to be completed. In 1852 the 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.

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