imself to be robbed too." A most amicable
sentiment, sure to be popular amongst the rising generation of Agen.

Ma Bigno is written in graceful and felicitous verse. We have
endeavoured to give a translation in the appendix; but the rendering of
such a work into English is extremely difficult. The soul will be found
wanting; for much of the elegance of the poem consists in the choice of
the words. M. de Mazade, editor of the Revue des Deux Mondes, said of
Ma Bigno that it was one of Jasmin's best works, and that the style and
sentiments were equally satisfactory to the poetical mind and taste.

M. Rodiere, of Toulouse, in his brief memoir of Jasmin,{2} says that
"it might be thought that so great a work as Franconnette would have
exhausted the poet. When the aloe flowers, it rests for nearly a hundred
years before it blooms again. But Jasmin had an inexhaustible well of
poetry in his soul. Never in fact was he more prolific than in the two
years which followed the publication of Franconnette. Poetry seemed to
flow from him like a fountain, and it came in various forms. His poems
have no rules and little rhythm, except those which the genius of
the poet chooses to give them; but there is always the most beautiful
poetry, perfectly evident by its divine light and its inspired accents."

Jasmin, however, did not compose with the rapidity described by his
reviewer. He could not throw off a poem at one or many sittings;
though he could write an impromptu with ready facility. When he had
an elaborate work in hand, such as The Blind Girl of Castel-Cuille,
Franconnette, or Martha the Innocent, he meditated long over it, and
elaborated it with conscientious care. He arranged the plan in his mind,
and waited for the best words and expressions in which to elaborate
his stanzas, so as most clearly to explain his true meaning. Thus
Franconnette cost him two years' labour. Although he wrote of peasants
in peasants' language, he took care to avoid everything gross or
vulgar. Not even the most classical poet could have displayed inborn
politeness--la politesse du coeur--in a higher degree. At the same time,
while he expressed passion in many forms, it was always with delicacy,
truth, and beauty.

Notwithstanding his constant philanthropic journeys, he beguiled his
time with the germs of some forthcoming poem, ready to be elaborated on
his return to Agen and his vineyard.

His second volume of poems was published in 1842, and in a f