ande. He had endeavoured to erect in his parish a public
school under the charge of religious teachers. He now proposed to
partake of the profits of the recitations for the purpose of helping on
his project; and Jasmin and Masson willingly complied with his request.
They accordingly appeared at the town of Sainte-Foi, and the result was
another excellent collection.

After visiting other towns, sufficient subscriptions were collected
to enable the Abbe to pay off his debts. The clock and bells were
christened by Monseigneur de Sangalerie, who had himself been a curate
of the parish of Vergt; and the bells were inscribed with the name of
JASMIN, the chief founder and rebuilder of the church. The bells were
the last addition to Jasmin's bell-tower, but the final result was
reached long after the beginning of the rebuilding of the church.

Endnotes for Chapter XVII.

{1} The Baron de Montyon bequeathed a large sum to the Academie
Francaise, the Academie des Sciences, and the Faculte de Medecine,
for the purpose of being awarded in prizes to men of invention and
discovery, or for any literary work likely to be useful to society,
and to rewarding acts of virtue among the poor. Jasmin was certainly
entitled to a share in this benevolent fund.

{2} Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, July, 1853

{3} The following are the Gascon words of this part of the poem:

"O moun bres, d'un councer festejo moun aoureillo!
Rouseignol, canto fort! brounzino fort, Abeillo!
Garono, fay souna toun flot rizen et pur;
Des ourmes del Grabe floureji la cabeillo,
Non de glorio... mais de bounhur!"

{4} The editor of Vol. IV. of Jasmins Poems (1863) gives this note: "In
this circumstance, Jasmin has realised the foresight which the ancients
afforded to their poets, of predicting, two years in advance, the birth
of the Prince Imperial."

CHAPTER XVIII. JASMIN ENROLLED MAITRE-ES-JEUX AT TOULOUSE--CROWNED BY
AGEN.

Shortly after the return of Jasmin from Paris, where he had the honour
of an interview with the Emperor and Empress, as well as with the
members of the French Academy, he was invited to Toulouse for the
purpose of being enrolled as Maitre-es-jeux in the Academy of Jeux
Floreaux.

Toulouse is known as the city of Literary Fetes, and the reception of
Jasmin as Maitre-es-Jeux will long exist as a permanent record in
her annals. The Academy of Jeux Floreaux had no prize of 5000 frs. to
bestow, nor any crowns, nor any golden la