itation at Villeneuve, Jasmin, sick, ill, and utterly
exhausted, reached Agen with difficulty. He could scarcely stand. It was
not often that travelling had so affected him; but nature now cried out
and rebelled. His wife was, of course, greatly alarmed. He was at once
carefully put to bed, and there he lay for fifteen days.

When he was at length able to rise, he was placed in his easy chair,
but he was still weak, wearied, and exhausted. Mariette believed that he
would yet recover his strength; but the disease under which he laboured
had taken a strong hold of him, and Jasmin felt that he was gradually
approaching the close of his life.

About this time Renan's 'Life of Jesus' was published. Jasmin was
inexpressibly shocked by the appearance of the book, for it seemed to
him to strike at the foundations of Christianity, and to be entirely
opposed to the teachings of the Church. He immediately began to compose
a poem, entitled The Poet of the People to M. Renan,{1} in which he
vindicated the Catholic faith, and denounced the poisonous mischief
contained in the new attack upon Christianity. The poem was full of
poetic feeling, with many pathetic touches illustrative of the life and
trials of man while here below.

The composition of this poem occupied him for some time. Although broken
by grief and pain, he made every haste to correct the proofs, feeling
that it would probably be the last work that he should give to the
world. And it was his last. It was finished and printed on the 24th of
August, 1864. He sent several copies to his more intimate friends with a
dedication; and then he took finally to his bed, never to rise again.
"I am happy," he said, "to have terminated my career by an act of faith,
and to have consecrated my last work to the name of Jesus Christ." He
felt that it was his passport to eternity.

Jasmin's life was fast drawing to a close. He knew that he must soon
die; yet never a word of fear escaped his lips; nor was his serenity
of mind disturbed. He made his preparations for departure with as much
tranquillity and happiness, as on the days when he was about to start on
one of his philanthropic missions.

He desired that M. Saint-Hilaire, the vicar of the parish, should be
sent for. The priest was at once by the bedside of his dying friend.
Jasmin made his replies to him in a clear and calm voice. His wife, his
son, his grand-children, were present when he received the Viaticum--the
last sacrame