Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-11-05

Jasmin, the French Barber-Poet.

Jasmin, the French Barber-Poet.
A correspondent of London paper gives
the following particulars of this very remark
able man, whom be has lately visited at Agen,
In Languedoc
paused before the Intel Of the very
modest shop inscribed Jasmin, Perruqier ct
Csi6sur de Jeunes Gems. A little brass ba-
Sin daugled above the threshold, and, looking
through the glass, saw the master Of the es-
Establishment shaving a fat-faccd neighbor.
Now, / had come to see and pay my compli-
ments to the poet, and there did appear to me
to be something strangely awkward and ludi-
crous in having to address, to some extent in
literary and complimentary vein, al individu-
81 actually engaged in SO excessively rrosaic
and unelevated species of performance. l
yetreated, uncertain what to DO, and waited
outside until the shop was clear Three words
explained the nature Of my visit, and Jasmin
received me with species Of warm courtesy
which was very charming oaShIng at ouce,
with the most gathering volubliity and fiery
speed of tongue into sort of rhapsoblcal dis
course upon 20 try in genera, and the patoas
Of it spoken in Languedoc, Proven e, and Gas
co,ly in particular Jaslnin 8 a well built aud
strongly i,moed nan, Of about fifty, with
large, massive hcad and broad pile OF for
head, overtlanging two black eyes and features
which would be heavy Wrre they allowed
moments rtpus. IRON the continual play OF
the facial muscles, sending a never ending SO
rics 81 varying expressions across the dark
swartny v,sage.
Two &c tsnccs Of his conversation were quite
sufficient to stamp his individuality. The hrst
thing w,,,ch struck me was the utter absence
Of all the mock moIesty, ana the pretended
notwithstanding, couvcmt!onahy S'mtd by
psr.o.,s expecting to ne COMMUNICATED apo.'
tue,r sayings AID doinss. } snlA seemed
thoroughly 10 dcSp,se ali sucn D'u-ey hypocrisy.
"GoL on,y nlAde four Fr;nchmcu p)cLo, Ac
out with, aud Their names Cyruc,lc, LI-lon-
tame Bera,ger, and Jasluiu u Taking WITH
the most Impassloned vcheinence and the most
redundant energy OF gesture, he went On to
dccla.m against the influences Oh ciV.lzIton Ny
Oh language aud man.iers, as uelAe tatai to al
real poetry. Ii the true INSPIRATION yet exist
ed upon earth, it burued III the hearts and
brains of men lar removed from cities, aud the
clash and din OF social influences. Your oniy
true poets were tue unlcttefed peasants, WAC
poured forth their hearts IN SON 5--,,ot BECAUSE
they wished to make poetry, but because they
were joyous and true. Colleges, academies,
and schools of learning, schools ot htcrature,
aud oil such Institutions, Jasmin denounced as
the curse and the bane Ut true poc,ry. lucy
had spoiled, he said the very French lAnguIs3.
You could no more write poetry III Frcncn,
now, than you could III ar..h,netscal figures
The language had been licked and kIeaded,
aud trlcked out, aud pluMoi, aud dahulicu
and scented, atd ruled square, chpped--(l am
trying to give AL idea Of the strange flood OF
epthets he used --and pranked out anu polish
cd and muscati.,ed--unttl, for all no lest pur-
poses, Of true high poetry. 1t Was mere una
vailAble and contemptDe jargoa. 1t night
do for cheating agents de et~mge, Oil the Boursc
for squabbling poi,ticl....> III me Ch"mbers--
for mincng dauttles in the s1lons--tor the sar-
casm Of Scr.bsh comedies, Or tor poetry the
French Language was extiuct.
All modern poets vino used it were mere
faiseurs de phrase-think.ng about words and
not feelings "No, no." my Trouoadour co'-
tiuued--' to write poetry, you must get the
language Of rural people, Language talked
among fields, aud trees and by rivers and
mountains language never miuced or dis
figured by academies aud Dictionary makers
JUL aStioSS--you WuoV uoN0 d
like that which your own Burns whom have
read Of in Observation-Disclosures or like the
the brave old mellow tongnc-unchang.d for
centuries--stuffed with the stranscst, quaint
est, richest, raciest idioms, aud old solemn
words, full of shifting meanings and assoca-
tious, at once pathetic and familiar, homely
snd graceful-ths language which write in,
and which has never yet been dehled by calcu-
lating men Of science or jack-a-dandy A!era-
teurs." The above sentences may be taken as
. specimen OF the ideas with which Jasnl'l
seemed to be actually overlooking from every
pore Of bis body SO rapid vehement, aud
loud were his annuncations Of thcn
The raptures Of the New Workers or Boston.
ians with Jenny Lind, he says are weak and
cold compared with the ovations which JasniIl
has received. At late recitation at Auch, tie
ladies present actually tore the flowers and
feathers out Of their bonnets, wove them in ex.
tempore garlsnds. and flung them in showers
upon the painting minstrel while the editors Of
the local papers next morning assured him, in
foods Of fcEpg epigrams, that humble as
be was NOV ure ages would acknowledge
tha Divinity 3! VasmiE