He has told the story of his early life in a bright, natural, and touching style, in one of his best poems, entitled, "My Recollections" (Mes Souvenirs), written in Gascon; wherein he revealed his own character with perfect frankness, and at the same time with exquisite sensibility.
Several of Jasmin's works have been translated into English, especially his "Blind Girl of Castel-Cuille," by Longfellow and Lady Georgina Fullerton.

The elegant translation by Longfellow is so well known that it is unnecessary to repeat it in the appendix to this volume.

But a few other translations of Jasmin's works have been given, to enable the reader to form some idea of his poetical powers.
Although Jasmin's recitations of his poems were invariably received with enthusiastic applause by his quick-spirited audiences in the South of France, the story of his life will perhaps be found more attractive to English readers than any rendering of his poems, however accurate, into a language different from his own.

For poetry, more than all forms of literature, loses most by translation--especially from Gascon into English.

Villemain, one of the best of critics, says: "Toute traduction en vers est une autre creation que l'original." We proceed to give an account--mostly from his own Souvenirs--of the early life and boyhood of Jasmin.