xist in Toulouse a tomb was
shown which seemed to bear her name; and so strongly rooted is this
belief, that her statue is held in reverence, and every year in May,
even to this day, when the date for the Jeux Floraux arrives, the first
thing on the programme for that solemn occasion is a formal eulogy in
honor of this distinguished patroness. More than that, in the garden of
the Luxembourg Palace in Paris, in that semicircle of twenty marble
statues grouped about the parterre and representing some of the most
illustrious women of France, Clemence Isaure has an honored place, and
her counterfeit presentment by the sculptor Preault is considered one of
the finest of the number.

In support of the claim that such a woman never existed, and in
explanation of the tradition itself, the learned ones inform us that
with the definite establishment of these Floral Games the good citizens
of Toulouse thought it best to follow in the footsteps of their bold and
plain-spoken troubadour ancestors in a somewhat timid manner, and the
poems which were then written were not addressed to some fair lady in
real life, but to the Holy Virgin, who was frequently addressed as
Clemenza [pity], and from this word the story took its rise. After a
certain lapse of time, Clemenza, personified so often in their
impassioned strains, became a real person to their southern
imaginations, and a tomb was conveniently found which seemed to settle
the matter without question. It is even asserted that the city of
Toulouse is enjoying to-day other bequests which were made to it by
Clemence Isaure, and that there is no more reason for doubting her
existence than for doubting the existence of any other historical
character of long ago. In any event, the Floral Games are still held
yearly, the seven poets have become forty in number, and they compose a
dignified Academy, which has some ten thousand francs a year to bestow
in prizes. And the number of the prizes has been increased, as now five
different flowers of gold and five of silver are bestowed each for
poetry of a certain kind, and in addition there is a gold jasmine which
is awarded to the most excellent prose article, and a silver pink which
is a sort of prize at large, and which may be given for a composition of
any character.

This belief in the actual existence of Clemence Isaure is still held by
many, and, in fact, the legend seems stronger than the facts adduced
against it; but whatever the truth