Chapter 3

IN THE PAS-DE-CALAIS--(_continued_)

Aire-sur-la-Lys--Local objections to a national railway--A visit to a councillor-general--Pentecost in Artois--The Artesians in 1789--Wealth and power of the clergy--Recognition of the Third Estate long before the Revolution--The English and the French clergy in the last century--Lord Macaulay and Arthur Young--Sympathy of the curés with the people--Turgot, Condorcet and the rural clergy---The Revolution and public education--M. Guizot the founder of the French primary schools--The liberal school ordinance of 1698--The Bishop of Arras, in 1740, on the duty of educating the people--The experience of Louisiana as to public schools and criminality--The two Robespierres saved and educated by priests--What came of it--A rural church and congregation in Artois--The notary in rural France--A village procession--'Beating the bounds' in France--An altar of verdure and roses--The villagers singing as they march--Ancient customs in Northern France 44-52