Chapter III: 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