superior to account. The first Consul, in an article in the Moniteur,
haughtily gives the clergy their instructions and explains the course
that will be pursued against them by his prelates. "The Archbishop of
Paris orders the curé of Saint-Roch into retirement for three months,
in order that he may bear in mind the injunction of Jesus Christ to
pray for one's enemies, and, made sensible of his duties by
meditation, may become aware that these superstitious customs . . . ,
which degrade religion by their absurdities, have been done away with
by the Concordat and the law of Germinal 18." From now on all priests
and curés are prudent, circumspect, obedient, and reserved,[98]
because their spiritual superiors are so as well, and could not be
otherwise. Each prelate, posted in his diocese, is maintained there in
isolation; a watch is kept on his correspondence; he may communicate
with the Pope only through the Minister of Worship; he has no right to
act in concert with his colleagues; all the general assemblies of the
clergy, all metropolitan councils, all annual synods are suppressed.
The Church of France has ceased to exist as one corps, while its
members, carefully detached from each other and from their Roman head,
are no longer united, but juxtaposed. Confined to a circumscription,
like the prefect, the bishop himself is simply an ecclesiastical
prefect, a little less uncertain of his tenure of office; undoubtedly,
his removal will not be effected by order, but he can be forced to
send in his resignation. Thus, in his case, as well as for the
prefect, his first care will be not to excite displeasure, and the
next one, to please. To stand well at court, with the minister and
with the sovereign, is a positive command, not only on personal
grounds, but for the sake of Catholic interests. To obtain
scholarships for the pupils of his seminary,[99] to appoint the
teachers and the director that suits him, to insure the acceptance of
his canons, cantonal curés, and candidates for the priesthood, to