[Footnote 3155: "Statistique de l'enseignement primaire" (1880),II., CCIV. The proportion of instructed and uninstructed people has been ascertained in 79 departments, and at various periods, from 1680 down to the year 1876, according to the signatures on 1,699,985 marriage-records.--In the "Dictionnaire de pédagogie et d'instruction primaire," published by M. Buisson, M. Maggiolo, director of these vast statistics, has given the proportion of literate and illiterate people for the different departments; now, from department to department, the figures furnished by the signatures on marriage records correspond with sufficient exactness to the number of schools, verified moreover by pastoral visits and by other documents. The most illiterate departments are Cantal, Puy-de-Dome, Nièvre, Allier, Vienne, Haute-Vienne, Deux-Sèvres, Vendée and the departments of Brittany.] [Footnote 3156: One sou equals 1/20 of a franc or 5 centimes. (SR.)] [Footnote 3157: Albert Duruy, ibid., p.25. (According to the report of M. Villemain on common-school education in 1843.)--Abbé Allain, "la Question d'enseignement en 1789," p. 88--A. Silvy, "les Collèges en France avant la Révolution," p.5. The researches of M. Silvy show that the number of high-schools (collèges) given by M. Villemain is much too low: "The number of these schools under the ancient Régime cannot be estimated at less than about 900.... I have ascertained 800.... I must add that my search is not yet finished and that I find new institutions every day."] [Footnote 3158: Lunet, "Histoire du collège de Rodez," p. 110.--Edmond, "Histoire du collège de Louis-le-Grand," p. 238.--"Statistiques des préfets," Moselle. (Analysis by Ferrière, year XII.) Before 1789, 4 high-schools at Metz, very complete, conducted by regular canons, Benedictines, with 33 professors, 38 assistant teachers, 63 servants, 259 day-scholars and 217 boarders. All this was broken up. In the year IX there is only one central school, very inadequate, with 9 professors, 5 assistants, 3 servants and 233 day-scholars.] [Footnote 3159: Albert Duruy, ibid., p. 25.] [Footnote 3160: Lunet, ibid, p.110,]