Douai, about twenty miles from Lille, is the chief town of the arrondissement du Nord.
After assimilating, by constant sober regulation of conduct, the products and the ideas of its masters and its neighbors, this country of Flanders, by nature so tame and devoid of poetry, worked out for itself an original existence, with characteristic manners and customs which bear no signs of servile imitation.

Art stripped off its ideality and produced form alone.

We may seek in vain for plastic grace, the swing of comedy, dramatic action, musical genius, or the bold flight of ode and epic.

On the other hand, the people are fertile in discoveries, and trained to scientific discussions which demand time and the midnight oil.

All things bear the ear-mark of temporal enjoyment.