The French Peasant's Mistress

"If we want to know the intimate thoughts, the passion of the French peasant, it's quite easy. Let's go for a Sunday walk in the countryside and follow him. There he is moving away over there in front of us. It's two in the afternoon; his wife is at vespers; he's dressed in his Sunday clothes; I tell you he's going to see his mistress. What mistress? his land."

("Si nous voulons connaitre la pensée intime, la passion du paysan de France, cela est fort aisé. Promenons-nous le dimanche dans la campagne, suivons-le. Le voilà qui s'en va là-bas devant nous. Il est deux heures; sa femme est à vêpres; il est endimanché; je réponds qu'il va voir sa maîtresse. Quelle maîtresse? sa terre.")

Jules Michelet, The People (1846).