Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume I - Comprising Their Life and Work as Recorded in Their Diaries - From 1812 to 1883
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2010
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300
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2010
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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume I, by Sir Moses Montefiore and Judith Montefiore This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume I Comprising Their Life and Work as Recorded in Their Diaries From 1812 to 1883 Author: Sir Moses Montefiore Judith Montefiore Editor: Dr. L. Loewe Release Date: August 2, 2008 [EBook #26170] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIR MOSES, LADY MONTEFIORE, VOL. I ***
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Reproduced From A Photograph On Porcelain In The Possession Of Mrs Loewe Taken At The Age Of 80 HELIOG LEMERCIER ET C IE PARIS
DIARIES OF SIR MOSES AND LADY MONTEFIORE
COMPRISING THEIR LIFE AND WORK AS RECORDED IN THEIR DIARIES FROM 1812 TO 1883.
WITH THE ADDRESSES AND SPEECHES OF SIR MOSES; HIS CORRESPONDENCE WITH MINISTERS, AMBASSADORS, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF PUBLIC BODIES; PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF HIS MISSIONS IN THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY; FIRMANS AND EDICTS OF EASTERN MONARCHS; HIS OPINIONS ON FINANCIAL, POLITICAL, AND RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS, AND ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS REFERRING TO MEN OF HIS TIME, AS RELATED BY HIMSELF. EDITED BY
DR L. LOEWE,
MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND OF THE SOCIETE ASIATIQUE OF PARIS OF THE NUMISMATIC SOCIETY OF LONDON, ETC (ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MISSION TO DAMASCUS AND CONSTANTINOPLE UNDER THE LATE SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE BART, IN THE YEAR 1840).
ASSISTED BY HIS SON.
In Two Volumes
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS VOL. I.
CHICAGO: BELFORD-CLARKE CO. 1890.
Ancient Coat Of Arms Of The Montefiore Family, explained on page 6 .
(The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved .) C OPYRIGHT—BELFORD-C LARKE C O ., C HICAGO .
PREFACE.
In submitting to the public the Memoirs, including the Diaries, of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, I deem it desirable to explain the motives by which I have been actuated, as well as the sources from which most of my information has been drawn. The late Sir Moses Montefiore, from a desire to show his high appreciation of the services rendered to the cause of humanity by Judith, Lady Montefiore, his affectionate partner in life, directed the executors of his last will "to permit me to take into my custody and care all the notes, memoranda, journals, and manuscripts in his possession written by his deeply lamented wife, to assist me in writing a Memoir of her useful and blessed life." The executors having promptly complied with these instructions, I soon found myself in possession of five journals by Lady Montefiore, besides many valuable letters and papers, including documents of great importance, as well as of no less than eighty-five diaries of Sir Moses Montefiore, dating from 1814 to 1883, all in his own handwriting. In addition to such facilities for producing a Memoir, I had the special advantage of personally knowing both Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore for many years. There is an entry in the diaries referring to a dinner at the house of one of their relatives on the 27th of November 1835 (where I met them for the first time), and to a visit I subsequently paid them at East Cliff Lodge, Ramsgate, by special invitation, from the 3rd to the 13th of December of the same year. I also had the privilege of accompanying them on thirteen philanthropic missions to foreign lands, some of which were undertaken by both Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, and others by Sir Moses alone after Lady Montefiore's death. The first of these missions took place in the year 1839, and the last in 1874. A no less important circumstance, which I may perhaps be allowed to mention, is, that I was with Sir Moses on the last day of his life, until he breathed his last, and had the satisfaction of hearing from his own lips, immediately before his death, the expression of his approval of my humble endeavours to assist him, as far as lay in my power, in attaining the various objects he had in view. However desirous I might have been to adhere strictly to his wishes, I found it impossible to write a Memoir of Lady Montefiore without making it, at the same time, a Memoir of Sir Moses himself, both of them having been so closely united in all their benevolent works and projects. It appeared to me most desirable, therefore, in order to convey to the reader a correct idea of the contents of the book, to entitle it "The Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore." In order, however, to comply with the instructions of the will, I shall, in giving the
particulars of their family descent, first introduce the parentage of Lady Montefiore. To assist the reader in finding the exact month and year referring to Hebrew Communal affairs, I have always given the Hebrew date conjointly with that of the Christian era, more especially as all the entries in the diaries invariably have these double dates. L. LOEWE. 1OSCAR VILLAS, BROADSTAIRS, KENT, 21st June 1887 (5647 A.M.).
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. Birth of Sir Moses Montefiore at Leghorn—His Family—Early Years CHAPTER II. Early Education—Becomes a Stockbroker—His Marriage CHAPTER III. Extracts from the Diaries —Financial Transactions —Public Events before and after and after Waterloo —Elected President of the Spanish and Portuguese Hebrew Community CHAPTER IV. Daily Life—Death of his Brother Abraham—An early Panama Canal Project CHAPTER V. First Journey to Jerusalem CHAPTER VI. Mr and Mrs Montefiore leave Alexandria—A Sea Voyage Sixty Years ago CHAPTER VII. 36 12
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Arrival in England—Illness of Mr Montefiore—The Struggle for Jewish Emancipation CHAPTER VIII. Lady Hester Stanhope—Her Eccentricities—Parliament and the Jews CHAPTER IX. Mr Montefiore presented to the King—Spanish and Portuguese Jews in London in 1829 CHAPTER X. Interview with the Duke of Wellington in furtherance of the Jewish—Cause—The Duke's Dilatory Tactics—Laying the Foundation-stone of the Synagogue at Hereson CHAPTER XI. Lord Brougham and the Jews —The Jewish Poor in London —Mr Montefiore hands his Broker's Medal to his Brother —Dedication of the Synagogue at Hereson—The Lords reject the Jewish Disabilities Bill CHAPTER XII. Illness of Mr Montefiore—His Recovery—Sir David Salomons proposed as Sheriff —Visit of the Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria to Ramsgate—Mr Montefiore's Hospitals—Naming of the Vessel Britannia by Mrs Montefiore—A Loan of Fifteen Millions CHAPTER XIII. Death of Mr N. M. Rothschild —Mr Montefiore visits Dublin —Becomes the First Jewish Member of the Royal Society —Death of William IV.—Mr
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Montefiore elected Sheriff CHAPTER XIV. The Jews' Marriage Bill—Mr Montefiore at the Queen's Drawing-Room—His Inauguration as Sheriff CHAPTER XV.
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Death of Mr Montefiore's Uncle —Mr Montefiore rides in the Lord Mayor's Procession—Is Knighted—His Speech at the Lord Mayor's Banquet —Presents Petition on behalf of the Jews to Parliament 119 CHAPTER XVI. Destruction of the Royal Exchange—City Traditions—"Jews' Walk"—Sir Moses dines at Lambeth Palace CHAPTER XVII. Another Petition to Parliament —Sir Moses intercedes successfully for the Life of a Convict—Death of Lady Montefiore's Brother CHAPTER XVIII. Bartholomew Fair—Sir Moses earns the Thanks of the City —Preparations for a Second Journey to the Holy Land—The Journey—Adventures on Road and River in France CHAPTER XIX. Genoa, Carrara, Leghorn, and Rome—Disquieting Rumours —Quarantine Precautions —Arrival at Alexandria—Travel in the Holy Land CHAPTER XX. Reception at Safed—Sad Condition of the People—Sir
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Moses' Project for the Cultivation of the Land in Palestine by the Jews—Death of the Chief Rabbi of the German Congregation in Jerusalem—Tiberias CHAPTER XXI. Invitation from the Portuguese Congregation at Jerusalem —Sanitary Measures in the Holy City—The Wives of the Governor of Tiberias visit Lady Montefiore—A Pleasant Journey—Arrival at Jerusalem CHAPTER XXII.
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The Tomb of David—Spread of the Plague—Mussulman Fanaticism—Suspicious Conduct of the Governor of Jerusalem—Nayani, Beth Dagon, Jaffa, Emkhalet, and Tantura 180 CHAPTER XXIII. Encampment near Mount Carmel—State of the Country —Child Marriages in the Portuguese Community at Haifa—Arrival in Beyrout CHAPTER XXIV. On Board the Acheron—Sir Moses' Plans on behalf of the Jews in Palestine—Interview with Boghoz Bey—Proposed Joint Stock Banks in the East CHAPTER XXV. Arrival at Malta—Home again —Boghoz Bey returns no Answer—Touching Appeal from the Persecuted Jews of Damascus and Rhodes —Revival of the old Calumny about killing Christians to put their Blood in Passover Cakes CHAPTER XXVI.
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Indignation Meetings in London —M. Crémieux—Lord Palmerston's Action—Sir Moses starts on a Mission to the East—Origin of the Passover Cake Superstition 213 CHAPTER XXVII. Arrival at Leghorn—Alexandria —Sir Moses' Address to the Pasha—Action of the Grand Vizir CHAPTER XXVIII. Authentic Accounts of the Circumstances attending the Accusations against the Jews —Terrible Sufferings of the Accused—Evidence of their Innocence—Witnesses in their favour Bastinadoed to Death CHAPTER XXIX. Affairs in the East—Ultimatum from the Powers—Gloomy Prospects of the Mission —Negotiations with the Pasha —Excitement in Alexandria —Illness of Lady Montefiore CHAPTER XXX. The English Government and the Pasha—Mohhammad Ali and the Slaves—The Pasha promises to release the DamascusPrisoners—He grants them an "Honourable Liberation" CHAPTER XXXI. Interview with the Pasha —Liberation of the Jews of Damascus—Public Rejoicings and Thanksgiving—Departure of Sir Moses for
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