Chapter I: 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.

1 Oscar Villas, Broadstairs, Kent,
_21st June 1887_ (5647 A.M.).

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. PAGE

Birth of Sir Moses Montefiore at Leghorn--His
Family--Early Years 1

CHAPTER II.

Early Education--Becomes a Stockbroker--His Marriage 12

CHAPTER III.

Extracts from the Diaries--Financial Transactions--Public
Events before and after Waterloo--Elected President of
the Spanish and Portuguese Hebrew Community 19

CHAPTER IV.

Daily Life--Death of his Brother Abraham--An early
Panama Canal Project 25

CHAPTER V.

First Journey to Jerusalem 36

CHAPTER VI.

Mr and Mrs Montefiore leave Alexandria--A Sea Voyage
Sixty Years ago 47

CHAPTER VII.

Arrival in England--Illness of Mr Montefiore--The
Struggle for Jewish Emancipation 55

CHAPTER VIII.

Lady Hester Stanhope--Her Eccentricities--Parliament
and the Jews 63

CHAPTER IX.

Mr Montefiore presented to the King--Spanish and
Portuguese Jews in London in 1829 69

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 78

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 86

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 93

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 Montefiore elected
Sheriff 103

CHAPTER XIV.

The Jews' Marriage Bill--Mr Montefiore at the Queen's
Drawing-Room--His Inauguration as Sheriff 111

CHAPTER XV.

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 130

CHAPTER XVII.

Another Petition to Parliament--Sir Moses intercedes
successfully for the Life of a Convict--Death of Lady
Montefiore's Brother 137

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 145

CHAPTER XIX.

Genoa, Carrara, Leghorn, and Rome--Disquieting
Rumours--Quarantine Precautions--Arrival at
Alexandria--Travel in the Holy Land 153

CHAPTER XX.

Reception at Safed--Sad Condition of the People--Sir
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 162

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 171

CHAPTER XXII.

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 188

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 196

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 204

CHAPTER XXVI.

Indignation Meetings in London--M. Cremieux--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 222

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 229

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 240

CHAPTER XXX.

The English Government and the Pasha--Mohhammad Ali and
the Slaves--The Pasha promises to release the Damascus
Prisoners--He grants them an "Honourable Liberation" 248

CHAPTER XXXI.

Interview with the Pasha--Liberation of the Jews of
Damascus--Public Rejoicings and Thanksgiving--Departure
of Sir Moses for Constantinople 256

CHAPTER XXXII.

Constantinople--Condition of the Jewish
Residents--Interview with Rechid Pasha--Audience with
the Sultan--He grants a Firman 266

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Distress among the Jews at Salonica--Oppressive Laws
with regard to them--Text of the Firman--Its
Promulgation 275

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Departure from Malta--Naples--Rome--A Shameful
Inscription--Prejudices against the Jews at the Vatican 282

CHAPTER XXXV.

Monsignor Bruti and his Hints--Cardinal
Riverola--Ineffectual Attempts to Interview the
Pope--Returning Homewards--Alarming Accident--The
Governor of Genoa--Interview with King Louis Philippe 289

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Home again--Sir Moses presents a Facsimile of the
Firman to the Queen--Her Majesty's Special Mark of
Favour--Reform Movement among the London Jews--Appeal
for English Protection from the Jews in the East 298

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Presentation from Hamburg--Sir Moses meets the King of
Prussia--Address to Prince Albert--Attempt on the
Queen's Life--Petitions to Sir Moses from Russia 305

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Address and Testimonial from the Jews--Sir Moses'
Speech in reply--Death of the Duke of Sussex--The
Deportation Ukase in Russia--Opening of the New Royal
Exchange--Sir Moses made Sheriff of Kent 313

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Affairs in Morocco--Letter to the Emperor--His
Reply--Deputation to Sir Robert Peel--Death of Lady
Montefiore's Brother Isaac--Sir Moses sets out for
Russia 320

CHAPTER XL.

Perils of Russian Travelling in Winter--Arrival at St
Petersburg--Interviews with Count Nesselrode and the
Czar--Count Kisseleff's Prejudices 328

CHAPTER XLI.

Count Kisseleff is more Conciliatory--Sir Moses sets
out for Wilna--Arrival at Wilna--The Jews' Answers to
the Charges of Russian Officials 339

CHAPTER XLII.

The Jewish Schools at Wilna--Wilcomir--Deplorable
Condition of the Hebrew Community in that
Town--Kowno--Warsaw 344

CHAPTER XLIII.

Deputation from Krakau--The Polish Jews and their
Garb--Sir Moses leaves Warsaw--Posen, Berlin, and
Frankfort--Home 351

CHAPTER XLIV.

Sir Moses receives the Congratulations of his English
Co-religionists--His Exhaustive Report to Count
Kisseleff--Examination of the Charges against the
Jews--Their Alleged Disinclination to engage in
Agriculture 359

CHAPTER XLV.

Report to Count Ouvaroff on the State of Education
among the Jews in Russia and Poland--Vindication of
the Loyalty of the Jews 374

CHAPTER XLVI.

Report to Count Kisseleff on the State of the Jews in
Poland--Protest against the Restrictions to which they
were subjected 381

CHAPTER XLVII.

The Czar's Reply to Sir Moses' Representations--Count
Ouvaroff's Views--Sir Moses again writes to Count
Kisseleff--Sir Moses is created a Baronet 385

DIARIES OF Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore