Death of Lady Montefiore - Her early years - Education Marriage-Participation in her husband's humanitarian work-Accompanies Sir Moses on his foreign missions- Diaries of the journeys to Palestine-Extracts from her journals-Home life-Anecdote illustrative of her benevo- 189 Trip to Constantinople to obtain a confirmation of Firmans from the new Sultan-Return to England, and retirement at Ramsgate-Appeal from Gibraltar on behalf of Moorish Jews-Arrest and torture of twelve Jews at Saffi at the instance of the Spanish Consul-Execution of two of the prisoners-Sir Moses hurries to London and prevails upon the Foreign Secretary to telegraph to Morocco requesting a stay of proceedings-Correspondence with Morocco dis- closes a sad state of affairs among the local Jews-Sir Moses resolves to proceed to Morocco-The journey to Madrid-Interview with Queen Isabella-Friendliness of the Spanish Government-Arrival at Tangier-Release of the prisoners-The journey into the interior-Arrival at Morocco city-Imposing reception by the Sultan-Promul- gation of an Edict protecting Jews and Christians-Second interview with the Sultan-The return home-Audiences with Queen Isabella and Napoleon III.-Reception in Moses investigates the condition of the Jerusalem Jewish community-Promotes public works in the Holy City- Holds an inquiry respecting a charge against the Safed Jews by the Rev. Dr. Macleod-Suggestions for the appli- cation of the balance of the Relief Fund-Death of Dr. Hodgkin-Persecution of Jews in Roumania-Mission to Bucharest-Interviews with Prince Charles-The Prince's assurances- -Home labours-A second journey to Russia— Reception at St. Petersburg — Audience with the Czar Alexander II.—Improved condition of the Russian Jews- 66 FORTY DAYS' SOJOURN IN THE HOLY LAND." The seventh journey to the Holy Land-Diary of the journey- Forty Days' Sojourn in the Holy Land "-Arrival at Venice cholera-Ancient intercourse between the Jews of Venice and London-The Sabbath at sea-Arrival at Port Said- Reception at Jaffa-The Jews of Jaffa-On the way to Jerusalem-A moonlight ride from Bab-el-Wad-Enthu- siastic welcome at Jerusalem-The work of the Forty Days -Georgian Jews and Jewish heroism-Sir Moses suggests sanitary improvements at Jerusalem - Return home - THE LIFE OF SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE. CHAPTER I. FAMILY AND EARLY LIFE. The Montefiore family-Origin of its name-Montefiores at AnconaSettlement of the family in Leghorn-Moses Vita Montefiore comes to England-Commercial career-Jews in London in 1760--Descendants of the Jewish Hidalgos-Abraham Lumbrozo de Mattos Mocatta-Benjamin D'Israeli-Moses Vita Montefiore's family-Adventures of Joshua Montefiore-Sir Moses' father marries a daughter of Abraham Mocatta-Antiquity of the Mocatta family-Mosé Mocato a literary contemporary of Spinoza-Messrs. Mocatta and Goldsmid of London-Connection with the Lamegos and Disraelis-Joseph Elias MontefioreHis family-Birth of Moses Montefiore - Moses Montefiore's education and apprenticeship. ONE evening, in the early part of the year 1784, a highly respectable Jewish merchant of the City of London announced to his wife, in their cosy drawingroom at Kennington, that he purposed paying a visit to Italy at an early date, to buy some advantageous parcels of straw bonnets, to which his correspondents had drawn his attention. In those days, when not merely the boring of the Mont Cenis, but railways themselves, were undreamt of, such a journey was no light matter. The wife, however, was young and adventurous, and she gave her consent to the proposed enterprise on one condition: that she was not left behind. The husband prudently declined to contest his partner's whim; the conjugal bargain was struck; the company of the lady's brother was invited, and the journey was undertaken. Not the least important incident in this commercial expedition occurred at Leghorn, on the evening of the 24th October, 1784. The lady in question gave birth to a boy, whose name was registered in the archives of the local synagogue as Moses Haim Montefiore. The travellers were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Elias Montefiore, of London, and Mrs. Montefiore's brother, Moses Mocatta, likewise of London; the nouveau-né was the subject of this book. In the Via Reale, opposite the new Leghorn Synagogue, the house is still pointed out in which this event took place, just one hundred years ago. Little is known of the family history of the Montefiores beyond the four generations settled in this country. It is generally assumed that they must have come originally from the small town of the same name in the Italian province of Ascoli Piceno. The fact has, however, been overlooked that there are two Montefiores in Italy, one in the neighbourhood of Fermo, and the other near Forli. No certain evidence exists to connect the family with either of these places, although, from the frequent adoption by Jews of surnames from the names of the towns in which they have resided, there is a strong probability that at some period it was domiciled in one of the Montefiores. |