Part 7 (2/2)

A few days later they visited Herculaneum and Pompeii.

_Wednesday, January 16th._--Mrs Montefiore dined at Baron Charles', but Mr Montefiore was not well enough to accompany her. It was a large dinner party, and the guests included the Austrian Amba.s.sador with his wife, the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess D'Ascoli, the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess Theodore, Sir Henry and Lady Lus.h.i.+ngton, and others.

_Thursday, January 17th._--Mr Montefiore was still obliged to keep his room the whole day. Captain Copeland gave an entertainment on board the _Mastiff_ to Baroness Charlotte Rothschild, Mrs Montefiore, and Barons Charles and Anselm Rothschild, who afterwards dined with Mr Montefiore. In the evening Mrs Montefiore accompanied Baroness Charlotte to a ball at the Sardinian Emba.s.sy, to which both she and Mr Montefiore had been invited by the Marquis and Marchioness di S.

Saturius. Mrs Montefiore said there were about five hundred of the n.o.bility present, who had been invited in honour of the Princess Salerno, a daughter of the Emperor of Austria, whom she saw there enjoying a waltz.

_Friday, January 18th._--The Duke and d.u.c.h.ess D'Ascoli paid Mrs Montefiore a long visit. The d.u.c.h.ess appeared to take great interest in the Holy Land, making many enquiries on subjects connected with Sacred Scripture. When she had obtained all the information Mrs Montefiore could give her, she asked to see the curiosities which the latter had brought with her. Mrs Montefiore produced the whole of her collection. The d.u.c.h.ess seemed especially pleased with a sh.e.l.l engraved with historical subjects by a Bethlehem artist. Mrs Montefiore requested her acceptance of it, and the d.u.c.h.ess appeared much gratified.

_Sunday, January 20th._--Mr Montefiore called on the Secretary of the British Legation, with whom he left the Admiral's letter for Lord Burghersh.

_Thursday, January 24th._--We find them at Rome, visiting some of the princ.i.p.al studios of the sculptors, Albertus Thorwaldsen, Canova, his successor Cincinnato Baruzzi, and others. At the studio of Guiseppe Pacetti in the Via Sisterno they saw an ancient statue of a negress with flowers, for which Mr Montefiore intended to make an offer.

_Friday, January 25th._--They visited the Vatican, and all the museums, galleries, and places of interest.

_Sunday, January 27th._--In the course of the day they received a deputation from the community, who informed them that there were in Rome 3500 of their brethren, of whom the majority were poor, and Mr Montefiore requested their acceptance of his and Mrs Montefiore's offerings to alleviate the distress. He purchased the female figure, in black marble, representing Abundance, which he had seen on the previous Thursday in the Via Sisterno, with the intention of placing it in the hall of his house at Park Lane. The next day they left Rome.

_Friday, February 1st._--They reached Leghorn safely, where Mr Montefiore at once offered up the following prayer:--

”Praise and most humble and sincere thanks to the Giver of all Good, the Creator of heaven and earth, for all His manifold mercies towards me, for having preserved me from so many perils and brought me safe to the city of my birth, and in the enjoyment of one of the greatest blessings Providence has bestowed on me, the company of my dear Judith, the companion and sharer of all my danger.”

_Sat.u.r.day, February 2nd._--They visited the Synagogue. It was crowded.

The state of Mr Montefiore's health not being as satisfactory as he could have wished, he sent for a physician.

_Sunday, February 3rd._--They remained in the hotel, Mr Montefiore not feeling well. ”Were it not,” he writes, ”for the extreme anxiety I feel to see my dear mother, I should, without the slightest hesitation, resolve upon remaining in Italy for six months at the Baths of Casciana, about twenty miles from here. I find my complaint gets worse every day. G.o.d help me!”

_Monday, February 4th._--They visit the schools. A deputation from the Inst.i.tution ”Or Tora,” consisting of Messrs Joseph Uzielli, Abram Pardo, Michael Buznah, and Salomoni Mortara, received them. ”I was much delighted,” says Mr Montefiore, ”with the appearance and behaviour of the boys, who have made great progress in their studies.

Most of the seniors, although not more than fourteen, are perfect masters of the Hebrew language, and can write in the same on any subject of their studies that may be given them. They receive a most liberal education, even music and drawing. There are about sixty boys; some few pay six francs a month. After the portion of the Pentateuch is read on Sabbath in the Synagogue, the boys draw lots which one should read the portion from the Prophets. All must therefore be well prepared.” Mr Montefiore next went to a school open to all children of poor Jews who are in Leghorn. There were about 150 boys present. They are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic on the Lancastrian principle. They then proceeded to the girls' schools, where, in addition to the above subjects, children are taught needlework and straw-plaiting for bonnets. Some of the girls, not more than eight or nine years old, translated the Hebrew prayers. Mr and Mrs Montefiore, in token of the satisfaction they had felt at the inspection of the schools, left generous presents for the pupils.

They then journeyed through La Spezia, Chiavari, Genoa, Novi, Turin, Suza, Lanslebourg, Maltaveme, Sava, Les Ech.e.l.les, Lyons, La Palisse, and Neuville, in their own carriage, then on to Paris and Calais, where they arrived on Wednesday.

”I am still,” Mr Montefiore says, ”very unwell indeed. I feel that some disorder is making daily and rapid strides; am most anxious to reach home for the benefit of rest and quiet. The newspapers appear very warlike, and I think there can be but little doubt as to the truth of their reports. I hope I shall not be induced to enter into any large speculation; never having been endowed with courage in my younger days, it would now be nothing less than downright folly. May heaven guard me from my friends as well as from my enemies.”

CHAPTER VII.

1828-1829.

ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND--ILLNESS OF MR MONTEFIORE-THE STRUGGLE FOR JEWISH EMANc.i.p.aTION.

_Thursday, February 28th._--They arrived safely in Dover harbour, and had the pleasure of seeing some of their near relatives who had come down to welcome them.

They proceeded next day to their home in London, where they immediately paid a visit to Mr Montefiore's mother.

Having discharged this pleasing duty, they repaired to the Admiralty, to leave the letters which had been entrusted by Admiral Codrington to Mr Montefiore for delivery. They reached their home at five o'clock, again to enjoy their Sabbath, a day of hallowed peace and rest, at Park Lane.

The following morning they attended Synagogue to offer up prayers for their safe return, and were received by the ecclesiastical authorities and representatives of the community with manifestations of pleasure at their reappearance among them. Later in the day Mr Montefiore waited on the Duke of Clarence to deliver into his hands the letter from the Admiral. Mr Montefiore returned much pleased with the audience he had had with His Royal Highness.

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