that the hands, feet, and side of the child had been pierced, and that it had also been bled in the neck. Happily, I am in possession of intelligence of the 5th and 6th of April from a correspondent at Beyrout, in whose veracity I have every reason to confide, and am thus enabled to furnish a correct statement of the circumstances.

"It appears that on the day preceding Palm Sunday several Christian boys joined some religious procession, agreeably to the custom of the place. In the dusk of the evening one of the children, about the age of four years, having strayed from the others, lost its way among the gardens and vineyards. On the following day, when it became known that the child was missing, the fanatic populace attributed its disappearance to the Jews; their Synagogue and houses were tumultuously searched, but, of course, without success; and subsequently the child was found in a vineyard, exhausted by cold, hunger, and fatigue, from the effects of which it soon afterwards expired. This, however, did not silence the clamour of the ignorant multitude, and eventually the affair was referred to the Governor-General. The accused persons had been placed in confinement, but on their brethren undertaking for their appearance in due course, the Governor gave instructions for their immediate liberation, and he has directed an investigation before the judicial tribunal.

"I am happy to say that Colonel Rose, Her Majesty's Consul-General at Beyrout, kindly interfered on the occasion, and that, thanks to his humane intervention and the good sense of the Governor of the district, my poor brethren were protected against the frantic violence of their accusers.

"I had hoped, Sir, that even in the East the absurd, yet cruel, calumnies urged against our faith had ceased to obtain credence; but where ignorance and superstition prevail to so great an extent, it is more a subject for sorrow than surprise to find the occasional resuscitation of the bigotry of a bygone age; but Sir, I cannot refrain from expressing my deep regret that this melancholy event should have been recorded so inaccurately and in so adverse a spirit by the journal in question.

"I am anxious to obviate its mischievous tendency by an authentic version of the circumstances, and I entertain no doubt, though fully conscious of the value of the space I seek to occupy, that you will kindly admit this letter into your columns, as you will thereby give at least an equal circulation to the true, as you have unfortunately given to the erroneous, statement; though I believe that even without contradiction few would attach any credence to the imputation thus unhappily revived.-I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient humble servant, "MOSES MONTEFIORE."

"GROSVENOR GATE, PARK LANE, May 2."

Returning to the Diary, we read that on 27th May he and Lady Montefiore had a gracious reception at the Queen's Drawing Room; and on the 28th, they received an invitation from the Lord Chamberlain by command of the Queen to Her Majesty's Ball on Friday, 11th of June, an honour, however, of which they were unable to avail themselves owing to its being Sabbath.

June 20th.-An accusation having been brought anew against the Jews in Damascus, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore received. numerous petitions from representatives of the Hebrew communities in Jerusalem, Beyrout, and Damascus, to intercede

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on their behalf with the French Government, the Christians in Syria being generally considered under the protection of France.

They at once resolved to go to Paris, and obtain, if possible, from King Louis-Philippe, a declaration of his disbelief in the charges brought against the Jews.

In the present instance it was Monsieur Baudin, “Le Gérant du Consulat de France" (as the French Minister in Paris described him), who, on the occasion of a child disappearing from Damascus (the child, however, was afterwards found at Baalbeck), called upon the Moslem Governor to have a search made in the houses of the Jews, reminding him, at the same time, of the accusations brought against the latter in the year 1840.

July 3rd-Sir Moses walked to the Foreign Office, having an appointment for that day with Lord Palmerston. He acquainted the Minister with the contents of the letters he had received from the East respecting the late charges brought against the Jews, also with the translation of M. Baudin's letter to the Governor of Damascus. Sir Moses praised the conduct of the British Consuls on the unfortunate occasion, and spoke highly of Mr (now Sir Richard) Wood. His request to Lord Palmerston was that he would repeat to the Consuls the instructions he had formerly given them, to protect the Jews from lawless persecution, and also to give him a letter of introduction to Lord Normanby in Paris to assist him in procuring a private audience of King Louis-Philippe. His object was to obtain from His Majesty a declaration, similar to one made by Augustus III., King of Poland, in 1763, of his entire disbelief in the ignorant delusion about the Jews and the use of blood in the Passover cakes, and to induce him to give directions to his Consuls, not to countenance any charge of the kind. Sir Moses found Lord Palmerston fully aware of all that had passed, as the latter repeated to him the contents of Sir Moses' last letter from Damascus. The Governor had behaved extremely well to the Jews, and Lord Palmerston had sent him the thanks of the British Government.

Lord Palmerston kindly complied with both his requests, and said he would give him a letter from the Government to Lord Normanby, in order that it might remain on record in his office.

July 7th-Before leaving for Paris, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore accepted an invitation from Monsieur Zohrab, the Turkish Consul, to attend an entertainment on board a large and powerful new steamship built by White of Cowes for the Turkish Government. They met the Turkish Ambassador, Sir Stratford and Lady Canning, and many other distinguished persons there, who were all most kind and attentive to Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore.

On receipt of Lord Palmerston's letters of introduction, Sir Moses started for Paris, where he at once called on the Marquess of Normanby. His Lordship was extremely kind, and paid great attention to what Sir Moses had to say, but could only regret Sir Moses' inopportune arrival. The King was somewhat annoyed at the differences with England, and although Sir Moses might go direct and obtain an interview, still it might be difficult for Sir Moses to move the King-who was then an old man-sufficiently to induce him to get Monsieur Guizot to take the matter up. Lord Normanby was unwilling to incur the jealousy of Monsieur Guizot, but although the British Ambassador entertained little hope of Sir Moses' success, he said that he would reconsider the matter.

July 17th.-Sir Moses received a note from his Lordship, saying that he would be glad to see him to-day (Saturday), between one and two o'clock. "In spite of the burning sun," Sir Moses writes, "Dr Loewe and I walked there (the sanctity of the Sabbath preventing the use of a carriage). His Lordship said he had read over all my papers in respect to the declaration I wished the King to make; he believed it would be impossible to obtain it, and thought I must give up the idea.

"The memorial would therefore require curtailing and altering, and he would look at it if I brought it on Monday at about the same time. On that morning he should see the King of the Belgians at the Palace, and would consider how I might be introduced to the King of France; as I had been presented before, it was not requisite for his Lordship to present me himself."

Paris, July 20th.-The following entry is contained in the Diary :

"Monsieur Guizot received me kindly, and by no means as a stranger. He attended to the recital of what had occurred

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Monsieur

at Damascus, and said in reply that Monsieur Baudin was not a Consul; but I said he represented the French Government, and the people believed he spoke their sentiments. Guizot then said he would write a very strong letter himself to Monsieur Baudin,* and would speak with the King on the subject, and I should hear from him. I immediately went to Lord Normanby, and informed him of all that had passed; he thanked me for calling, as he was just going into the country for a couple of days, and was happy he had been able to facilitate the accomplishment of my object."

August 5th.-Sir Moses went to the Foreign Office to see Monsieur Le Sage, the head of the department. The latter, having mislaid the papers, had to go over the whole business. again, but eventually promised to write to Monsieur Baudin, who had exceeded his duty in expressing his own opinion as that of the French Government.

August 9th-Monsieur Hude came to Sir Moses from Baron James de Rothschild, and brought him the following note, written by the King's own hand, to Monsieur Guizot :— "DIMANCHE, 8 Août 1847.

"MON CHER MINISTRE,-Je recevrai Sir Moses Montefiore demain aux Tuileries pendant que vous serez occupé à faire la Clôture, c'est-a-dire à une heure précise. Veuillez donc l'en faire prévenir. Je n'ai pas d'autre moment a' lui donner comme vous le savez.-Bon Soir.

"L."

Sir Moses at once put on his uniform, and went to the Palace of the Tuileries a little before one o'clock. The King was in Council, and it was ten minutes before two when the Ministers left to go to the closing of the Chambers of Peers and Deputies. Two minutes after he was conducted through a splendid picture gallery and several large apartments into a room, in which the officer who was his conductor left him.

The King immediately entered, and said, “I am very happy to see you, Sir Moses; you are come from England." Sir Moses then informed His Majesty of the object for which he had solicited the honour of an audience, in compliance with the wishes of his co-religionists in the East. He informed. His Majesty of the unfortunate occurrence at Damascus, and * Refer to Appendix for Monsieur Guizot's letter.

asked permission to read him a paper containing the particulars of his petition, to which the King graciously assented, asking if there was sufficient light, as the blinds were closed. The King paid great attention while Sir Moses read, and when he came to the part which mentions the Jews of France, His Majesty observed, that he was happy to have been the first to have given them every civil right, and hoped soon to see the example followed in every country; he fully concurred in the sentiments expressed in Sir Moses' statements. His Majesty very graciously took the paper, when Sir Moses had finished reading it, and said he would give it to Monsieur Guizot, who took as keen an interest in the matter as he did himself, and would attend to it. When Sir Moses mentioned the loss of the child at Deir-el-Kámár, he immediately said, "But it has been found, and there is an end of the matter." His Majesty could not have been more gracious, and Sir Moses was satisfied that the Government would give such directions to their officers in the East, as would prevent their again acting in so cruel a manner with regard to the Jews. On his taking leave, the King inquired if he intended leaving Paris, and said that he was going to-morrow to the Chateau d'Eu, where he would be happy to see Sir Moses at all times.

Sir Moses left the Audience Chamber by the wrong door, and after wandering through two or three rooms, endeavouring to find his way out, he met the King. He very good humouredly said, "You have lost your way; I will show you," and most kindly walked with him through two large rooms which brought them to the end of a long picture gallery, where there were many officers and servants. Here the King bade him farewell. Sir Moses felt the greatest confidence that the great object he had at heart had been blest with success.

Paris, August 10th. He called at the Foreign Office to return Monsieur Guizot his thanks, and the latter repeated his assurance respecting the protection of the Jews in the East.

August 28th. This morning Sir Moses received a letter from Monsieur Guizot as follows:

"PARIS, August 23, 1847.

SIR,-The King has forwarded me a letter which you addressed to him on the 9th instant, on the subject of the prejudice unfortunately existing in the East against the Israelites, which has given rise to the accusation of their