Great and numerous, however, as were all these manifestations of veneration and affection for Sir Moses in England and other parts of the world, the feeling must surely have arisen in the minds of many that the lights which illuminated the streets would soon be extinguished, the voices of the brilliant orators again be silent, the flowers which had this day decorated many a Synagogue become faded, and the words of the preachers forgotten; while the numerous charitable and educational institutions, which the recipient of so much homage had called into existence all over the world, will remain, and, while benefiting mankind in a high degree, will serve to keep. alive the memory of his unselfish devotion.

The following morning he was better than could reasonably be expected after such an exciting event, but he was anxious to convey his sense of gratitude to the thousands who had honoured him with their congratulations, and at once gave orders for the purpose. His medical attendant, however, strongly advised him to refrain from too much exertion, and he wisely consented to remain quiet for some time.

Relatives and friends suggested that measures should be adopted by which he should be relieved of the necessity of answering his many correspondents. When weak and ailing he agreed to what they proposed, but the moment he felt a little stronger he invariably insisted on continuing his good work.

CHAPTER XLIV.

1885.

SIR MOSES' REPLY TO THE BOARD OF DEPUTIES-HIS FAILING FIRST PUBLISHED BULLETIN

J

STRENGTH
DEATH.

SIR MOSES'

ANUARY 29th.-The Board of the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews having been among the first in England to convey to him its congratulations, signed by the Honorary Officers, he this day addressed the following letter to them :

"EAST CLIFF LODGE, RAMSGATE, "29th January 5645 (1885).

"To Arthur Cohen, Esq.. Q.C., M.P., President; Joseph Sebag, Esq., VicePresident; Henry Harris, Esq., Treasurer; and the Members of the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews.

"DEAR AND Esteemed FrienDS,-I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the resolutions unanimously passed at a special meeting, held on the 14th October 1884, in which you were pleased to express your kind sentiments and sincere felicitations on the occasion of the centennial anniversary of my natal day.

"My heart is overflowing with thankfulness to the Most High for having tended me all my life unto this day, and there will for ever remain enshrined within my memory the grateful sense I entertain for the manifestations of kindness which I was permitted to receive on my entering, as well as on my completing, the hundredth year of my existence, from many valued friends. To none of them, however, will my gratitude be more intense than to the distinguished members of your Board, with whom it has been my privilege to be associated in their unceasing endeavours to promote the interests of the communities at home and abroad for so long a period.

"I appreciate highly the renewed assurance of friendship by which you have greatly honoured me, and earnestly pray that the Most Supreme may shield and protect you and your families, so as to enable you to continue your noble exertions in the cause of our holy religion, in the cause of suffering humanity, and in the vindication of truth and justice. I invoke Him who is the Eternal Disposer of events to inspire you with holy zeal, that you may not rest until all the innocent sufferers from oppression shall be relieved.— I am, yours faithfully, "MOSES MONTEFIORE."

He next addressed the Anglo-Jewish Association, the Wardens of the Synagogues, Schools, and Colleges, and numerous public companies; but at times he was compelled by

weakness to desist, and could only resume his work after a lapse of three or four days.

It was always a pleasure to him to hear of matrimonial engagements, and he never failed to send costly wedding presents to all who invited him to be present at the solemnisation of the marriage, or to the customary breakfast afterwards. He often received letters from young persons signing themselves "Moses Montefiore," who had been so named by their parents as a mark of respect to Sir Moses.

Like most persons of affluence, he often received letters from strangers in various parts of the world who claimed. relationship with him, and were not satisfied with a simple assurance on his part that there was no foundation whatever for such a claim. He frequently had to write strong letters to them before he could succeed in convincing them of their error.

Many persons in this country and abroad appeared to forget that they now addressed a centenarian, and used to write to him on various subjects, asking his advice on communal or other important matters, just as, with greater propriety, they had done twenty years before. Sir Moses, on giving his orders that a reply should be sent to them, expressed the strongest desire to avoid as much as possible any phraseology that might be interpreted as a disinclination to remain in peaceful relation with his correspondents, even when he had to disapprove of the measures proposed by them.

He found especial pleasure in persuading friends and acquaintances to take a trip on the Continent for a change of air and scene, and often presented them with as large a sum even as £100 to enable them to do so. Even persons who could hardly have expected such a favour were sometimes indebted to him in this way.

To those whom he entrusted with the carrying out of his orders, he would say, "I wish to continue doing just as I have always done with regard to benevolent institutions and individuals."

His weakness, however, often manifested itself to a degree which caused considerable uneasiness to his relatives and friends, and, by the advice of his medical attendant, additional nurses were engaged, so that he might be attended by them day and night, and never left alone for a moment.

Sir Moses Failing Strength.

337

He now gave special orders "never to allow any of his letters to leave the house before an exact copy had been made of them, however insignificant they might have been."

He still signed all his cheques, and added his usual motto, "Think and thank," on the face of them. He took special care never to express his immediate agreement with any suggestion made to him, and would say, "I will consider it," or, "I will do it to-morrow;" but it often happened that the person counting on this promise was disappointed, as Sir Moses frequently altered his mind upon consideration.

Speaking sometimes to me on his own advanced age, he would say, "I have endeavoured to do the best I could; no doubt I have often failed, but I rely on God's goodness; He forgives those who approach Him with a contrite heart." "Death," he would say, "is like going to sleep for a while, to awake again. spiritually invigorated. When I pass the

mausoleum of Judith I always read the Hebrew inscription above the entrance

'Into His hands my Spirit I consign,

Whilst wrapt in sleep that I again awake,

And with my spirit, my body I resign;

The Lord with me, no fears my soul can shake.'

"Let my mortal remains be taken through the grounds to last resting-place quietly by the way I always used to go to my Synagogue with my dear wife."

my

After a long pause he would talk of more cheerful subjects. "Do you remember," he said, "when we crossed the Dwina near Riga, and the ice broke under our feet? We had many a narrow escape on our missions; praised be God for His numerous mercies."

He would then begin to recite a psalm, the Song of Moses, or a favourite hymn of his, commencing with the Hebrew words, "El Norá 'Aleelah," generally sung in the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue on the day of atonement, before the conclusion service.

Often, when in conversation with me during the evenings, at a time when he was comfortably resting in bed, he would review the numerous pleasing incidents which happened on his Missions, in the company of Lady Montefiore, during the last fifty years of his life. His observations induced me to remind him of a

number of occurrences which just at the moment appeared to have been forgotten by him, and he was delighted in recalling them again to his memory.

In reflecting upon the actual state of the Holy Land, the great changes which had taken place there since his first visit to Jerusalem, and its favourable prospects in the future, his countenance would become illumined with satisfaction.

Fifty years ago, very few persons in England and France manifested any particular interest in the Land of Promise -there were persons in both countries who laughed at the idea of even mentioning that country. "Now," he said, "some of them are numbered amongst the great benefactors of its inhabitants."

"Look," he would continue, "at the great improvements which have been made in Jerusalem, and, after all, fifty years is but a short time, if we consider the number of years it takes even in Europe to improve the condition of different classes of people."

Suddenly he would turn his head, and put his finger on the stone from Jerusalem which he had under his pillow, bearing the inscription, "For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof" (Ps. cii. 17). "This," he said, "you will put under my head when I am placed in my last resting-place. Now go into the Gothic Library, take a good supper, and we shall have a glass of wine together in pleasing remembrance of what we have seen and endeavoured to do for our brethren."

On the 24th April the first bulletin appeared in the newspapers regarding his health. It was issued by his medical attendant, and was to the following effect :-" For several days in the early part of the week Sir Moses Montefiore suffered much from weakness." He recovered his strength a little, but not sufficiently to enable him to remain unaffected by the weather, which had become a little colder, although the month of June had now arrived.

Meanwhile he continued to take a deep interest in current events. In honour of the Queen's Birthday he gave orders to provide a dinner for the poor in the Union at Ramsgate, and tea and refreshments for the pupils and teachers of the Jews' Infant School in London. At dinner he took up his glass, and