EARLY EDUCATION--BECOMES A STOCKBROKER--HIS MARRIAGE.
At an early age, we find young Moses Montefiore attending school in
the neighbourhood of Kennington. After he had completed his elementary
studies, he was removed to a more advanced class in another school,
where he began to evince a great desire to cultivate his mind,
independently of his class lessons. He was observed to copy short
moral sentences from books falling into his hands, or interesting
accounts of important events, which he endeavoured to commit to
memory.
Afterwards, as he grew up in life, this became a habit with him, which
he did not relinquish even when he had attained the age of ninety
years. His diaries all contain either at the beginning or the end of
the record of his day's work, some beautiful lines of poetry referring
to moral or literary subjects: mostly quotations or extracts from
standard works. Young Montefiore showed on all occasions the greatest
respect for his teachers, bowing submissively to their authority in
all cases of dispute between his fellow-students and himself.
He was acknowledged to be most frank and loyal in all his intercourse
with his superiors. The respect due to constituted authorities he
always used to consider, when he had become a man in active life, as a
sacred duty. He was in the habit of saying, in the words of the royal
philosopher, "Fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with
them that are given to change." Whatever might be his private opinion
on any subject, he would in all his public and private transactions be
guided only by the decision of an acknowledged authority.
Montefiore did not remain many years at school. There was at that time
no prospect for him to enter life as a professor at a university, or
as a member of the bar. There was no sphere of work open to him in
any of the professions; and even to enter the medical profession would
have been difficult. There was nothing left for him, therefore, but to
enter a commercial career. He used often to speak about the days of
his apprenticeship in the business of one of their neighbours in
Kennington, and how hard he had to work; when subsequently he was in a
counting-house in the city, the hours were late, and he sometimes had
to take letters to the post on the stroke of midnight. There were no
copying machines, and all letters had to be copied by hand. He also
spoke of the great distance he had to walk every night from the city
to Kennington Terrace, during the cold winter months as well as in the
summer time. There were then no omnibuses or other conveyances at hand
such as we have now, and if there had been, he was of too saving a
disposition to make any unnecessary outlay on his own person; he used
to keep a strict account of the smallest item of his expenses. It was
not with the object of complaining, or of regretting his early mode of
life that he gave his friends these descriptions; his object was to
impress on the mind of the rising generation the necessity of working
hard and spending little, in order to make their way in the world.
By his habits of industry, by his strict compliance with the
instructions of his superiors, and more especially by his own clear
judgment in all matters connected with the business entrusted to him,
he soon succeeded in obtaining promotion.
Having had the opportunity of seeing business transactions among
brokers on the Stock Exchange, he decided upon securing for himself
the privilege of being one of the limited number of Jewish brokers.
According to the law of England at that time only twelve such brokers
could be admitted, but Moses Montefiore had the satisfaction of soon
seeing himself in possession of the much-coveted privilege. He took an
office, and this owing to the prosperity with which his
straightforward dealing and courteous manners were rewarded, he soon
had to change for a larger one, which again he did not keep long. As
his business had now to be conducted near the bank, he took up his
quarters in Bartholomew Lane, where he remained to the last day of his
life. It was there, after nearly the whole of that thoroughfare had
become the property of the Alliance Life and Fire Assurance Company,
and the houses had been rebuilt, that many an important meeting of
the Board of Deputies of British Jews and other boards of benevolent
institutions was held; and the very book-case, in which all important
papers connected with his business in that office were preserved, is
now in one of the houses of Lady Montefiore's College, where he used
now and then to take his breakfast on a Sabbath morning, when it was
his intention to be present at a lecture in the college.
His brother Abraham, seeing young Moses successful in business,
subsequently joined him as a partner, and the firm of Montefiore Bros.
soon became known in England as one entitled to the respect of all
honourable men.
However profitable or urgent the business may have been, the moment
the time drew near, when it was necessary to prepare for the Sabbath
or solemn festivals, Moses Montefiore quitted his office, and nothing
could ever induce him to remain.
Sir Moses was scrupulously honourable in all his transactions, and it
is a noteworthy fact, that during all his long life no whisper was
ever heard against his reputation, although he was intimately
connected with the management of financial and commercial undertakings
of great magnitude and international character. His name stood so
high, that thousands of people from all parts of the world entrusted
him with money to be forwarded to the Holy Land, or for other
charitable purposes, never asking for a receipt, and in many instances
leaving the distribution of it to his own discretion.
In the year 1809, in the reign of George III., an act of parliament
was passed enabling His Majesty to establish a local Militia Force for
the defence of the country. Young Montefiore, who was then twenty-five
years old, having attained his majority in 1805, deemed it his duty to
be one of the first volunteers. Loyalty to the country in which he
lived and prospered, and sincere devotion to his king, afterwards
proved to be special traits in his character. In all foreign countries
whither his philanthropic missions subsequently led him, his addresses
to the people and his counsels, even to those who suffered under heavy
oppression, contained exhortations to them to remain firm in their
loyalty to their government.
We must now salute him as Captain Montefiore, for thus we find him
styled, on a card among his papers,
Third Surrey Local Militia, Colonel Alcock, No. I,
Seventh Company.
"Captain Montefiore."
[Illustration: Lady Montefiore when young, copied from an oil painting
in the Montefiore College, Ramsgate. _See Vol. I., page 15._]
There are still in the Gothic library, at East Cliff Lodge, details of
guard mounted by the 3rd Regiment of Surrey Local Militia, standing
orders, &c., also the orderly books showing that he was in the service
from the year 1810 to 1814.
On the 22nd February in the latter year, after the parade on Duppas
Hill, Croydon, when the regiment arrived at the depot, the commanding
officers of companies had to receive the signatures of all those who
wished to extend their services, when called upon for any period in
that same year not exceeding forty-two days. The feeling of the
regiment on the subject was obtained in less time than was
anticipated, and the commanding officer ordered the men to be paid and
dismissed immediately.
Sir Moses used to say, when speaking to his friends on this subject,
"I did all in my power to persuade my company to re-enlist, but I was
not successful."
In the same year, he took lessons in sounding the bugle, and also
devoted several hours a week to the study of French; it appears that
he would not allow one hour of the day to pass without endeavouring to
acquire some useful art or knowledge.
He was very particular in not missing a lesson, and entered them all
in his diary of the year 1814.
In the midst of business, military duties, and studies, in which he
passed the five years, 1810 to 1814, there was one date which he most
justly considered the happiest of his life.
I am alluding to the 10th of June 1812 (corresponding, in that year,
to the 30th of Sivan, 5573 A.M., according to the Hebrew date), on
which day he was permitted to take to himself as a partner in life,
Judith, the daughter of Levi Barent Cohen.
He thoroughly appreciated the great blessing which that union brought
upon him. Henceforth, for every important act of his, where the choice
was left to him, whether it was the laying of a foundation stone for a
house of prayer, a charitable institution, or a business office, he
invariably fixed the date on the anniversary of his wedding day.
Setting out on an important mission in the month of June, he would,
when a short delay was immaterial, defer it to the anniversary of his
wedding. This was not, as some might suppose, from mere superstition,
for in all his doings he was anxious to trust to the will of God
alone; it was with the idea of uniting every important act in his life
with one which made his existence on earth, as he affirmed, a heavenly
paradise.
His own words, taken from the diary of 1844, will best express his
feelings on the subject.
"On this happy day, the 10th of June," he writes, "thirty-two years
have passed since the Almighty God of Israel, in His great goodness,
blessed me with my dear Judith, and for ever shall I be most truly
grateful for this blessing, the great cause of my happiness through
life. From the first day of our happy union to this hour I have had
every reason for increased love and esteem, and truly may I say, each
succeeding year has brought with it greater proofs of her admirable
character. A better and kinder wife never existed, one whose whole
study has been to render her husband good and happy. May the God of
our fathers bestow upon her His blessing, with life, health, and every
other felicity. Amen."
As a lasting remembrance of the day he treasured the prayer-shawl
which, according to the custom (in Spanish and Portuguese Hebrew
communities), had been held over his head and that of his bride during
the marriage ceremony and the offering up of the prayers.
In compliance with his wish the same shawl was again put over his head
when his brethren performed the melancholy duty of depositing his
mortal remains in their last resting-place.
But I will not further digress, and I resume my narrative of his happy
life after his union with his beloved wife.
Henceforth the reader may consider them as one person, and every act
of benevolence recorded further on in these Memoirs must be regarded
as an emanation of the generous and kindly impulses which so
abundantly filled the hearts of both.
In order to indicate the places to which the young couple would resort
after the duties of the day, I need only remind the reader of the
residences of their numerous relatives, with whom they were always on
affectionate terms. At Highgate, Clapham, Lavender Hill, and Hastings,
in all of these places they were most heartily welcomed, and they
often went there to dine, take tea, or spend a few days in the family
circle. But the place to which they repaired for the enjoyment of a
complete rest, or for considering and maturing a plan for some very
great and important object, was an insignificant little spot of the
name of "Smithembottom" in Surrey.
They used to go there on Sunday and remain until the next day,
sometimes until the middle of the week, occasionally inviting a friend
to join them. They greatly enjoyed the walk over hills, while forming
pleasing anticipations of the future; and they always found on their
return to the little inn, an excellent dinner, which their servants
had brought with them from London--never forgetting, by the order of
their master, a few bottles of his choice wine. "Wine, good and pure
wine," Mr Montefiore used to say, "God has given to man to cheer him
up when borne down by grief and sorrow; it gladdens his heart, and
causes him to render thanks to heaven for mercies conferred upon him."
In holy writ we find "give wine unto those that be of heavy heart;"
also, "wine maketh glad the heart of man." No sanctification of our
Sabbaths and festivals, and no union between two loving hearts, can be
solemnised, without partaking of wine over which the blessing has been
pronounced.
It was his desire to be happy, and make others around him happy, for
such he said was the will of God (Deut. xxvi. II). When certain
friends of his, who intended taking the total abstinence pledge,
ventured to raise an argument on the desirability of his substituting
water for wine, he would reply in the words which the vine said to the
trees when they came to anoint him as king over them, "Should I leave
my wine which cheereth God and man" (Judges ix. 13)? His friends
smiled at this reasoning, and on their next visit to him drank to each
other's health in the choice wine of his cellar.
I invariably heard him pronounce the blessing before he touched the
exhilarating beverage, in such a tone as to leave no doubt in the
minds of those present that he fully appreciated this gift of God.
He never gave up the habit of taking wine himself, and it was his
greatest pleasure to see his friends enjoy it with him. To the sick
and the poor he would frequently send large quantities.
The year 1812 passed very happily. Every member of the family was
delighted with the young couple. They said, "such a suitable union of
two young people had not been seen for many years." In No. 4 New
Court, where they took up their abode, they had Mr N. M. Rothschild
their brother-in-law (in whose financial operations Montefiore was
greatly interested), for a neighbour and friend. Young Mrs Montefiore
had but a short distance to walk to see her parents, at Angel Court,
Throgmorton Street, where Mrs Barent Levi Cohen now lived. The Stock
Exchange and the Bank being in their immediate neighbourhood, where
all their relatives had business transactions every day in the week
except Sabbath and festivals, they often had the opportunity of seeing
the whole family circle in their house.