1813-1820.
FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS--PUBLIC EVENTS BEFORE AND AFTER
WATERLOO--ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE HEBREW
COMMUNITY.
I am now at the starting point of my narrative of the public life and
work of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore in connection more especially
with the communities of their own race, and this I propose to give in
the form of extracts from their diaries. These extracts contain the
most material references to important events, accompanied by
explanatory remarks of my own. With a view of making the reader
acquainted with the passing opinions and feelings of Sir Moses and
Lady Montefiore and their earnestness of purpose and energy in every
good cause, as well as with a desire to draw attention to the variety
and multiplicity of the work they would accomplish in a single day, I
shall frequently give these entries as I find them, in brief and at
times abrupt sentences.
1813 (5573 A.M.).--Owing to the eventful vicissitudes of European
wars, the greatest activity prevails on the Stock Exchange. Mr
Montefiore is in constant intercourse with Mr N. M. Rothschild,
through whose prudence and judicious recommendations with regard to
the Bullion Market and Foreign Exchanges, he is enabled not only to
avoid hazardous monetary transactions, but also to make successful
ventures in these difficult times.
1814 (5574 A.M.).--The first peace in Paris is signed. The allied
sovereigns visit England, and are received by the Prince Regent. Great
festivities in the city, while considerable excitement prevails in all
financial circles. Commerce is stagnant; taxation excessive, in
consequence of the great debt the country had incurred during the war;
the labouring classes cry out; food is scarce; there is no demand for
labour, and wages are low. Nevertheless, Mr Montefiore and his wife
entertain the hope of a continuance of peace, which, they say, will
soon remedy all evils. They frequently visit Highgate, where Mr N. M.
Rothschild has his country house; go to Hastings, where their
brother-in-law Mr S. M. Samuel, has taken a summer residence, and
visit their mother, Mrs Montefiore, at Kennington Terrace. They
contrive to devote a portion of the day or evening to the study of the
French language and literature. Mr Montefiore, as captain of the local
militia, continues taking lessons on the bugle.
1815 (5575 A.M.).--Mr Montefiore agrees with Lord Mayor Birch
(grandfather of Dr Samuel Birch of the British Museum) to pay L600,
for the transfer to himself, of Medina's Broker's medal (at that time
the few Jewish brokers admitted had to pay an extraordinarily high fee
for the privilege); he is engaged in his financial transactions with
Mr N. M. Rothschild, and goes, in the interest of the latter and in
his own, to Dunkirk and Yarmouth. On his return he frequently attends
the meetings of the representatives of the Spanish and Portuguese
synagogues; checks and signs the synagogue books, as treasurer, and is
present at the meetings of a committee, representing four Hebrew
congregations in London, for devising proper regulations to ensure the
provision of meat prepared in accordance with Scriptural injunctions.
1816 (5576 A.M.).--He frequently attends the meetings of the Velhos
(Elders) of the Spanish and Portuguese community, and the society for
granting marriage portions to orphans. His work in connection with
finance daily increases.
Great agitation prevails throughout the country; the Government
having, in the previous year, passed a Corn Act to favour the English
farmer, forbidding the importation of foreign grain, the price of
wheat had reached 80s. per quarter; political societies, under the
name of "Hampden Clubs," are formed all over the country. There is a
cry for reform in the House of Commons; the Ministry, influenced by
Lord Castlereagh, refuses all change; the price of wheat continues to
rise daily after the peace.
Financiers feel very anxious about the result, but Mr and Mrs
Montefiore, less apprehensive of serious disturbances, and desirous of
change of scene and climate, purpose setting out to visit France and
Italy.
1816 (5576 A.M.).--They travel in France and Italy, visit public
institutions, and make it a rule to see every object of interest. They
take notice and make memoranda of the explanations given them by their
_Ciceroni_, independently of the information derived from guide-books;
they frequent theatres and operas as well as hospitals and schools. A
beautiful and comfortable travelling chariot, procured in Paris from
Beaupre, a famous coach builder, at the price of 4072 francs, and
abundant provisions for themselves and friends, making them
independent of inferior hotels for food, make their travels most
agreeable to themselves and to all who accompany them.
Mr Montefiore and his wife were not only diligent observers of
whatever they saw, but also possessed the good quality of never
objecting to any difficulties to be overcome in order to add to their
stock of knowledge or experiences.
During their travels in France and Italy, their pleasure was greatly
enhanced by the kind attention they received at the hands of their
friends, especially in Paris, where Mr Solomon de Rothschild and all
the members of the family vied with each other in their efforts to
make their stay as agreeable as possible.
At Lausanne, Mr Montefiore was very ill for three days with rheumatism
in the face and ear, but he soon recovered, and was able to continue
his journey. On August the 30th, after an absence of three months from
England, they returned and arrived safely at Dover.
On September 20th he is appointed treasurer to the "Beth Holim"
hospital of the Spanish and Portuguese Hebrew community.
_November 26th._--A private account is opened with Jones, Lloyd & Co.
and the Bank of England; on the 29th of the same month he dissolves
partnership with his brother Abraham, "God grant," he says, "it may
prove fortunate for us both."
1817 (5577 A.M.).--This was a year of riot in England; in spite of the
Royal proclamation against unlawful assemblages the riots increased;
the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, but the seditious meetings
continued. A motion in the House of Commons for reform had only
seventy-seven supporters, two hundred and sixty-six voting for its
rejection. Mr Montefiore, like most financiers in London, was in
constant anxiety, his state of health suffered, and it was desirable
for him to leave England again for change of climate.
He completes the purchase of Tinley Lodge farm on July 30th. On
October 7th he signs his will; and on the 13th of the same month,
accompanied by his wife and several of their relatives, sets out on
his second journey to France and Italy. On the road, he and Mrs
Montefiore resume their Hebrew studies. They visit Paris, Lyons,
Turin, Milan, and Carrara; the latter place being of special interest
to them on account of their meeting with persons who had been
connected in business transactions with Mr Montefiore's father.
1818 (5578 A.M.).--They arrive on the 1st of January at Leghorn, and
meet several members of their family. They visit the house where Mr
Montefiore was born, and are welcomed there by Mr Isaac Piccioto, who
occupied the house at that time; they proceed thence to the burial
ground to see the tomb of their uncle Racah, and on the following day
leave for Pisa.
There they visit the house and garden of the said uncle Racah, Mr
Montefiore observing, that it is a good garden, but a small house;
thence they continue their journey to Sienna.
"I had a dispute," he says, "with the postmaster at a place called
Bobzena, and was compelled to go to the Governor, who sent with me two
gendarmes to settle the affair." "The road to Viterbo," he observes,
"I found very dangerous; the country terribly dreary, wild and
mountainous, with terrific caverns and great forests."
"On the 15th of January," he continues, "we became greatly alarmed by
the vicinity of robbers on the road, and I had to walk upwards of
seven miles behind the carriage until we arrived at Rome, whither we
had been escorted by two gendarmes."
"In Rome," he says, "we saw this time in the Church of St John, the
gate of bronze said to be that of the temple of Jerusalem; we also
revisited the workshop of Canova, his studio, and saw all that a
traveller could possibly see when under the guidance of a clever
cicerone.
"We left Rome on the 11th of February, and passed a man lying dead on
the road; he had been murdered in the night. This incident damped our
spirits and rendered the journey, which would otherwise have been
delightful, rather _triste_."
On the 3rd of April they arrive at Frankfort-on-the-Main; in May they
are again in London, and on the 13st inst., Mr Montefiore, dismissing
from his mind (for the time) all impressions of gay France and smiling
Italy, is to be found in the house of mourning, expressing his
sympathy with the bereaved, and rendering comfort by the material help
which he offers in the hour of need.
It is in the house of a devoted minister of his congregation, the Rev.
Hazan Shalom, that we find him now performing the duties of a
Lavadore, preparing the dead for its last resting-place.
The pleasures of his last journey, and the change of scene and climate
appear to have greatly invigorated him, for we find him on another
mournful occasion, exhibiting a degree of physical strength such as is
seldom met with.
His mother-in-law having been taken ill on Saturday, the 14th of
November, he went on foot from Smithembottom to Town, a walk of five
hours, in order to avoid breaking one of the commandments, by riding
in a carriage on the Sabbath. Unfortunately on his arrival, he found
she had already expired. Prompted by religious fervour and attachment
to the family, he attended during the first seven days the house of
mourning, where all the relatives of the deceased assembled, morning
and evening, for devotional exercises, and, with a view of devoting
the rest of the day to the furtherance of some good cause, he remained
in the city to be present at all the meetings of the representatives
of his community.
In the month of December he went down to Brighton to intercede with
General Bloomfield for three convicts. (The particulars of the case
are not given in the diary), and on his return he resumed his usual
financial pursuits.
1818 (5579 A.M.). He is elected President of the Spanish and
Portuguese congregation. "I am resolved," he says, "to serve the
office unbiassed, and to the best of my conscience." Mr Montefiore
keeps his word faithfully, for he attends punctually all the meetings
of the elders; and, on several occasions, goes about in a post-chaise
to collect from his friends and acquaintances contributions towards
the fund required for the hospital "Beth Holim" of his community.
This was the year in which the political crisis came, when public
meetings, in favour of Parliamentary reform were held everywhere, and
Parliament passed six Acts restricting public liberty. In the midst of
these troubles, on the 24th of May, the Princess Victoria, daughter of
the Duke of Kent, the fourth son of the king, was born at Kensington
Palace.
1820 (5580 A.M.). The Diary opens this year with observations on the
life of man, and with a view of affording the reader an opportunity of
reflecting on Mr Montefiore's character, I append a record of his
pursuits such as we seldom meet with in a man in the prime of life, at
the age of 30.
In full enjoyment of health, wealth, and every pleasure a man could
possibly desire, he thus writes on the first page:--
"He who builds his hopes in the air of men's fair looks,
Lives like a drunken sailor on the mast,
Ready with every nod to tumble down
Into the fatal bowels of the deep.
"With moderate blessings be content,
Nor idly grasp at every shade,
Peace, competence, a life well spent,
Are blessings that can never fade;
And he that weakly sighs for more
Augments his misery, not his store."