One of the features of high society after the long war was a passion
for gambling; so universal was it that there are few families of
distinction who do not even to the present day retain unpleasant
reminiscences of the period. When people become systematic players,
they are often obliged to raise money at an exorbitant interest, and
usually under such circumstances fly to the Israelites. I have often
heard players wish these people in almost every uncomfortable quarter
of the known and unknown worlds. The mildness and civility with which
the Christian in difficulties always addresses the moneyed Israelite,
contrast forcibly with the opprobrious epithets lavished on him when
the day for settlement comes. When a man requires money to pay his
debts of honour, and borrows from the Jews, he knows perfectly well
what he is doing; though one of the last things which foolish people
learn is how to trace their own errors to their proper source. Hebrew
money-lenders could not thrive if there were no borrowers: the gambler
brings about his own ruin. The characteristics of the Jew are never
more perceptible than when they come in contact with gentlemen to ruin
them. On such occasions, the Jew is humble, supercilious, blunderingly
flattering; and if he can become the agent of any dirty work, is only
too happy to be so, in preference to a straightforward and honest
transaction. No man is more vulgarly insulting to those dependent upon
him than the Jew, who invariably cringes to his superiors; above all,
he is not a brave man. It will be seen, from these observations, what
is my opinion of a class of traders who in all parts of the world are
sure to embrace what may be termed illicit and illegitimate commerce.
At the same time, I suspect that the Jew simply avails himself of the
weakness and vices of mankind, and will continue in this line of
business so long as imprudent and extravagant humanity remains what it
is.
Two usurers, who obtained much notoriety from the high game which was
brought to them, were men known by the names of Jew King and Solomon.
These were of very different characters: King was a man of some talent,
and had good taste in the fine arts. He had made the peerage a
complete study, knew the exact position of everyone who was connected
with a coronet, the value of their property, how deeply the estates
were mortgaged, and what encumbrances weighed upon them. Nor did his
knowledge stop there: by dint of sundry kind attentions to the clerks
of the leading banking-houses, he was aware of the balances they kept;
and the credit attached to their names; so that, to the surprise of the
borrower, he let him into the secrets of his own actual position. He
gave excellent dinners, at which many of the highest personages of the
realm were present; and when they fancied that they were about to meet
individuals whom it would be upon their conscience to recognize
elsewhere, were not a little amused to find clients quite as highly
placed as themselves, and with purses quite as empty. King had a
well-appointed house in Clarges Street; but it was in a villa upon the
banks of the Thames, which had been beautifully fitted up by Walsh
Porter in the Oriental style, and which I believe is now the seat of
one of the most favoured votaries of the Muses, Sir Edward Bulwer
Lytton, that his hospitalities were most lavishly and luxuriously
exercised. Here it was that Sheridan told his host that he liked his
table better than his multiplication table; to which his host, who was
not only witty, but often the cause of wit in others, replied, "I know,
Mr. Sheridan: your taste is more for Jo-king than for Jew King,"
alluding to King, the actor's admirable performance in Sheridan's
School for Scandal.
King kept a princely establishment, and a splendid equipage which he
made to serve as an advertisement of his calling. A yellow carriage,
with panels emblazoned with a well-executed shield and armorial
bearings, and drawn by two richly-caparisoned steeds, the Jehu on the
box wearing, according to the fashion of those days, a coat of many
capes, a powdered wig, and gloves a l'Henri Quatre, and two spruce
footmen in striking but not gaudy livery, with long canes in their
hands, daily made its appearance in the Park from four to seven in the
height of the season. Mrs. King was a fine-looking woman, and being
dressed in the height of fashion, she attracted innumerable gazers, who
pronounced the whole turn-out to be a work of refined taste, and worthy
a man of "so much principal and interest."
It happened that during one of these drives, Lord William L., a man of
fashion, but, like other of the great men of the day, an issuer of
paper money discounted at high rates by the usurers, was thrown off his
horse. Mr. and Mrs. King immediately quitted the carriage and placed
the noble lord within. On this circumstance being mentioned in the
clubs, Brummell observed it was only "a Bill Jewly (duly) taken up and
honoured."
Solomon indulged in many aliases, being known by the names of
Goldsched, Slowman, as well as by other noms de guerre; and he was
altogether of a different cast from King, being avaricious,
distrustful, and difficult to deal with. He counted upon his gains
with all the grasping feverishness of the miser; and owing to his great
caution he had an immense command of money, which the confidence of his
brethren placed in his hands. To the jewellers, the coachmakers, and
the tailors, who were obliged to give exorbitant accommodation to their
aristocratic customers, and were eventually paid in bills of an
incredibly long date, Solomon was of inestimable use. Hamlet,
Houlditch, and other dependants upon the nobility, were often compelled
to seek his assistance.
Hamlet, the jeweller, was once looked up to as the richest tradesman at
the West End. His shop at the corner of Cranbourne Alley exhibited a
profuse display of gold and silver plate, whilst in the jewel room
sparkled diamonds, amethysts, rubies, and other precious stones, in
every variety of setting. He was constantly called on to advance money
upon such objects, which were left in pawn only to be taken out on the
occasion of a great banquet, or when a court dress was to be worn. His
gains were enormous, though it was necessary to give long credit; and
his bills for twenty or thirty thousand pounds were eagerly discounted.
In fact, he was looked upon as a second Croesus, or a Crassus, who
could have bought the Roman empire; and his daughter's hand was sought
in marriage by peers. But all at once the mighty bubble collapsed. He
had advanced money to the Duke of York, and had received as security
property in Nova Scotia, consisting chiefly of mines, which, when he
began to work them, turned out valueless, after entailing enormous
expense. Loss upon loss succeeded, and in the end bankruptcy. I have
even heard that this man, once so envied for his wealth, died the
inmate of an almshouse.
Some persons of rank, tempted by the offers of these usurers, lent
their money to them at a very high interest. A lady of some position
lent a thousand pounds to King, on the promise of receiving annually 15
per cent.; which he continued to pay with the utmost regularity. Her
son being in want of money applied for a loan of a thousand pounds,
which King granted at the rate of 80 per cent.; lending him of course
his mother's money. In a moment of tenderness the young man told his
tale to her, when she immediately went to King and upbraided him for
not making her a party to his gains, and demanded her money back. King
refused to return it, saying that he had never engaged to return the
principal; and dared her to take any proceedings against him, as, being
a married woman, she had no power over the money. She, however,
acknowledged it to her husband, obtained his forgiveness, and after
threats of legal interference, King was compelled to refund the money,
besides losing much of his credit and popularity by the transaction.