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of the Jews makes him give a ready credence to all the absurd stories of the Middle Ages against them, even so far as to swallow Popish miracles, which under other circumstances he would have called anti-Christian; and he absolutely revels in describing cruelties which disgraced the perpetrators as much as they injured the victims. Prynne's arguments are folly, but his researches are profound; he however finds everything among the Jews abominable, even to "their base parsimony, industry and frugality."Quarterly Review, vol. xxxiii. 1827.

THE JEWS AND THE PRETENDER.

At the time of the proposed Naturalization Bill, in 1752 the town was flooded with pamphlets, pro and con, on this controverted measure. One argument, pressed by the friends of the Jews, is rather whimsical; they claimed, it seems, much merit for their exertions against Charles Edward, in 1745; and the answer this plea received from one of the most eager of their antagonists is, perhaps, worth copying, though little complimentary to any party :"Fifthly. A piece of political merit-they saved the State, if you may credit the apologist. When the constitution was in danger, in the year 1745, then the heroic Jews raised all Duke's Place; they mustered, they marched out, and took the field; they raised money, imported specie, filled the royal coffers, lent money on the land-tax, entered into associations and subscriptions, preserved our sinking credit, and saved the bank. All this the Jews did, which, when the ragged Highland crew heard at Derby, they fled from these intrepid Jews like so many frighted sheep from a troop of wolves, and never stopped until they received intelligence that the Jews' army was returned to its head quarters in Duke's Place."—Answer to a Pamphlet entitled, Considerations on a Bill, etc., reprinted by the Citizens of London.

APTITUDE FOR MUSIC.

It is remarkable that the great susceptibility and fondness for music, which the ancient Hebrews evidently possessed, have been preserved by the race until the present day. Many of our distinguished musical composers, as well as virtuosi, are Jews, or of Jewish origin. It would be easy to make out a long list of them, but I shall mention only three celebrated composers-Halévy, Meyerbeer, and Mendelssohn. The Jews, it must be remembered, are limited in their choice of occupation for gaining a subsistence by their religious laws, as well as in many countries by civil laws. This may in a great measure account for their so often choosing the art of music as a profession and means of livelihood. Their innate delight and perseverance in carrying out any fixed plan, would not be sufficient for their attainment of those accomplishments in music, by which they often distinguish themselves, did they not also possess extraordinary talents for this art. Some of them exhibit in their compositions, peculiarities which remind us of the Synagogue. This is, in my opinion, also the case in the music of Mendelssohn, who, though a Christian, was of Hebrew origin. These peculiarities are more easily felt than described; they consist especially in the employment and frequent repetition of short melodious phrases, and passages of a peculiar rhythmical effect, especially in minor; and of a certain monotony, which Mendelssohn, however, knew how to render highly interesting by a skilful harmony. -ENGEL. Music of Ancient Nations.

SHORTENING PRAYERS.

In India there is a sect that includes in its religious belief a very strange idea. They assert, that God commands an angel to gather up on this earth the passages of

prayers and orisons which mortals have skipped with the intention of shortening their prayers. Were this tradition real, and applicable to the people of Israel, what a harvest of shortened passages would he not glean in our temples, where, in consequence of the length of certain prayers, the faithful so negligently fulfil their pious exercises.-Archives Israelites, tome ii.

PERSECUTION IN GERMANY.

A circumstance equally extraordinary and disgraceful in the annals of modern Germany, was the persecution, of which the Jews were the victims, during the year 1819. The motive of the injuries inflicted on this unfortunate people is somewhat obscure, but it seems to have been some sentiment more akin to political or commercial jealousy than to the ancient religious antipathy.

The condition of the Jews in Germany had received the most important amelioration within the last twenty years. Buonaparté (sic) on entering Germany, had effaced the ancient stigma impressed upon this race, by declaring them citizens and members of society. Yet during the then recent war, hoping to obtain from the legitimate sovereign of Germany a confirmation of the privileges thus granted them, the Jews had freely offered their fortunes, and even their lives, for the defence of their country, and in return had obtained strong testimonies of approbation from several of the allied Powers; and from the King of Prussia the rights of citizens, with eligibility to all offices. These acquisitions of civil privileges, when combined with their extensive command of capital, enabled the Jews in some commercial towns to assume a port, which some of their Christian neighbours considered as presumptuous and offensive. A cry was raised against them, and but for the powerful and prompt protection extended by the German

sovereigns, the fury of the people would have quenched itself in their blood.-Annual Register, vol. lx.

ANIMOSITY AT LUBEC.

The Senate of the free town of Lubec had been the first to mark its animosity against the people, by re-enforcing an edict of 1788, forbidding all strangers to carry on commerce of any kind within that city, a prohibition which is said to have been followed up with regard to the Jews by measures of great harshness and insult. The police officers were ordered to search all Jews openly in the streets, and to burst open their houses, and take possession of their property, sealing up even the common necessaries of life. The Senate further decreed, that any person acting for, or in any shape transacting business with a Jew, should for the first offence be fined; and for the second, should be further visited with imprisonment and loss of citizenship, and that any clerk, porter or menial servant living with a Jew should be imprisoned and expelled the town.-Ibid.

SIMILARITY OF THE ARABIC.

Aben Ezra observes, in commenting on Exodus xii. 9

The Arabic language has * רוב לשון ערבי דומה ללשון עברית

a great similarity with the Hebrew.”

PROHIBITION OF USURY.

The prohibition of usury among the Jews, in their own mutual transactions, while they were permitted to take a premium for the money which they lent to strangers, was in perfect consistency with the other principles of their political code; commerce being interdicted, as leading to intercourse with idolaters; and mortgages prevented by the indefeasible right which every man had to his lands.DUGALD STEWART. Philosophy.

YOUNG MEYERBEER.

Les Archives Israelites (Jan. 7, 1862), cites from Die Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums, a piquant anecdote, which, as the editor observes, proves how much prejudice had influence even among minds of a cultivated nature. This phenomenon, so astonishing to the present times, demonstrates also what pains must have been taken to uproot it. Among the friends of the family of Beer, of Berlin (of which the celebrated Meyerbeer was a member), one of its most assiduous guests, was the composer Weber. He had given lessons to young Meyerbeer, and he often made applications, which were not always without fruitful results, to the purse of his pupil's father. When the young German maëstro resolved to make his first journey into Italy, he asked Weber for a letter of introduction to the manager of the theatre, the "Fenice" at Venice; this he easily obtained, and departed. But he had no necessity to use it. A long while after, when all Italy had given a brilliant reception to the young composer's Crociato, he accidentally lighted on Weber's letter, and curiosity led him to open it. What there did he read ? "The bearer of this letter, son of a rich Jew, has studied music with some success. That the Jews, in their insatiable desire for control (jouissance) were not contented with the sceptre of the exchange, but that they wished also to reign in the sphere of art, and to usurp the staff of the leader of the orchestra; consequently that the Venetian manager need not do anything to smoothen the road for the young Jew."

The composer hastened to send this letter to his mother, Madame Amelia Beer, who simply caused it to be placed under the napkin of this "friend of the family," the first time that he came to dine with them. The confusion of Weber may be well imagined.-Archives Israelites, vol. xxiii. p. 48.

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