clares that, after the arrival of the canoe without an outrigger, e vaa taura ore, a canoe or vessel without ropes or cordage, shall come among them. What idea Maui designed to convey by this declaration, it is perhaps not easy to ascertain; but the people say, it is next to impossible that the masts should be sustained, the sails attached, or the vessel worked, without ropes or cordage. They say, however, that one prediction respecting the vessels has been accomplished, but that the other remains to be realized. I have often thought, when contemplating the little use of rigging on board our steam-vessels, that should a specimen of this modern invention ever reach the South Sea Islands, although the natives would not, perhaps, like the inhabitants of the banks of the Ganges, be ready to fall down and worship the wonderful exhibition of mechanical skill, they would be equally astonished at that power within itself by which it would be propelled, and would at once declare that the second prediction of Maui was accomplished, and the vessel without rigging or cordage had arrived.' Vol. II. p. 56.

It would be easy to multiply amusing citations from Mr. Ellis's volumes, but it cannot be necessary. Those which we have taken, do not relate to topics of the highest interest; for we could not conveniently enter upon the wide subject of the history and prospects of the Mission, for a satisfactory exposition of which we refer our readers with pleasure to the work itself. A portrait of Pomare is prefixed to the first volume, and there are some pleasing views of Polynesian scenery, besides numerous wood engravings representing the Tahitian idols, altars, utensils, musical instruments, &c. The present edition of these volumes is, we are happy to find, already exhausted. In the next, Mr. Ellis will have it in his power to introduce some material improvements: at all events, an Index should be added. The Tour in Hawaii might eventually be incorporated with these volumes, with advantage, under the same title. All who possess that interesting volume, will of course wish to possess Mr. Ellis's present work, for which, in the name of the Christian public, we tender him our best thanks. It is a most instructive and valuable record.

Art. IV. Brief Memoir of the Jews, in Relation to their Civil and Municipal Disabilities. By Apsley Pellatt. With an Appendix: containing the Jews' Petition to Oliver Cromwell; the Russian Ukase; and Ordinance of the King of Wurtemberg, affecting the Civil and Religious Liberty of the Hebrew Nation. 8vo. pp. 40. Price ls. London, 1829.

Is

'S it not a little singular, that while the restoration of the Jews to Palestine has excited so lively an interest in the minds of many pious and well-meaning members of the community, their actual condition in this country has been almost en

tirely overlooked? Although the best proof that could be given of a benevolent interest in their welfare, would be the endeavouring to promote their elevation to the common level of citizenship, by the repeal of those unjust laws or arbitrary customs which perpetuate their degradation. Seventy-six years have elapsed since a bill for the relief of the Jews from civil disabilities passed both houses of Parliament, and received the royal sanction, but was afterwards silently repealed, to satisfy the bigoted and fanatical clamours of the nation. On that occasion, the Rev. Mr. Romaine signalised himself by a zeal that was certainly not according to knowledge, nor at all consonant with the spirit of Christianity. That pious but narrow-minded and eccentric man went so far as to oppose their naturalization under any circumstances, on much the same grounds that were taken, in the middle ages, for consigning them to the stake or mulcting them of their property. The Jews', he said, 'murdered 'Christ, and would murder us if they had power; they blasphemed Christ and his religion, so that they are murderers and blasphemers convict. And who ever heard of a natural 'born murderer or a natural born blasphemer?' He argued, that their oath could not be binding, for they worshipped a false God; and charged them with frequently crucifying Christian 'children on Good Friday, in contempt and mockery of Christ's 'crucifixion'. It is mortifying to think that such outrageous absurdities should have proceeded from a Protestant clergyman in the eighteenth century; and still more, that a vulgar hue and cry thus raised, should have overborne the decision of the Legislature. Other persons prognosticated that, if the bill passed, the Jews would multiply so fast, engross so much wealth, and acquire such predominance in Great Britain, that Judaism would become the fashionable religion of the English!

That measure, which facilitated the naturalization of the Jews, was, at the time, the most liberal boon that could be bestowed, the greater part of the Jews then resident in England being foreigners. The case is now, however, Mr. Pellatt remarks, widely different. Of the 25,000 Jews domiciled in 'Great Britain, the majority are British-born subjects, and do 'not require naturalization; they have therefore less to ask of 'the legislature, than of the City of London'.

The immediate object of Mr. Pellatt's pamphlet is to advocate the extension of municipal rights to native-born Jews. It seems that while in Bristol, Exeter, Liverpool, Norwich, and other great towns, Jews can trade freely without molestation; in London, they lie under the most invidious and annoying disabilities. Things are not carried quite so far, indeed, as they were formerly, when the Bank of England systematically refused to discount a Jew's bill, and even rejected a bill with a Jewish

' endorsement.' But Mr. Pellatt mentions a curious fact, indicating the illiberal spirit which has been manifested towards the Jews. In many of the leases held under the corporation, it is expressly prohibited that any Jew should occupy their houses, 'particularly the new houses in the vicinity of Finsbury Square.' This clause may possibly, he thinks, have originated not with the city authorities, but with those who rent the land under the corporation. It may be, that it was feared the gentility of the neighbourhood would be impaired, and the value of the property depreciated, were Jews to intrude themselves into it; just as a square at the court end of the town becomes infected with plebeianism, and loses its attractions to persons of high caste, as soon as a rich stock-broker or two become its inhabitants. The municipal disabilities under which Jews lie in the city, are of a more serious description. No Jew can be a freeman, and only twelve Jews can be brokers. The consequence of the latter arbitrary regulation is, that enormous sums have, from time immemorial, been extorted from the Jew brokers as the price of this privilege.

As much as 15001. has been paid for a broker's medal; and a system of disgraceful jobbing has been the consequence; a Lord Mayor and four Aldermen next in succession to the chair, having formerly conspired to raise the customary fee for transferring a broker's medal from 100 to 500l., in which they succeeded.

In the few instances in which Jews have taken retail shops in the city, they have been harassed by repeated processes from the Lord Mayor's Court Office, and at length obliged to quit their houses, perhaps at a sacrifice, on payment of legal costs. Many landlords have been injured by Jew occupants giving them notice to quit, in consequence of the operation of the Wholesale Dealers' Committee. Such has been the prejudice against Jews, that the Court of Aldermen formerly passed the following Bye-law (which has been recently rescinded): "That it is the opinion of this Court, that it is neither politic nor advisable in this Corporation to admit baptized Jews into the freedom of this City, and that it be observed as a standing order." This unaccountable and impolitic Bye-law did not however extend to the offspring of the convert. On what ground then could the Sauls have been rejected so long, who were the sons of a converted Jew, had married Protestant wives of the Established Church of England, and brought up their children in the national Christian faith? In this case, the Court of Aldermen defended a mandamus, which the Sauls lost, on the ground that the City had a right to grant or refuse its freedom to any applicant; and they were put to the expense of 10847., after a delay of twelve or thirteen years, before they obtained concession of their rights, in which the Court of Common Council (which had frequently protested against the proceedings of the Aldermen) honourably assisted by its unanimous resolution in their favour. Other corporations have no doubt disabling laws, the legacy of the dark ages; but, on inquiry, it cannot be ascertained in any instance that they are enforced.'

VOL. II.-N.S.

pp. 26, 27. 3 H

We are not aware of any plea that can be advanced in favour of either the justice, necessity, or expediency of these intolerant enactments, which disgrace the Corporation of the metropolis ' of the world,' (as Mr. Pellatt styles our leviathan of cities, certainly with not less propriety than every Frenchman claims the same honour for his capital,) still more than they injure the Jews. By wisely confining the question to native-born Jews, Mr. Pellatt steers clear of any difficulties attaching to the subject of the alien laws. Native-born Jews may hold land in their own right, and enjoy every other privilege of native subjects, with the exception of eligibility to those offices which require a person to be sworn on the New Testament, or to make declaration upon the faith of a Christian. But, within the city of London, they cannot keep a retail shop, and are excluded from all civic privileges!

It was long supposed, that the metropolis of our Indian dominions was the only great capital in the world in which no Jews were to be found; and the current explanation was the standing joke, that the native shroff's would out-Jew any Jew, and that no Israelites stood a chance of competing with them. The fact is otherwise; there are a small number of Jews at Calcutta, although they have been lost in the mass of the Mohammedan population. We mention the circumstance to shew, how idle would be the fear, that the removal of municipal disabilities would give the Jews too great an ascendancy. Our Christian shroffs, our church-going brokers and dealers, would be more than a match for them. The Jews are attached to money, and with reason. Debarred from every other avenue of honourable ambition, they are shut up to the pursuit of mercantile wealth as their only means of raising themselves in society. On their possession of wealth depends so absolutely their power to enforce respect, or to exert any influence, a poor Jew is so despised, so helpless an outcast,that the very instinct of self-preservation comes in aid of every other motive to seek, with singleness of aim, the acquisition of the precious bane; and in no men can an inordinate attachment to wealth be regarded as so excusable, so venial an offence. Yet, the Jew can be munificent in his charities. They deal with their money liberally when they have it; and their policy, if not less selfish in its aim, is often more liberal in its spirit, being founded on longer and wider calculations, than that of many of their Christian competitors in the commercial world. With regard to the vulgar opprobrium which makes the name of Jew synonymous with a cheat, it either rests upon an acquaintance exclusively with the lower classes of Jews in this country, who, as they never beg*, and seldom steal, may be

* The suspicion of roguery under which the poor Jews bring them

pardoned if they sometimes over-reach; or it springs merely from the inveterate prejudice with which they are regarded. But the Jew may console himself, that the same bad reputation which attaches to his name in this respect, is not with less reason borne by other commercial nations. The Levantine Greek, the Armenian, the Hindoo, the Chinese, the American Yankee, are all charged with this characteristic of Judaism; and it is difficult to say, if we trust to the reports of those who have had to do with them, which deserve the pre-eminence in the arts of cheating, which are the greatest Jews.' We have, indeed, heard it maintained, by a gentleman who had had dealings with most of these nations, that John Bull was quite able to take his own part with any of them, if not himself the greatest rogue. But this, of course, we do not believe.

The truth is, that, all over the world, the word Jew is an indefinite synonym for any thing bad; its specific meaning varying in different countries, according as the object of supreme national abhorrence is different. In Spain, Jew would mean heretic; in Turkey, an ass, or a slave; in England, a cheat. Captain Beechey, if we recollect right, explains the name of a place in Barbary called Yehoodi, by stating, that the only water there is bad and stinking. Now, in this commercial country, naturally enough, roguery is held in more abhorrence than either heresy or uncleanness; and on this account, the national feeling of contempt for the Jews, has taken this shape: good man in the city means a safe man, and the word Jew means a bad man, which is the same with us as a cheat. In Spain, the Jews have been burned as heretics. In England, in the reign of Edward I., they were hanged as coiners. Good Mr. Romaine was for proceeding against them, indeed, as murderers and blasphemers, in the true spirit of the Holy Office. But in the City of London, they think it enough to fine them as aliens, or the sons of aliens,-a sort of outlaws. In Mohammedan countries, they only beat the Jews, which is not quite so bad as burning them, but indicates the same feeling; while the Greeks hate them next to Roman Catholics, and from Russia they have recently been chased as vagabonds. Unhappily,' says Mr. Pellatt, the Jews are still persecuted in various parts of Eu

rope.

selves, by taking for their articles less than they at first demand, and less than their actual cost, is often very unfounded. The fact, we understand, is, that they are set up with their little store by rich Jews, and can therefore afford to lose upon their articles, better than they can to lose the sale. It is by this means mendicity is prevented among them.