CHAPTER XXIX.
1869.
THE PRINCE OF WALES AND SIR MOSES—CONSECRATION OF JUDITH COLLEGE—NAPOLEON III. A PRISONER OF WAR—SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST THE JEWS OF DAMASCUS IN THE TIMES NEWSPAPER—SIR MOSES' ANSWER—DEATH OF SIR MOSES' SISTER, MRS GOMPERTZ.
ON January 1, 1869, Sir Moses was in Rome, and on March 4th at San Remo. There Sir Moses and Mrs Gompertz were preserved from a serious accident. They had been traversing the sides of very steep mountains, and after entering French territory commenced a long drive down the hills. Sir Moses had cautioned the driver to go "piano, piano," more than once, as he felt very nervous, but when they had nearly reached the level road, not far from the French Custom-house, a great rut in the road broke the hind wheel of their carriage, and they were thrown with a great jerk on the side. At first Sir Moses thought they were in a ditch, but "Heaven did not expose them," he says, "to such a misfortune." The coachman pulled up, and they were soon released from a perilous situation.
A few minutes after the accident a very neat open carriage arrived at the spot. The occupant, a lady, alighted, and most kindly and courteously obliged Sir Moses and his sister to enter her carriage. "She was only taking a drive," she said, "and they must go to Mentone in it;" which they did, and were most thankful to her for her kindness to them.
That lady was a Mrs Coste. "I shall never forget her kindness," Sir Moses observes.
It may truly be said that the frequent rescues from perilous positions with which Providence favoured Sir Moses recalls part of a verse in which Solomon says (Prov. xxiv. 16), "A just man falleth seven times, and rises up again."
Sir Moses returned home on March the 10th, the change of climate appearing to have much improved his health, and he was again able to attend to his occupations.
Having noticed in the daily papers a report of great distress among the peasants in Russia, he called (April 14th) on Baron Brunnow, requesting him to forward a letter from him to Prince Obelesko, the Governor of Kowno, in Russian Poland, with £100 for the sufferers of all religious denominations. His Excellency most cheerfully expressed his willingness to accede to his request to distribute this sum. The Governor of Kowno, in acknowledging the receipt of this donation, conveyed to Sir Moses the special thanks of the Emperor himself in most gracious terms.
May 31st.—This being the day appointed for the annual inspection of St Bartholomew's Hospital by the Governors, the Prince of Wales, as President of the Hospital, and the Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Crown Prince of Denmark, paid a visit to the Institution, and took part in the ceremony. The Governors mustered in unusual number on the occasion.
The Times, giving a full account of the ceremony, and the reception of the Royal party, notices that "during their tour of the wards the Prince recognized the venerable Sir Moses Montefiore among the company, and paused to present him to the Princess."