October 31st.—"My dear sister," he says, "looks calm and happy, free from all pain. God rest her soul! The coffin had a covering of a neatly-made glass." "My sister," he continues, "desired to be clothed in the gown and cap I gave her as a present on the New Year.
"November 4th.—Her mortal remains were taken to the grave this morning. There was a very numerous attendance of friends. I was too weak to follow to the grave."
During the seven days of mourning he received a great many visits of condolence. He sometimes felt poorly, had a cough, and his hand was unsteady for writing, but, "Thanks to the God of our fathers," he says, "My head is clear." "May God's blessing continue to me now and evermore. Amen."
November 27th.—The entry in his Diary reads as follows:—"I feel very weak and low, but have had great pleasure to-day by the receipt of a most kind and pleasing letter from His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, written last evening immediately on his return from a visit with Mrs Tait and their family to my dear Judith College, where they had passed more than two hours.
"Believing the perusal of the letter would be pleasing to our esteemed Chief Rabbi, I have sent it to him."
The following is a copy of this letter:—
"Stonehouse, St Peter's, Thanet,
November 26, 1873.
"My dear Sir Moses,—I have just now returned from a most interesting visit with Mrs Tait and all my family to the College near your house. I must write a few lines to thank you for your kindness in arranging for our reception. Dr Loewe was most kind in explaining to us all the various objects of interest and treasures accumulated in the College.
"I beg to thank you for the kind presents of the report on the famine in Persia, of the statutes of the College, and of a copy of the Shah's letter.
"It is a cause of much regret to us that you should have suffered the affliction which has lately visited you, and which has prevented us from seeing you during our stay here. My son especially was most anxious to express to you personally how much he feels indebted for the letters of introduction with which you furnished him for his late visit to the East.
"Trusting that God may long preserve your life, and that He may keep you and guide you in all your ways.—I am, my dear Sir Moses, very faithfully yours,
"A. C. Cantuar."
Whilst His Grace was proposing and drinking the health of Sir Moses in the College, and the latter at East Cliff was expressing his gratification at the visit of the Archbishop to the College, the people in Ramsgate were lamenting the supposed sudden death of Sir Moses. Indeed, The Kent Coast Times, Thursday, November 27, 1873, had a paragraph to that effect. Sir Moses, on being told of it, and having subsequently read that paragraph himself, said, pleasantly, "Thank God to have been able to hear of the rumour, and read an account of the same with my own eyes, without using spectacles."
April 16th.—The representatives of the several Hebrew congregations in Jerusalem addressed a sorrowful letter to Sir Moses respecting a famine which threatened to destroy the lives of many inhabitants in the Holy City.