"I can never forget the courtesy evinced by the lamented Prince when I had the honour of being both at Osborne and Windsor."
December 31st.—Lady Montefiore had a most restless night, and her state of health appeared so unfavourable to Sir Moses that he could not make up his mind to leave her, though he felt a great desire to attend a meeting at the Alliance Marine, where he had to propose to the shareholders some important measures for the benefit of the company.
Lady Montefiore, ever anxious to see him accomplish his intentions, advised him to go, and he, though with much pain and great hesitation, went to town. In the evening, in reply to a telegram he sent to Ramsgate, he had the happiness of being informed that Lady Montefiore was much better and more comfortable, and would be happy to see him on the morrow.
In token of gratitude to heaven for this good news, and the accomplishment of the object he had in view by attending the meetings, he terminated the civil year by making generous presents to several persons in need of help, and giving to one of them £500 to enable him to establish himself in business.
Lady Montefiore's great weakness continued to cause great anxiety at the beginning of 1862. Frequent consultations of her medical attendants often alarmed Sir Moses, and deep sorrow clouded his mind. Nevertheless, at her frequent and urgent requests, not to discontinue attending to his usual pursuits on her account, he went to town whenever he thought his presence there might help some good cause.
January 14th.—Sir Moses attended a large meeting in the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House, to propose a Memorial to the late Prince Consort. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe was present. A committee was appointed to carry the proposal into effect. Sir Moses gave, in his and Lady Montefiore's name, £52, 10s. as a contribution towards the amount required. Subsequently he attended a meeting of the Board of Deputies, where Alderman Phillips presented a letter of apology from Messrs Chambers, the editors and publishers of "Chambers's Journal," for having published, on the 14th of September 1861, a tale entitled "The Mystery of Metz," calculated to leave on the mind of the reader a most erroneous impression regarding the religious ceremonials of the Jewish people, thus bringing an unpleasant matter to a happy conclusion.[4]
February 24th.—General Chesney and Sir John McNeil called on him at the Alliance, and requested him to be the chairman of the proposed railway between Jaffa and Jerusalem, which he declined. He consented, however, to his name being added to the scheme as a patron.
February 25th.—Attended a meeting of the Syrian Improvement Committee, Lord Clanricarde, Sir Culling Eardly, Mr Freeland, and several other members being present. They agreed to give £300 towards the building of an hospital at Beyrout, by the order of St John, under the Prussian Government, and £50 for the translation into Arabic of some useful instructions, to be inserted in the newspaper published at Beyrout. Lord Clanricarde and Mr Freeland were to inquire into the practicability of making an artesian well at Jerusalem. The fund still left that day at the disposal of the Committee was about £2700.
Footnotes
[4] The Daily News, Thursday, 31st October 1861,
published an interesting letter on the subject, addressed to the
Editor by T. Theodores of Manchester.