Mr. Alderman Fitzdavid would tell them. Honesty was better, and straightforward dealing, and liberality. Why had the word Jew become synonymous—
A Voice. Eh? vot. There's a proud vord. Dictionary, s'elp me! Aint he ambitious? Synonnymouth! Lor!
Mr. Alderman Fitzdavid. Synonymous with—he would not say cheat, but with a sharp practitioner, in the mouths of their Christian fellow-subjects?
A Voice. All prejudith, my dear; all blinded prejudith, whereof it behoves them to be ashamed. (The speaker was here removed by Policeman C 146, in order to an arbitration in regard to a gold snuff-box just annexed by the former.)
Baron Ingots said that he was urgent to remove this reproach from Israel. He looked to education as the remedy, but then the Jews had already ample provision of well-conducted schools. There was something wanting besides mere book-learning.
The Rev. Rabbi Haphtorah would not preach to them, but he, in common with all who endeavoured to do good by instruction, felt painfully that the spirit of modern Jewism counteracted the effect of the noble Hebrew rules of life. What was the use of his proclaiming "Covet not," when the lesson of every day was "Covet everything, and get as much of it as you can."
A Voice. The Christians as talks is so much better, isn't them?
Sir A. Montechristo. That was no answer. Besides he was bound to admit that there was a large portion, though only a portion, of the Christians, who did look to better things than mere gain. It was a disgrace to the English Jews, considering their limited number and great advantages, that they did not present a practical refutation of the charges of their enemies.
A Voice. Hear him! Vy, he could buy up streets full of Christians as easy as I'd buy a net of oranges. (Blandly.) D'ye happen to vant any fine oranges, Sir Hairon? Proud to vait upon yer at yer ouse—knows it vell. Not a Lord in the land—not the Dukey Vellintons himself has got a finer. Now.
Professor Bereshith dwelt with much earnestness upon the contemptible character of the greedy and avaricious man, and upon his inevitably low station in the scale of society; but his speech was interrupted by Mrs. Behemoth, who insisted on forcing her way to the chairman, in order to get him to buy a ring which had come into her hands rather promiscuous, and was just fit for his finger. The horrible clamour which the energetic matron made, on being put forth from the meeting, tended to bring matters to a conclusion. Other speeches were delivered, in which the Hebrew gentlemen expressed their sincere desire to improve the condition of their humbler brethren, but the latter did not seem very grateful or much inclined to co-operate. A resolution of thanks to Punch, and of hope that he would continue his exertions for and among the Jews was carried, and the meeting was broken up.