to the Government, and under pretext of raising this sum, a tax called kosher* was imposed in 1810 on all meat consumed by the Jews. This odious and vexatious tax, which weighs most heavily on the poor, is farmed out every year (for the Russian government most unjustly continues the tax, though the exemption from military service, for which it was a commutation, has been withdrawn) to the highest bidder; and it is but too often Jewish speculators who come forward to bid, in the hope of enriching themselves by the oppression of their brethren. However, the extraordinary tenacity and perseverance of the Hebrew character has frequently been exhibited in resistance to this tax, whole communities having for six months together abstained from eating meat, thus reducing to bankruptcy the heartless farmer of the tax. At the same time that this tax was imposed, the right of keeping taverns or public-houses in the villages, was withdrawn from the Jews, and a great number of families thus reduced to a state of perfect destitution. The treaty of Vienna brought a new change in the state of Poland. Again a charter was given ensuring the rights of the citizens, Jewish as well as others, and again the people were delivered over to arbitrary rule, and this time to that of a capricious and tyrannical despot; for, while the Emperor Alexander at St. Petersburg planned benevolent reforms for Poland, the Grand Duke Constantine, nominated commander-in-chief in the kingdom, was grinding the people under his heel. The burdensome taxes and restrictions weighing on the Jews were not relieved, while the prohibitive commercial system of Russia further injured them in their trading relations. Some sought relief in smuggling, in spite of the heavy penalties attending detection. This led to the establishment of a regular system of extortion, having for its object to despoil the rich Jews for the benefit of their denouncers, who shared their gains with General Rozniecki, the Chief of the Secret Police. The word of a single spy was sufficient to cause the incarceration of the most respectable citizen, and whether in nocent or guilty, there was no escape from such captivity except through means of a golden key. The poor Jews, against whom no political plottings could possibly be invented, were made to follow their Polish fellow-citizens to Siberia, under pretext of being guilty of smuggling. At this time also (1823) the Jews were again forced to separate from the *The word kosher signifies permitted food. other citizens, and to tal distinct quarters of the to whole, their condition be ble than ever. An incident, closely co bitrary measure, from particular, suffered very to show how constitution understood by the Russian Monopoly in the distillati and beer was suddenly Minister of Finance, Lube being, however, restricted price of the two commodi mously in Warsaw, an cities, as compared with lages; and many poor Je deprived of every honest ence, were induced to st the towns, though many conflict with the customlength the citizens of Wa selves great sufferers by of the two necessary arti tition to the Emperor, co respectful terms, but rep introduction of this monop of the rights guaranteed to by the charter. The day had been sent in to the g Warsaw, the six respecta names stood first among t dragged from their home open square in the city, cart earth in wheelbarr malefactors, in the preser concourse of people, who found and melancholy si sufferers on this occasion man with silver hair, was had served as captain un whose son has distinguish the Polish emigrants in ous efforts in behalf of Among the means resorte for extorting money from threats of displacing their pulling down their synago happy people, already red vations, imposed long and themselves in order to quired to bribe the autho these plans. So great spired by the Grand-Duk it has been observed, that ite at that time ventured religionists abroad of the they were subjected to in One only of Alexande one of indescribable hardship and privation. He is badly fed, badly paid, badly housed, and ill-treated by his superiors from the ser wise measures in favor of Jewish reform was For the Emperor Nicholas was reserved the distinction of levelling against his Jewish subjects the most cruel blow which has ever yet fallen upon this much-oppressed people. Shortly after his accession, being desirous of creating a powerful navy, and being advised that the Jews, hitherto exempt from military service, possessed peculiar aptitude for naval service by the stroke of a pen he caused 30,000 children to be torn from the arms of their parents and transported to the coasts of the Black Sea during a most rigorous season. Many perished on the road, others succumbed to the cruel discipline of the Russian navy; and, if we are to believe the Jewish archives, a few years afterwards there remained only 10,000 young men alive of this first levy of Israelites. From one point of view the military service imposed upon his Jewish subjects by the Emperor Nicholas may be considered a step in advance, as it places them on an equal footing with the Christians, and as such it is indeed represented; but we must not forget that this equalization as to burdens has not been accompanied by any equalization as to rights, and that the Jews continue to be excluded from serving the country in any other capacity, and to be burdened with many exceptional imposts. But should the Tzar ever sincerely desire to place the Jews on a level with his Christian subjects of the same rank, he would only be making them the equals of serfs and slaves. However, the sufferings the Jews are exposed to by being subject to military conscription are also of an exceptional character. By far the greater number of the Jews born in the Polish provinces do not understand the Polish language, and much less the Russian; the position of to this the Jewish soldier has to bear the hatred and contempt of his comrades in arms, who look upon him with abhorrence as belonging to the race who crucified their God; and such being the case, it is no wonder that these unhappy creatures resort to the most desperate expedients to evade a service which is also most repugnant to their unwarlike tastes and habits. A few years ago, a sledge with ten corpses was brought into Wilna one morning they were the bodies of ten young Jews, who had preferred death from cold and hunger in the forest, to life among the barbarous Russian soldiers and officers. Such tragedies are of daily occurrence in Russia; but in 1843, a tragedy of a new character, and on a grander scale than had ever before been witnessed, was got up by order of the Emperor. In that year an ukase was published ordering all the Jews dwelling on the frontiers of Prussia and Austria to remove fifty wersts further into the interior; and thus a population of no less than 200,000 souls were suddenly uprooted from the soil on which their fathers had been established for many centuries, and cut off from their accustomed sources of livelihood. The Jews exerted themselves to the utmost to avert this dreadful calamity. They sent deputations to St. Petersburg to prove to the Government that not one in a thousand of them had been guilty of the smuggling which served as a pretext for this tyrannical measure; they offered to renounce entirely all participation in the frontier trade, or, if any of their members took part in it, to make all responsible for each; but the Emperor, who no doubt had ulterior objects in view, remained inflexible. Animated by the reforming spirit of his great ancestor, Nicholas has also declared war against the beards and caftans of the Jews, as Peter did against those of his Boyars. It is not, however, European civilization which Nicholas wishes to introduce, but that perfect uniformity which would render the power of his colossal empire more easy to wield. The idea of a wholesale conversion of the Jews is not either foreign to Nicholas, for he can not renounce the hope of embracing these too and a-half millions of his subjects also within the arms of the orthodox Russo-Greek Church, which are eventually, according to his plan, to encircle all the nations that dwell within the TUNIS. The streets of Tunis ar and dirty. It is impossible estimate of the number of itants, as the Mahommeda the numbering of the pe however, is large and over said to contain, exclusively of the false prophet, about Maltese, and a vast numb principally French and I nine European consuls an resident in the town; and on the different consulates or on any particular occasi lively appearance as they v TUNIS, the capital of the regency of the and maintained by the swo same name, is situated on the coast of Bar-ion of these once-favored bary, North Africa. Its climate is considered extremely salubrious, though the heat in summer is very oppressive. During the hottest months the thermometer generally stands at about 86 degrees in the shade; but the greatest difference in the temperature is caused by the prevalence of the south-east wind, called sirocco, which passes over the burning sands of the Sahara, or Great Desert, and is on that account so warm, as to appear almost like the breath of a furnace. The country is exceedingly fertile, but is left almost without cultivation, owing to circumstances which I can not here detail. In summer no rain falls, and on that account, as well as by reason of the great heat, the ground is completely parched and brown; but in spring and autumn, when the former and latter rains moisten the earth, and the scorching sun has less power, the country appears robed in green and smiling in verdure. The Bey of Tunis is nominally subject to the Sublime Porte, and possesses despotic power in his own regency. Tunis is famous as having been one of the strongholds of the corsairs, or pirates, of whose dark deeds and bold exploits so much has been written; but the place derives its principal interest from its close vicinity to the site of ancient Carthage, once the great rival of Rome, but of which scarcely a vestige now remains to witness to the reality of its former grandeur. In the second century Christianity flourished in Carthage, and shed its benign influence over the regions around; but, alas! the darkness of night prevails where once the Sun of righteousness shone resplendent. Mahommedanism, propagated The Mahommedans and no other Christianity than their view in the form of the more idolatrous wors church. They therefore Christians observe the s and those among them w into contact with ourselves ants, could with difficulty we did not worship idols, they have the greatest pos well remember, some time was established, the Jews, know whether Christianity sent a person to ascertain t senger walked into the sch round in search of a crucifi one, asked the children if w for worship, and being tol perfectly satisfied that no taught: whereas, at the sa were reading the New Tes learning with great interest relating to the first advent basses The Jews of Tunis are Rabbinical, that is to say, they are of that class who teach for doctrine the tradition of men, and thereby make the Word of God of none effect. The study of the writings of their Rabbis, is considered by them more meritorious than the reading of God's Holy Word. From the Talmud, and other standard works, they gather many absurd notions:-one of which is, that females are not responsible beings, and also that it is a sin to instruct them. The care of their souls is left entirely to their husbands or fathers; and they themselves appear perfectly satisfied with an arrangement which removes from them all anxiety with regard to a future state. The higher classes of Jewesses are kept in almost as much seclusion as their Mahommedan country women, from whom they borrow many customs, and not a few superstitions. They wear charms and amulets to prevent the much-dreaded effects of the Evileye, &c.; and use the same methods of beautifying themselves as their Moorish neighbors -such as painting their eyebrows to meet, dyeing the hands and feet with henna, &c; and as obesity is considered a mark of feminine beauty in Barbary, the Jewesses, by a system of cramming, often succeed in arriving almost at perfection with regard to it, and are frequently excessively stout. white wool and silk, and is consequently a most expensive article of dress. The poor use sifsaras of white calico. Moorish women, when they are permitted to leave their homes, wear a covering of black crape over the face, leaving only the eyes visible, but the Jewesses only cover the mouth. The usual dress of the Moors of Tunis consist of a red or blue braided or embroidered jacket, with shash sleeves; a white or sometimes colored vest; full, white or dark blue drawers to the knee; a scarlet silk scarf encircling the waist, no stockings and red or yellow slippers. The shashea, or scarlet cap of the East, completes the costume. This dress, when worn by the opulent, and therefore composed of rich materials, is very clegant. Peculiarly folded white turbans, and long, flowing robes are worn by professional men. The descendant of Mahommed may be known by his green turban, and sometimes robe of the same holy color; while the hadge, or pilgrim, is distinguished by his red turban. The dress of the Jew is very similar to that of the Moors, except that he is obliged to wear black shoes and a black turban, by which he may easily be distinguished among them. If unmarried he is not allowed to wear a turban at all, but in its place a small black skull-cap, which just covers the crown of his shaven head, and is very unbecoming. On each side of his temples a small square patch is visible, which has not been shaven, but clipped as closely as possible. The reason for this we read in Lev. xix. 27, "Ye shall not round the corners of your head." Shaving the head is a universal practice in Tunis, and is the means of promoting cleanliness among the people, who are, generally speaking, extremely dirty in their persons and habits. The Mahommedans leave one long lock on the crown of their heads, by which they believe they are to be drawn up to heaven by their prophet on the last day. The Jewesses are generally speaking darkcomplexioned, though there are many among them remarkably fair. Some are very handsome; and I remarked that like the generality of Easterns, their hands and feet are small and well-formed. They are fond of display, and therefore wear quantities of jewellery. On the occasion of a marriage, it is considered no disgrace for the bride to borrow jewels from her neighbors. The short, outward robe and drawers worn by them reach to the ankle, and are composed of thin silk. The dress is richly embroidered on the bosom; and the short, loose sleeves are of white net, or muslin, or sometimes gauze spotted with gold. The full drawers fit closely The Jews are active and industrious, and round the ankle, where they are thickly em- carry on various trades very briskly. Nearly broidered with gold, and are always of a dif- all the business of European merchants is ferent color from that of the dress. Light transacted by Jewish brokers, who are acbrown and cherry-color are favorite contrasts, quainted with the customs of the country, or scarlet or green, purple and yellow, pink and the different languages required in their and straw-color. The very poorest Jewesses vocation. As they are clever workmen, they wear common print dresses: but even they are often sent for to work balic for the Beyare always provided with one gay, silk dress that is, they are compelled to work, with for holiday occasions. When they walk very little, or sometimes no remuneration; abroad they are enveloped from head to foot while their families, who depend on them in a sifsero,—which is a shawl or scarf of | for support, are left in a starving condition. ways, and made to feel themselves strangers in the land of their birth. Oppression has made them mean and cowardly, and deteriorated them from their character in several respects; yet they still possess many redeeming qualities. Jewish parents are most indulgent to their children; they consider it wrong to correct a child, in any measure, until it has arrived at the age of six or seven years; when, of course, the work is much more difficult than if commenced from a proper period; and even when their system of training does begin, it is so defective as to be productive of very little improvement in the temper and disposition of their offspring--so that whatever amiability may be found in them, is not to be attributed to the pains bestowed in their moral training. The religion of the Tunisian Jews principally consists in the scrupulous observance of a series of fasts and feasts. In their fasts they do not taste food from sunrise to sunset; and they are considered the most religious Jews who provide the most sumptuous feasts at the Passover, and other festivals. Hence debts are often contracted by the poorer classes, who think it a duty to honor the festivals by living well while they last, so that after they are over the wretched prisons of Tunis are crowded with Jews. The frequent occurrence of these festivals caused great interruptions in our school occupations, as they are made complete holidays. That comes of living among barbarians and pagans. You have learned their naughty ways. They have taught you to blaspheme the divine metropolis, and to say that the gods of the country are better than ours. My heart bleeds for the hardness of yours. I wish I could convert you. SOUTHEY. London has its attractions-more of them, in fact, than any other city in the world. I find in it warm-hearted friends, literary society, public libraries, and book-stalls. LAMB. The last not least. Bless the man who broached the idea of a book stall, and the man who realized it; and all the men, wo men, and chicke who have ever stood at the SOUTHEY. The book-stall is certainly a nucleus of charms for me-one of the redeeming fea tures in the face of London. LAMB. What a capital intellectual dinner the he stands, breaking the edge of his appetite poor man about town can get at one! There with a heavy fragment of "Locke on the Mind" (say, for a hungry dog, the chapter on Essences, real and nominal); then discussing an unctuous slice from the prime part of Sir Thomas Browne; then smacking his lips over tit-bits from the side-dishes of poesy and old romance; and possibly, by way of dessert, cracking a few of my nuts, and inwardly drinking the health of Elia, as a broth of a boy. He's a black-hearted heathen if he finishes such a repast without make us truly thankful !” |