of their faith. We conceive it to be the first duty of the Synagogue to provide ample religious instruction for the children of the poor; we have no feeling in common with vestries which glory in the annual increase of funded property to the prejudice of what legitimately is their first duty-the religious education of their members. What a cheering sight to the pious Jew to visit Sussex Hall on the Friday evening and see a little community assembled to listen to lectures having a religious tendency! But whose duty is it to provide Sabbath instruction for the people? Surely it is an act of the greatest injustice to charge the members of a general literary and scientific institution with the onus. But the managing committee of Sussex Hall have put to shame all the Synagogue authorities in the Metropolis -they have spared no trouble or expense in soliciting the aid of talented lecturers; and in throwing open their Hall on Friday evening, we hail their spirited conduct and heartily appreciate their onward movement. We merely mention Sussex Hall as an example to show how desirous the people are of receiving knowledge; and before we give an account of the school under review we beg to call the attention of the public to a few facts that may interest them on this subject.

"Some twenty-five years since an adult school was attempted on a large scale in connexion with the Jews' Free School, Bell Lane. We believe the scheme to have originated during the presidentship of A. L. Moses, Esq. A committee was formed consisting of the best friends of education, viz.: the late Aaron Joseph, Abraham Levy, Dr. Joshua Van Oven, Michael Josephs, Abraham Hort, Isaac Vallentine, Moses Joseph, Simeon Cohen,

Moses Lyon, Abraham Cohen, and other gentlemen. The scheme embraced a double object: first, an Adult School; and secondly, a Reformatory School. Messrs. Simeon Cohen, and Isaac Vallentine were, we are informed, the honorary Hebrew teachers in the Adult School; and the objects of the Reformatory School were carried out by Rev. Tobias Goodman, Michael Josephs, Dr. Van Oven, Moses Joseph,-Samuel, late master of the p who alternately delivered lectures on the Sabbath. We believe these lectures were the first discourses delivered in the vernacular in the metropolis. The late Chief Rabbi joined heart and soul in the scheme.

"So successful was the result of these endeavours, that after a few weeks the girls' school wherein they assembled was found too small, and they removed to the boy's department of the school, and we know that the attendance numbered near a thousand souls. We regret to say this state of things lasted for six months only, the inevitable result of what we consider to have been objections being taken as to the mode of marragement. It was objected to on account of the school being held at the Free School; again a grave objection was taken in the dislike of many to mix with persons of doubtful character; again, the elder took exception to, and were abashed to learn with the younger children; and lastly, the lecturers (though eminently qualified in every respect) could not give that regular attention which the subject required to be systematically carried out. We mention these incidental facts not so much from the desire of recording the history of the rise and decline of that movement as with the especial object of

Y

drawing a contrast to the system with which Lady de Rothschild carries out her scheme, which has every probability of permanence.

"It is now but four months since that the Female Adult School was established through the piety of Lady Anthony and the indefatigable exertions of Miss Barnet, mistress of the Jews' Free School, a lady much beloved by the poor, whose interest she has always at heart. Mainly through her influence, the Rev. Mr. Green, of the Great Synagogue, was induced to join the scheme; and it now remains for us to state the result of their labours. They went quietly and wisely to work, without the fuss of committees and meetings; they invited the poor to send their children; the first few weeks the scholars did not number more than about 20-they now have 120 regular attendants. Miss Wolfson, whom we know to be a zealous governess, has been engaged to superintend the general management of the school; and we are delighted to perceive that the teachers of the Girls' School, animated by the bright example of their worthy governess, have united and form the teaching staff of the Evening School. Mr. Green pursues his labour of love by attending every Tuesday night to watch their progress in Hebrew, and by giving a systematic religious discourse on the Sabbath in a style so simple and clear, that we presage that ere long the children will imperceptibly imbibe a complete knowledge of the fundamental and especial principles of our faith. We understand that the mothers of many of the girls attend on the Sabbath likewise. We can imagine the advantages that will accrue to the community from this Sabbath school."--Hebrew Observer. March, 18, 1853.

In conclusion-great numbers of the children of the middle and upper classes are educated in Christian schools, such as the City of London School, and the London University.

CHAPTER VI.

LITERATURE.

THE Jews, as is well known, have cultivated a literature through all ages. But this has been confined, principally, to the Hebrew, Chaldee, and Rabbinic languages; and thus the labour of their learned has never had its legitimate influence upon the mass of the people. Since the time of Mendelsohn, however, a mighty change has taken place the people are cultivating a literature in the vernacular languages of their dispersion. Their Anglo-Jewish literature is neither extensive, nor important. One reason for this is, that they clung to their own vernacular language-the Jewish dialect-a kind of gibberish, without any literature of its own, and were thus unable, had they an inclination, to improve themselves by the literature of the country. This jargon is now rapidly disappearing as all Anglo-Jews are brought up in the English language. Another reason for the meagreness of their literature is the avocations and habits of the people. Great Britain is emphatically a commercial country-and no class of its inhabitants has