and in the metropolis they have but one Synagogue, which is situated in Bevis Marks.

The Ashkenasim, on the other hand, are more numerous and enterprising. They are not so confined to London as the Sephardim, but scattered throughout the country. Wherever traffic opens a door for gain, there the Ashkenas never hesitates to settle. All the Jews who travel the country with wares are also of this community.

The Sephardim and Ashkenasim rarely amalgamate; but now, of late, there is a greater intercourse between them. A goodly number of intermarriages have taken place; their mutual sympathy is on the increase; and we have no doubt that this coalescing will prove beneficial to both communities.

Besides the above distinction there are some differences of minor character in the religious sentiments and service of the two communities, which we shall explain hereafter.

We shall now, after this short introduction, view the British Jews in their domestic, religious, and social aspect.

FIRST PART.

THE DOMESTIC HABITS OF THE JEWS.

Or all the places on earth, the one which has the greatest influence on a man is his home. There the foundation of his character is laid. However valuable educational institutions may be, their influence is but small compared with that of the family. It is here the child receives his first ideas-those ideas create feelings -those feelings produce habits; and those habits ultimately form the character. It is true, that an individual may, after attaining riper years, by education and selfexertion greatly modify his character; but to completely eradicate the first impressions is impossible. Whatever may be done by the government or the people, or by both united, to educate the rising generation, nothing will answer the end of family training. The principal object of educational establishments is to develope and train the intellectual faculties; but the family influ ence bears more directly upon the moral faculties: and we all know that a man's life is more under the govern

ment of the heart than of the understanding.

It is true that both may co-operate; but it is as true that they may act contrary. The history of the world proves it beyond all dispute, whether we look upon our own age or ages past. Take Sweden, for example, the most universally educated people of any in Europe, yet the most drunken. Or look at France-after all the expenditure lavished upon her education, how she stands out in bold relief, a most unenviable social and moral spectacle to the nations. Now the cause of all this is that family virtues are not cultivated. The most effectual way to improve a country is to train its families-and the only efficient textbook is the Word of God. It is from that source, directly or indirectly, that liberty, and peace, and kindness, and every other social virtue emanate. And the only reason why Great Britain is happier than any other country is, that it is the land of Bibles. The daily influence of that Book makes a family just, and virtuous, and happy. The same influence is calculated to have the same effect also upon a country. But our present object is to relate the peculiarities of the Jewish family.

CHAPTER I.

THE JEW.

In this chapter we shall take a successive view of the peculiar domestic duties the Jew has to perform through life; and thus follow him from his birth until his death and last resting place. His life, in this respect, may not be inaptly divided into four stages.

I. The first embraces from his birth until his thir

teenth year.

The distinction made in the Jewish faith between male and female, is a source of no small anxiety at the season of child-birth, of what sex the offspring may prove to be. When the critical time is past, what a satisfaction it is for the family to be able to say that a man-child is born into the world!

CIRCUMCISION.-When the child has reached his eighth day he must be received a member of the Abrahamic covenant by circumcision, according to Gen. xvii. 12. The proper time for performing the ceremony is the eighth day; it may happen, however, according to the statutes of the Rabbins, that it ought to be deferred until