Among those who were present we noticed BARON INGOTS, SIR AARON MONTECHRISTO, MR. ALDERMAN FITZDAVID, the REV. RABBI HAPHTORAH, PROFESSORS BERESHITH and BARA, and others, as representatives of the higher classes; and MESSRS. ABRAHAMS, ISAACS, JACOBS, IKEY, BARNEY, CLO, O. CLO, BEHEMOTH, GONOFF, SHOBBUS, FENCE, SHEENEY, TANGO, &c. &c. on the other interest. The former class had not deemed it desirable to bring the ladies of their families, but in the body of the meeting we remarked MRS. and MISS IKEY, MRS. BEHEMOTH, MRS. and the MISSES SHOBBUS (11), MRS. and MISS SHARON, MRS. TUSKS, and other distinguished Mosaic ornaments of private life.
MR. ALDERMAN FITZDAVID was voted into the chair, and a disposition to disturbance among the less select part of the meeting was speedily suppressed by the worthy Alderman reminding them, in a firm but good-humoured tone, that "he happened to be a magistrate." A young gentleman in the crowd appeared to take this remark as personal, and left the meeting somewhat abruptly, immediately after which it was noticed that MRS. SHARON was compelled to borrow her daughter's pocket-handkerchief.
MR. ALDERMAN FITZDAVID then read the article from _Punch_, and said that the Hebrews were deeply indebted to that periodical. It had never shrunk from fighting their battles, or from pointing out their errors, and he was convinced that no right-minded Jew could mistake _Mr. Punch's_ meaning or mistrust his goodwill. There was no doubt that the great mass of the Jews in England worshipped gold with a devotion which made them blind to better things.
_A Voice._ Vot's better, my dear, ceptin' dimonds; eh, vot.
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.)