1828.] A ^otes for the Month. 67 



counterfeit diamonds to the favourite wife of the Shah of Persia, was 

 pursued by the officers of the palace, and overtaken, when the lady 

 demanded an exemplary satisfaction. The Shah, after many endeavours, 

 finding it impossible to propitiate the complainant, consented that the 

 malefactor should be exposed, according to the custom of the country, 

 in the arena for the combats of wild beasts. But, when all the court 

 was collected to witness the spectacle of the execution, to the surprise of 

 the poor wretch, who expected to be instantly devoured, instead of a 

 lion, a lamb was let out from one of the dens, which forthwith walked 

 up, and began to fawn upon him. The sultaness, indignant at this 

 affront, flew to her husband to explain what had happened, and insisted 

 that the master of the beasts, who had ordered this, deserved no better 

 than to be eaten along with the false jeweller, for company. " Be 

 merciful, fair Yasili," said the good-tempered prince ; " the Armenian 

 has been punished by the law of retaliation. He deceived you, and he 

 has now himself been deceived ; let him be quit, for this time, pour le 

 peur" Furet de Londres. 



The new ukase of the Emperor Nicholas of Russia for the regulation 

 of the Jews in his dominions, seems to be giving universal offence to 

 the children of Israel in this country. It seems to be a cruel and an 

 absurd policy, the distressing, for no adequate or important advantage, 

 a body of men who are extremely useful in many parts of the Russian 

 dominions : but the reliance is on their habitual endurance ; they make 

 money in Russia; and, where they make money, it is believed they 

 will remain. Their condition in the East is incomparably worse than it 

 will be in Russia, even under the new ordinance ; and yet in Algiers, 

 Tunis, and all the Barbary states, they abound. 



" The number of Jews in the Barbary States," says a recent French writer, 

 " is very considerable. The city of Algiers alone contains near 8,000, upon 

 a gross population of not more than 90,000, negroes included. The vexations 

 to which they are here subjected, would be intolerable to any other people* 

 They are forbidden to sit in the presence of a Mahometan; they must execute 

 the duty of carrying the Moors on their shoulders through the water, when the 

 state of the tide prevents boats from coming to the quays. They are the 

 public executioners, and are compelled, moreover, to bury the bodies of all 

 criminals. On very slight pretexts, indeed, they are condemned to be hanged ; 

 and are loaded with taxes ; paying a general impost of 2000 dollars a week * 

 without prejudice to occasional loans and contributions, when the authorities are 

 in want. 



" In spite of these merciless extortions, the Jews find means to amass 

 immense riches. The pride and indolence of the Moors rendering them unfit 

 for business, they transact all important and difficult affairs, and take care to 

 pay themselves well for their trouble." * * * * " A curious prophecy," 

 the same writer says, " is current in Tunis, that some day or other, during 

 the hour of mid-day prayer, the Christians will attack and seize the city. 

 For this reason, the gates of the town are invariably closed during that hour ; 

 and not opened on any pretext whatever. The prophet has added, that the 

 parties who make this seizure, are to be soldiers clothed in red; there needs 

 no more than this, of course, to point the general suspicion to the English." 



We see that another life has been lost in the river, below bridge, in 

 consequence of a wherry, with two persons on board, having been run 

 down by a Gravesend steam-boat. The coroner's jury has returned a 

 verdict of " Manslaughter" against the master, who, we believe, is in 

 custody accordingly. Without meaning to prejudge the merits of this 



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