59 



monks who recorded them, and the eagerness with winch they 

 would be catched up by the barbarous populace as a pretence 

 for plunder; on the other hand, the great danger incurred by 

 the perpetrators, and the inadequate motives they could have 

 to incite them to a crime of so much horror; we may reason- 

 ably conclude the whole charge to be groundless and malicious."* 

 Nearly eighty years after Percy had written these words 

 the subject was again agitated throughout the civilized world • 

 and the Hebrews were subjected to fine, imprisonment, tor- 

 ture, and death. The discussion of the subject would be in- 

 complete, without a brief notice of the modern facts 



In the year 1840, in consequence of the sudden disappear- 

 ance of a priest caUed Thomaso, the ancient prejudice was 

 revived at Damascus; and before a proper judicial examina- 

 tion of the facts could be made, two or three Jews, who would 

 have been unportant witnesses in the case, were put to death 

 A severe persecution then commenced; the popular fury was 

 excited, not only there but in other parts of the Turkish Em- 

 pire, and a variety of tortures were inflicted, which are happily 

 unknown m all the countries of modern Christendom. In the 

 very same year, similar acts were performed at Rhodes; and 

 the intelligent and humane throughout aU Europe and Ame- 

 rica were moved by the accounts. Sir Moses Montefiore (now 

 a Baronet), of London, was determined to visit the localities 

 and to procure, if possible, a cessation of the sufferings of his 

 people. His brethren in this and the neighbouring countries 

 of Europe, cheerfully deputed to him the expression of their 

 sentiments; he was also fortified by the authority and protection 

 of the British government, and attended by the good wishes 

 of all Christian people. Previous to his departure, a great 

 meeting was held at the Egyptian Hall, London, which Dr 

 Loewe considers "the most glorious evidence of intelligence 

 a nd religious toleration that is to be met with in the aimals of 



• Preliminary Dissertation to Sir Hugh of Lincoln. 



