CHAPTER XII.

A Charitable Society formed-The Arrival of Rothschild into this Country-The Juden Strasse-Frankfort on the Maine -Meyer Anselm's youthful Days-His Preparation for the Office of Rabbi-His Father induces him to abandon the Undertaking-Puts him in a Counting-houseMeyer Anselm establishes himself as a Banker in his Native Place His Sons-His Dowager-His third Son, Nathan Meyer, settles in Manchester-His Success there-His Removal to London-The Prince of Hesse Cassel-Nathan Meyer's Financial Powers--The Testimonies of Francis and Lawson-The Zenith of his golden Horizon-The Popularity of Foreign Loans-His success in them-The cause of his Success-He was sometimes overcome by Stratagem -Lucas' Trick-Rothschild's fame and renown-The court paid him by the highest nobility-His Liberality not commensurate with his Wealth-Herman, the Picture-Dealer -Rothschild not a happy Man-His Life Threatened—A ludicrous Episode-The Members of the Synagogue did not entertain the highest respect for him-The remark of an intelligent English Jew-A Jewish Fable-The last Illness of Nathan Meyer-His Will-The Effect of the melancholy

Intelligence of his Death-His Funeral-His surviving Family.

THE Hebrew population, both rich and poor, still continued to accumulate in this country, so that the former found it necessary to found another charitable society, in the year 1798, for the benefit of the latter. The new association was denominated "Ezrath Ebhyonim L'tzorchay Shabbath " (The help of the needy for the necessities of the sabbath,) which help is afforded during the winter season, consisting of five shillings per week, for the space of twelve weeks.

About the same time arrived in this country a Hebrew of the Hebrews, whose name has now become co-extensive with the civilized world. "It suggests more promptly," says an anonymous writer, "the idea of coffers pouring forth their abundance to merchants, nobles, princes, and kings, than any other in the civilized world. It is the very one which millions would substitute for that of the Lydian Monarch, in the saying 'as rich as Croesus."" A brief sketch of the rise and progress of the family now so renowned, will be hailed as a welcome chapter in such a work as it is at present under preparation.

Any one who ever visits Frankfort on the Maine, never thinks of quitting the place without

paying a visit to the Juden Strasse, for the purpose of bestowing an admiring look on a small but neat house, situated in the midst of Gothic façades, black copings and sombre alleys. The house, the object of attraction, gives an appearance of cheerfulness and freshness. The brass on the door is always brightly polished, the curtains of the windows white as snow; and the staircase-though in a damp and dirty quarter, for to such quarters were the Israelites confined in the days of Gentile intolerancealways dry and shining. In that house was born, in the year 1743, Meyer Anselm Rothschild. Young Meyer displayed extraordinary mental powers from his youth and upwards. His unmitigated application to his duties pointed him out for a time as a fit candidate for a Rabbinical chair, and with that view he continued to store his mind with all sorts of useful lore, but especially with such as would enable him to fulfil the functions of a "master in Israel" with credit. The father had no inclination to divert Meyer from the calling he thought to be his son's; but Meyer ventured to give advice now and then in monetary affairs, and though but young, his counsel proved so

sound and judicious, and withal so successful in their results, that the father was determined that Meyer should turn his attention to a more profitable calling. The parent reminded his child of a Rabbinical axiom which intimated that such an office, as he was then thinking of, was by no means tempting. "Meyer, my son, remember the words of one of our sages, 'Rabbinical authority ruins its possessors.'

Meyer, after considerable deliberation yielded to his father's urgent suggestions, and took his place in a counting-house, in Hanover. The young Rothschild combined in himself a successful financier, and an ardent and diligent student. Such was his capacious mind, that one pursuit did not clash with the other. He rose eminent in both; about 1770, he was proprietor and director of a respectable banking-house in his native place. He allied himself by marriage to another rich family, which increased his capital. The following sons were born unto Meyer Anselm Rothschild. His first-born in 1773, was named after his father, Anselm. He succeeded to his father in the business at Frankfort.

His second son was born in 1774,

הרבנות מקברת את בעליה: *

and named Solomon-after Madame Rothschild's father, who became the head of a firm at Vienna. The third son was born in 1777, and named Nathan, of him anon. The fourth son was born in 1778, and named Charles, who became the founder and upholder of a Bank at Naples. The fifth son was born in 1792, and named Jacob, alias James, who is now known as the Rothschild of Paris. The name Rothschild thus became ubiquitous, and it was well remarked that the house "was spread like a net-work over the nations; and it is no wonder that its operations upon the money-market should at length have been felt, by every cabinet in Europe" Meyer Anselm died in 1812, and his widow survived him nearly forty years. Whilst her sons made palaces their abodes, she strenuously refused to quit her husband's residence, determined on the death of her affectionate spouse to be removed from it only to her home.

In the year 1798, the third son of Meyer Anselm Rothschild, Nathan, intimated to his father that he would go to England, and there commence business. The father knew the intrepidity of his Nathan, and had great confidence in his financial skill, he interposed therefore no