been a staunch friend of government; but upon one occasion, when he first
came into parliament, nine or ten years before the time of which I am now
writing, in 1753 or 54, I think, he had voted against ministry upon this
very bill for the Naturalization of the Jews in England. Government
liberally desired that they should be naturalized, but there was a popular
cry against it, and my father on this one occasion thought the voice of the
people was right. After the bill had been carried half through, it was
given up by ministry, the opposition to it proving so violent. My father
was a great stickler for parliamentary consistency, and moreover he was of
an obstinate temper. Ten years could make no change in his opinions, as he
was proud to declare. There was at this time, during a recess of
parliament, some intention among the London merchants to send addresses to
government in favour of the Jews; and addresses were to be procured from
the country. The county members, and among them of course my father, were
written to; but he was furiously against _the naturalization_: he
considered all who were for it as enemies to England; and, I believe, to
religion. He hastened down to the country to take the sense of his
constituents, or to impress them with his sense of the business. Previously
to some intended county meeting, there were, I remember, various dinners of
constituents at my father's, and attempts after dinner, over a bottle of
wine, to convince them, that they were, or ought to be, of my father's
opinion, and that they had better all join him in the toast of "The Jews
are down, and keep 'em down."

A subject apparently less liable to interest a child of my age could hardly
be imagined; but from my peculiar associations it did attract my attention.
I was curious to know what my father and all the gentlemen were saying
about the Jews at these dinners, from which my mother and the ladies were
excluded. I was eager to claim my privilege of marching into the
dining-room after dinner, and taking my stand beside my father's elbow; and