university, and afterwards in London, my follies and imprudences; but my
soul did not, like many other souls of my acquaintance, "embody and
embrute." When the time for my quitting Cambridge arrived, I went to take
leave of my learned friend Mr. Israel Lyons, and to offer him my grateful
acknowledgments. In the course of the conversation I mentioned the childish
terror and aversion with which I had been early taught to look upon a Jew.
I rejoiced that, even while a schoolboy, I had conquered this foolish
prejudice; and that at the university, during those years which often
decide our subsequent opinions in life, it had been my good fortune to
become acquainted with one, whose superior abilities and kindness of
disposition, had formed in my mind associations of quite an opposite
nature. Pleased with this just tribute to his merit, and with the
disposition I showed to think candidly of persons of his persuasion, Mr.
Lyons wished to confirm me in these sentiments, and for this purpose gave
me a letter of introduction to a friend, with whom he was in constant
correspondence, Mr. Montenero, a Jewish gentleman born in Spain, who had
early in life quitted that country, in consequence of his horror of tyranny
and persecution. He had been fortunate enough to carry his wealth, which
was very considerable, safely out of Spain, and had settled in America,
where he had enjoyed perfect toleration and freedom of religious opinion;
and as, according to Mr. Lyons' description of him, this Spanish Jew must,
I thought, be a most accomplished and amiable person, I eagerly accepted
the offered letter of introduction, and resolved that it should be my first
business and pleasure, on arriving in London, to find and make myself
acquainted with Mr. Montenero.



CHAPTER V.