RESTORATION OF THE JEWS.
isr the Herald of Thursday, appeared accounts of two public en- tertainments, that were given in different parts of the town on the two preceding evenings, at which a great many Jews and Jewesses were present, in company with a considerable number of Chris- tians. The entertainments were the annual ball in aid of the In- digent Blind Jews' Charity, and Mr. Eta ASON'S concert. Speaking of the ball on Tuesday night, the reporter says- " The principal room presented a splendid display of female beauty ; and the imonds and rich costumes with which the Hebrew maidens and matrons were imnel!, might vie with other assemblies of a more rcherche assumption. Up- wards of three hundred of the most opulent and respectable members of the He- brew persuasion were present. Some original quadrilles, the composition of .1114 L. Myers, were the favourites of the night, and gallopades and waltzes ter- minated the festive entertainment."
And of the company present at the concert on Wednesday-
" The fine dark eyes of the fascinating daughters of Israel were to be seen in all parts of the room : indeed we do not recollect a concert at which so much trauty was to be seen among the audience." A few years ago, had any notice been taken of a Jew's ball, it would have been couched in some such terms as these—" At a Jews' assembly, our readers may be sure, there was no lack of showy dresses and splendid jewellery. The choicest articles of OUSIUDIe. from the second-hand wardrobes of Petticoat Lane were displayed on the occasion; and the irnpawned jewels of a Christian countess might be seen adorning the swarthy brow of a coquetting little Jewess." Now the poetic phrase runs "the dark-eyed daughters of Israel." It is no longer "Jews and Jewesses," but 4' Gentlemen of the Hebrew persuasion "—" Hebrew maids and sastrons;" and the men are termed " opulent " and the women
fascinating."
These are denotements of the altered current of popular feeling; as the thistle-down floating on the breeze indicates the direction el the wind. Who would have supposed that the petition against the Jewish disabilities would have received so many thousands of good Christian signatures ? The Peers stood in the way, of souse, in virtue of their office as the guardians of intolerance; but 36 far as regards public opinion, the Jews are morally croancipaWd
from the fetters of prejudice. The delay in signing the legal in- strument is of little moment. The Christians are doing their part; let the Jews do theirs. Henceforward it will be their own fault or that of their religion, if they remain a separate people in this country.
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