The Diaries of Sir Moses Montefiore and Lady Montefiore. Edited
by Dr. L. Loewe. 2 vols. (Griffith, Farrau, and Co.)—Moses Montefiore was born at Leghorn on October 24th, 1784; he died on July 27th, 1885, his wife having died before him in 1862. The Diaries altogether take in a period of more than seventy years, Sir Moses having continued his entries till within a very short time of his death. The experiences of a man who lived so long, and in his own line did so much good work, could not fail to possess considerable interest; but we cannot compliment the editor on having set his material off to' the best advantage. In the first place, he has committed the capital offence of sending out the work without an index. Surely it must have been evident that this was of all others a book to which such an appendage is absolutely necessary. Very few indeed would care to struggle through these seven hundred and fifty pages. But there are many things in them which almost every one would gladly read. As it is, they are simply buried in a mass of really useless matter. Here is a paragraph taken at random, but really representing a very considerable part of the whole :—" On the 1st of April, Mr. Montefiore accompanied Mr. N. M. Rothschild to the House of Lords. On their entry they were informed that the Lord Chancellor had just sent word that he would not come down to the House that day. Lardham, however, promised to make an appointment for the following Monday. On his return from the House, Mr. Montefiore repaired to the City, to attend the anniversary dinner of the Jews' Hospital, at the City of London Tavern. Mr. Bing, the Member for Middlesex, took the chair," &c. Why the ridiculous misspelling of "Bing" for Byng ?
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