fowl which had been sent
from home." Every one was most attentive to him. The Judges and the
Lord Mayor left at seven, but the Sheriffs stayed till eight o'clock.

CHAPTER XIV.

1837.

THE JEWS' MARRIAGE BILL--MR MONTEFIORE AT THE QUEEN'S
DRAWING-ROOM--HIS INAUGURATION AS SHERIFF.

On July 7th he called on the Chief Rabbi to discuss the marriage laws,
a subject which was causing much uneasiness in the community. He was
detained there so long that it became too late for him to attend the
committee meeting at the Irish Bank. He wrote a letter to the
Archbishop of Dublin on the subject of the Jews' Marriage Bill,
requesting him to take charge of it in the House of Lords. In the
course of the day he received a card of invitation to a dinner of the
Merchant Taylors Company from J. Allison, the new Master, with a most
friendly note, requesting him to name the dishes he would wish to have
placed before him.

On July 9th Mr Montefiore went with a member of the Board of Deputies
to consult T. M. Pearce on the subject of the Jews' Marriage Bill, and
in the evening attended a meeting of the Deputies, at which it was
resolved to petition the House of Lords in favour of the measure. He
writes: "I am most firmly resolved not to give up the smallest part of
our religious forms and privileges to obtain civil rights." One of the
members of the board also gave notice of a motion for "a more popular
election of the Deputies."

On July 10th Mr Montefiore met T. M. Pearce at the House of Lords. Mr
Blake, the legal adviser of the Archbishop of Dublin, made several
important alterations in the Bill, which, in Mr Montefiore's opinion,
greatly improved it. He then called at Downing Street to see Mr
Spring-Rice, but that gentleman had just left town for Cambridge. Mr
Montefiore immediately resolved to go and see him there.

At 5 P.M. he again met Pearce, also Mr Buxton, at the House of Lords.
The Archbishop of Dublin and several other Lords had declined to
propose the second reading of the Marriage Act Bill. Mr Buxton exerted
himself greatly, and spoke to several Peers in his presence without
success. At last he prevailed on Lord Glenelg to promise that he would
speak with Lord Duncannon, and would give notice the next day.

In accordance with his resolution, Mr Montefiore went the same day by
the "Cambridge Mail" to see Mr Spring-Rice. On his return he went to
the House of Lords with Pearce and saw Lord Glenelg. "But," writes