y which had for its
object the cutting of a ship canal for uniting the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans.

He refused the directorship of that gigantic undertaking, which, after
having been abandoned for nearly sixty years, was again taken up,
under the name of the Panama Canal, by M. de Lesseps.

Thirty years later Mr Montefiore also refused to take a leading part
or directorship in the Suez Canal Company, which M. de Lesseps had
offered him when in Egypt. I happened to be present at the time when
M. de Lesseps called on him with that object. It was in the year 1855,
when Mr Montefiore had become Sir Moses Montefiore, and was enjoying
the hospitality of his late Highness Said Pasha, who gave him one of
his palaces to reside in during his stay at Alexandria.

M. de Lesseps spoke to him for several hours on the subject, but he
could not be persuaded that so great an undertaking was destined to be
a pecuniary success.

_May 8th._--Mr and Mrs Montefiore leave for Paris. On their return
they proceed in July to Oxford; and, at the end of the same month, we
see them in Ireland, whither Mr Montefiore went as a member of the
deputation sent by the Provincial Bank. In recognition of the services
rendered to the Board by himself and the other members of the
deputation, a resolution was passed, a copy of which is here
subjoined.

"Provincial Bank of Ireland,
"_Friday, September 9th, 1825_.

"At a meeting of the Court--Present:--John Morris, Esq., in the chair;
M. Attwood, Esq., M. P.; H. A. Douglas, Esq.; S. A. Madgan, Esq.; J.
T. Thorp, Esq.; Jas. Brogdon, Esq., M. P.; J. R. Macqueen, Esq., M.
P.; C. E. Prescott, Esq.; S. N. Ward, Esq.

"Resolved unanimously, That the cordial thanks of the Court are due to
Messrs Medley, Montefiore, and Blount for the zeal and ability they
have evinced in the management of the business committed to their
care, the result of which has fully realised the expectations of the
Court, and will conduce most essentially to the prosperity of the
Company.

"The Chairman is requested to communicate the resolution to the
gentlemen of the deputation on their return from Ireland."

1826 (5586 A.M.).--The diary begins with the prayer, "Renew in me, O
Lord, the right spirit."

For the information of the general reader I quote a short statement
from some historical records of the state of financial transactions in
this and the previous year which will explain the importance of the
entries Mr Montefio