upon Stock Exchange men's honour and
confidence.

In the year 1798, Nathan, the third son of Meyer Anselm Rothschild, of
Frankfort, intimated to his father that he would go to England, and
there commence business. The father knew the intrepidity of Nathan, and
had great confidence in his financial skill: he interposed, therefore,
no difficulties. The plan was proposed on Tuesday, and on Thursday it
was put into execution.

Nathan was entrusted with L20,000, and though perfectly ignorant of the
English language, he commenced a most gigantic career, so that in a
brief period the above sum increased to the amount of L60,000.
Manchester was his starting-point. He took a comprehensive survey of its
products, and observed that by proper management a treble harvest might
be reaped from them. He secured the three profitable trades in his
grasp--viz., the raw material, the dyeing, and the manufacturing--and
was consequently able to sell goods cheaper than any one else. His
profits were immense, and Manchester soon became too little for his
speculative mind. Nevertheless, he would not have left it were it not a
private pique against one of his co-religionists, which originated by
the dishonouring of a bill which was made payable to him, disgusted him
with the Manchester community. In 1800, therefore, he quitted Manchester
for the metropolis. With giant strides he progressed in his prosperity.
The confused and insecure state of the Continent added to his fortune,
and contributed to his fame.

The Prince of Hesse Cassel, in flying from the approach of the
republican armies, desired, as he passed through Frankfort, to store a
vast amount of wealth, in such a manner as might leave him a chance of
recovery after the storm had passed by. He sought out Meyer Anselm
Rothschild, and confided all his worldly possessions to the keeping of
the Hebrew banker. Meyer Anselm, either from fear of loss or hope of
gain, sent the money to his son Nathan, settled in London, and the
latter thus alluded to this circumstance: "The Prince of Hesse Cassel
gave my father his money; there was no time to be lost; he sent it to
me. I had L600,000 arrive by post unexpectedly; and I put it to so good
use, that the prince made me a present of all his wine and linen."

"When the late Mr. Rothschild was alive, if business," says the author
of "The City," "ever became flat and unprofitable in the Stock Exchange,
the brokers and jobbers generally complained, an