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SIXTH CONVERSATION.

SIMMIAS. Thou hast told me that, by the force of reasoning, independently of positive evidence, thou couldest convince me that this dreadful accusation originated in malice.

MAIMOON. Among all the Israelites who reside amongst nations other than Christian-Mohamedan, Hindoo, Chinese, and idolatrous African-was it ever known that an Israelite was accused of killing a child for the Passover?

SIM. (abruptly). No; because ye are accused of using Christian blood especially.

MAI. Pardon me, my friend; thou dost not understand me; if thou wilt permit me, I will briefly explain. SIM. Excuse my interruption, I pray; proceed, for thy friend listens.

MAI. Would it not have been easy for any body of Israelites in any of the above-mentioned countries to have murdered some Christian, also resident there,-in China especially, where a man is allowed to kill another who may be his property or slave, and where Israelites might have purchased a Christian slave on purpose— and have distributed his blood to the different Hebrew communities inhabiting other countries, in the same way as citrons are distributed amongst us for the Feast of the Tabernacle? Thou art well aware that the Israelites

carry on a continued correspondence with each other all over the globe; and would not such a system for supplying them with Christian blood have been much more easy and safe than obtaining it in the way which our enemies have imputed to us? What canst thou say to this?

SIM. Your enemies may say that fresh blood is required, and not such as is stale and coagulated.

MAI. In almost every town where any Jews are to be found, there is a Jewish surgeon, who, amongst other professional duties, must have occasion frequently to perform the operation of blood-letting; and if, as our enemies say, we must have Christian blood, what would be easier than for such surgeons to preserve the blood taken by them from any Christian for the use of their brethren, to whom it could be distributed without the slightest difficulty?

SIM. It may be that the precept which ordains that you shall use Christian blood, has ordained that it shall be no other than the blood of some Christian who has been deprived of life expressly on your account, and by your own hands.

MAI. If that were the case-if we were compelled to use fresh blood, and not such as had become stale and coagulated by transmission from a distant region, and blood for the obtaining of which some Christian must be murdered; in every part of the world, where a large body of Israelites dwell, the murder or mysterious disappearance of Christians must be notorious. But how many places are there, where Israelites in abundance. have their abode, where a Christian has neither been murdered, nor disappeared in a manner unaccountable,

for many years past? If a cow or a sheep be lost, there is always a diligent search made after it; and if it should never be regained, nor any precise information gathered respecting its loss, there is sure to be plenty said on the subject; yet how much more diligent is the search after the slayers of a murdered man, or after the man himself, if he have disappeared from his friends in a mysterious manner! Now is not this a complete refutation of the argument that Israelites require the blood of a murdered Christian every year? I have further to add, that the blood of one child would not be sufficient to supply the wants of the Israelites in any one Christian country. In a town which contains amongst its population thirty thousand Israelites, it would be necessary for them to kill two Christian children annually; and when you consider how many towns there are in some countries containing each that number, the murders would be so numerous as to excite a terrible suspicion in the minds of the people of the country at large, in spite of all the caution which the murderers might observe. Out of so many cases, some circumstances confirmatory of the guilty practices of the Jews must come to light; in some instances children would escape, and divulge sufficient to blast the character of the Jews universally. It is very seldom that a murderer of any other description escapes punishment; and, as I have, in the course of my previous arguments, already observed, it frequently happens, that where a murder is involved in mystery, the perpetrator of the deed himself clears it all up, if pressed hard, by a confession; but no clear case of this sort, has ever been established against a Jew: and though, under

the pressure of horrible tortures inflicted by fanatics in a state of gross ignorance and semi-barbarism, some Jews have been known to admit the truth of the accusation, no confession has ever been made, which people of intelligence and in a high state of civilization have considered to be worthy of their serious belief. It is a prevalent idea with all nations, that murder is a sin so heinous, that exposure and retribution will, sooner or later, inevitably overtake the man who thus provokes the wrath of the Most High; and in nine cases out of ten, retribution does overtake the man who unlawfully sheds the blood of a fellow-creature: and if the Jews were universally addicted to this sin, how could they, any more than other kinds of men, preserve their guilt from certain detection? As I remarked to thee in our last conversation, why do not those Jews who have turned Christians, divulge the secret, if it be indeed true that we practise such things?

SIM. As I answered in our last conversation, so must I answer to that remark now. It is said that the practice is confined to the most learned of the Hebrew faith. I have read in a book written by a Christian, an assertion that it is confined to perhaps only two or three in a whole country or principality, who have had the secret handed down to them by tradition.

MAI. Consider well what thou sayest. If it be so great a secret to the Israelites at large, what reason is there in the supposition that blood is supplied to all the Israelites without exception? for it is supposed, as thou thyself hast repeatedly said, that every Israelite must taste blood on the Passover night.

SIM. It is said that the chief rabbi of each community superintends the baking of the Passover cakes; that he pours some blood into the dough; and that the common people are not aware of what has been done.

MAI. O what an astounding falsehood! How can you draw a camel's rope through the eye of a needle? Such a thing is utterly impossible. The chief rabbi does not superintend the baking of the Passover cakes for general use; they are either baked by the heads of families separately, or several meet and assist each other in the operation; sometimes they are ordered to be done at a regular baker's; and they are required to be baked a month previous to the eve of the festival. Dost thou think that the rabbi is engaged in all the offices of the synagogue? or that he is the only one who reads the prayers? or that an Israelite does nothing without first consulting him, as is the case with many Christians? In addition to his duties in the synagogue, in the presence of his whole congregation, the rabbi has nothing to do, with the exception of deciding a religious question occasionally, and trying disputes between parties, as a judge, in those countries where the rank and privileges of a judge are accorded to him by the government: for every Israelite, who is well versed in the law and the traditions, is allowed to decide any questions in religious matters which may be put to him by his household, or others who may have respect for his knowledge. The chief rabbi has nothing to do with the reading of prayers for the congregation, for any pious Israelite, whether he be learned or not, may read prayers in the synagogue on each of the common days of the week; and on the Sabbath and holidays may

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