our countenance and
support, I trust, accomplish. Thus acting, I shall hope to receive the
only reward I seek--the thanks of my fellow-citizens, and the
approbation of my own conscience."

The Attorney-General in replying to the toast, "The health of Her
Majesty's Ministers," given by the Lord Mayor, alluded to Mr
Montefiore in the following words:--"There could be no more honourable
or important office than that of Sheriff, and although Mr Montefiore
differed in faith from the established religion, there could be no
doubt that he would discharge the duties which devolved on him with
equal credit to himself and advantage to the city. He (the
Attorney-General) was one of those who thought that the only
qualification which should exist for such offices was that the holder
should be a good citizen; and he recollected with no small degree of
satisfaction, that it was he who had brought in the Bill, a measure
that passed through the Legislature by, he might say, the unanimous
vote of both Houses of Parliament, which entitled Mr Montefiore to
occupy the position he then held. He was happy to say that the ancient
prejudices, founded on difference of religious belief, were fast
wearing away, and he only hoped the time was at hand when objections
on such grounds would altogether cease to operate. It was the desire
of Her Majesty's Government to promote such a state of things by all
the means in their power; and for his own part, his opinion was that,
so far from injuring the Constitution, it would tend materially to
uphold and strengthen it."

Mr and Mrs Montefiore returned to Park Lane at two o'clock from the
inauguration dinner, much pleased with the reception they had met with
from their fellow-citizens.

CHAPTER XV.

1837.

DEATH OF MR MONTEFIORE'S UNCLE--MR MONTEFIORE RIDES IN THE LORD
MAYOR'S PROCESSION--IS KNIGHTED--HIS SPEECH AT THE LORD MAYOR'S
BANQUET--PRESENTS PETITION ON BEHALF OF THE JEWS TO PARLIAMENT.

We may now consider Mr Montefiore as almost entirely occupied with the
discharge of the duties of his office as Sheriff. We shall give here
the entries he made referring to the subject, some of which are
particularly interesting.

From the following entry one can form an idea of the way in which he
spent his days during his year of office:--

"8.30 A.M., left Park Lane; 9 o'clock, breakfasted at the Old Bailey;
10, attended the Recorder into the Court, was present at a meeting of
the subscribers