raying for the coming of the Messiah and their return to the Holy
Land, and that they starved themselves all the week in order to have
candles and fish for the Sabbath. Sir Moses having explained to His
Excellency the groundlessness of these charges, the Minister then said
he should always be pleased to see us, that his doors would be open to
Sir Moses every day, and requested he would call again.

_April 11th._--At about twelve o'clock an officer came from the
Minister of War to inform Sir Moses that the Emperor, having been
informed of his wish to assist at the service in the soldier's
Synagogue at the barracks, had desired him to escort Sir Moses, and to
say that the service was held at seven in the evening, and from eight
till twelve in the morning.

At 6.30 we walked through the rain to the barracks, a very long
distance from our hotel. The Synagogue was a large room, well fitted
up, with the Ark, containing the sacred Scrolls of the Pentateuch, and
the pulpit and reading desk. The prayer for the ruling Sovereign and
the Royal Family was painted on a tablet affixed to the wall, as in
other places of worship among Hebrew communities. The prayers were
read by one of the soldiers, who officiated as precentor to a
congregation of three hundred of his companions. They all appeared
very devout, and joined loudly in the prayers. Sir Moses was so much
fatigued that it was with the greatest difficulty and pain that he
walked to the Synagogue and back through mud and rain. The barracks
were near the English quay, at least two miles distant.

CHAPTER XLI.

1846.

COUNT KISSELEFF IS MORE CONCILIATORY--SIR MOSES SETS OUT FOR
WILNA--ARRIVAL AT WILNA--THE JEWS' ANSWERS TO THE CHARGES OF RUSSIAN
OFFICIALS.

_April 15th._--We went to see Count Kisseleff. His Excellency told Sir
Moses that the Emperor had inquired what he thought of the Synagogue.
The Count assured him they had determined to adopt a new plan with the
Jews, more mild and conciliatory. The Emperor wished them to
amalgamate with their fellow subjects, and to cultivate the land. But
he would not force them; they would be left to their own free will,
and less under the control of the police than they had been, and all
who wished to leave the Empire might do so. The Count said he would
write to Sir Moses to that effect, and would give him the list of
towns to be visited, but the roads, he observed, were dreadfully bad.
Sir Moses expressed a strong desire t