“... Attendons la confirmation de ces heureuses nouvelles. Si elles sont prématurées, nous aimons à croire qu’elles se réaliseront un jour. Ce n’est pas seulement pour rendre aux juifs leur Jérusalem que Bonaparte a conquis la Syrie;...” (David.) XLI. [A ZIONIST] LETTER, ADDRESSED BY A [FRENCH] JEW TO HIS CO-RELIGIONISTS IN 1798 “_Brothers_, “You who have groaned for so many ages under the weight of the cruelest persecutions, do you not wish to burst from the state of degrading humiliation in which intolerant and barbarous religions have placed you? Contempt accompanies us everywhere. Our sufferings are unpitied and despised. The unshaken constancy with which we have preserved the faith of our ancestors, far from procuring for us the admiration due to such a conduct, has only increased the unjust hatred which all nations bear towards us. It is only by affecting the exterior of baseness and misery, that we are enabled to secure our property and preserve our unhappy existence. It is at least time to shake off this insupportable yoke――it is time to resume our rank among the other nations of the universe. Vile robbers possess that sacred land which our ancestors were compelled to yield to the Romans. They profane the holy City which we defended with so much courage. Posterity has preserved a dreadful remembrance of the struggle――we, surely, have not forgotten it. That courage has only slumbered: the hour to awaken it is arrived. O my brethren! let us rebuild the temple of Jerusalem! “An invincible nation, which now fills the world with her glory, has shewn us what the love of country can perform. Let us implore her generosity――request her assistance; and we may be assured that the philosophy which guides the chiefs of that nation, will induce them to give our demand a favourable reception. “We are more than six millions of people scattered over the face of the earth; we possess immense riches: let us employ the means that are in our power to restore us to our country. The moment is propitious, and to profit by it, is our duty. The following are the means best suited for carrying this holy enterprize into execution:――There shall be established a Council, the members of which shall be elected by the Jews, who are spread over Europe, Asia, and Africa.” [Here the writer divides the Jews into the 15 following tribes, viz. The Italian, Helvetic, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Northern, British, Spanish, Gallic, Dutch, Prussian, German, Turkish, Asiatic, and African. These the author proposes shall each form a body of electors in the capitals of the respective districts; and then he proceeds.]