The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson, Volumes One and Two: Written by HerselfWilson, Harriette
General
The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson, Volumes One and Two: Written by Herself
Wilson, Harriette
Courtesans -- Great Britain -- Biography; Wilson, Harriette, 1786-1846
I went on--"And shall we attribute to these poor wanderers the peculiar
crimes of every nation which may happen to give them birth, adding these
to all the characteristic vices of their tribe? If the mere climate made
a Venetian of Shylock, why does Shakespeare point at him as an usurer?
If climate and example have no effect to make the Hebrew waver in his
faith, is it charitable to suppose them more potent in tending to deaden
the fear and horror of bloodshed in the mind of a poor Jew?"
"Bravo!" said Colonel Berkeley, "very ingeniously argued. There's a
cunning Israelite at the bottom of all this, who has won your heart."
Sophia, for once in her life, ventured to be of a different opinion from
her company, remarking that she was sure her sister Harriette could
not love any of those nasty men, with long dirty beards and dirty old
clothes on their backs.
"I thank heaven," said I, "that I love no man; Jew, Christian, or Turk."
"Why defend those nasty fellows then?" asked Augustus.
"Did you ever know any good of one of them?" said the colonel.
"A Jew, named Town," answered I, "a painter, who keeps a shop in
Bond-street, went down to Newcastle about five years ago, to sketch
views in that country. One morning he observed a lad driving his cattle
along a field whose countenance particularly struck him. His was a true
Roman head. The boy was about twelve years of age. The Jew called to him
and asked him if he would stand still while he took his picture. The
youth consented with good-nature; but, after having stood stock still
for a quarter of an hour, he declared that he could not bear it any
longer. Mr. Town asked him many questions, and, being much surprised
with the boy's sensible replies, inquired if he would like to go up to
London with him. The lad hesitated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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