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that the experiments which they have made, confirm decisively the admirable invention, for which they are indebted to the Medical Science of England."

This beneficial practice is patronized by Jefferson in the new world, and by the Emperor of Germany, the Empress Dowager of Russia, and the King of Prussia in the old. France, that other cradle of arts and sciences, has also cherished this infant practice with maternal affection. All nations trust their health to this anchor of hope with confidence.

His Prussian Majesty was the first crowned head who submitted his own offspring to vaccine inoculation. The Emperor of Germany, who had offered rewards for the encouragement of the practice, followed his example.

Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Dowager of Russia, has deigned to honour vaccination with her constant patronage, from the period when it was first introduced into Russia; and, as a token of esteem, her Majesty has sent Dr. Jenner a very valuable diamond ring by the hands of Lord St. Helen's, accompanied with a letter, of which the following is a translation.

" SIR,

"The practice of Vaccine Inoculation in England having been attended with the happiest success, which is well attested, I have eagerly imitated that example, by introducing it into the charitable establishments under my direction.

"My endeavours having perfectly answered my expectations, I feel a pleasure in reporting their success, and in testifying my acknowledgments to him, who has rendered this signal service to humanity.

"This motive induces me to offer to you, Sir, the ring sent herewith, as a testimony of the sentiments of esteem and regard

with which I am,

PAULOWSKY,

August 10th, 1802.

Yours affectionately,

MARY."

We now leave the subject of this memoir happy in the reflection, that he has conferred a singular benefit on the human race. Were we to accompany him into the recesses of private life, we should find him polite, liberal, generous, and humane: but it has been our principal aim to delineate his public character. It is that which will transmit his name to the latest posterity; it is that which entitles him to all the rewards, and all the honours, a grateful country can bestow.

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THE GOLDSMIDS.

CONSIDERING that Great Britain is the emporium of the wealth of the whole world, that this wealth united in a focus, in the city of London, gives action to the industry and intelligence of all civilized nations, and that, so united, it presents a phenomenon unparalleled in history, it becomes a point of obvious curiosity to know what are the means by which this concourse of wealth is brought together, and who are the agents by whom it is directed?

To form a just conception, however, of the character of individuals, it is necessary to possess a clear view of the theatre of action on which those individuals

individuals appear. It is particularly so in relation to the subjects of this memoir, as the arena on which they perform such conspicuous parts has been so foolishly shrouded in mystery by some, and so unjustly misrepresented by others, that it is by no means surprising to meet with persons actually doubting, whether the millions of wealth which pass through the hands of the Goldsmids be conjured up by some art as black as magic, or extorted by some means as despicable as the "gamester's tools."

To remove the film of prejudice from the eyes of those who have not determined that "they will not fee," was the principal inducement which caused the appearance of this article in the present volume. In the persons of the Goldsmids a fair opportunity presented itself of rescuing a most useful and respec table body of men, who form what is termed the monied interest, from that unmerited ridicule and obloquy which it has been the fashion of the present day to heap upon them.

Benjamin and Abraham Goldsmid are honourably and extensively known on the continent as merchants, particularly in the line of exchanges.* As British PUBLIC CHARACTERS they are, however, principally known by their very extensive dealings at the Stock Exchange. This market, therefore, is the theatre of which we shall endeavour to give

* Foreign bills of exchange, by means of which a merchant residing in Petersburg, or any other city, is enabled to make his payments in London, or any part of the globe. In this lucrative branch of merchandize the Goldsmids are unrivalled.

1802-3

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the reader a brief, but correct and impartial de scription.

Trivial as the effects of nicknames may appear to a superficial observer, experience has proved, that an epithet does more towards the propagation or perpetuity of prejudice than even sophistry; and certainly no profession, not even that of law, has been more successfully attacked by these weapons than that of a stock-broker. The whole of this class of society are by common consent as it were unbumanized. The buyers of stock are denominated bears, intimating that they exert all their strength to trample on, or depress the funds, in order to purchase at a low price: sellers, on the contrary, are designated bulls, to express their efforts to toss or elevate them to a high price; and the unfortunate dealer in this market, who happens to become bankrupt, instead of receiving the commiseration of the world, is hooted at as a lame duck, and his retreat is styled waddling out of the alley.*

In simple language, the Stock Exchange, which some believe to be a temple of Mammon, containing mysteries and arcana veiled from all eyes but those of the illuminati or initiated, and which others imagine to be a rendezvous of black legs little superior, in point of morality, to a gaming-house, is nothing more nor less than a market-place; the

Formerly, the place of rendezvous for persons transacting business in the funds was Jonathan's coffee-house in 'Changealley, Cornhill. From this circumstance the word "alley" is to this day familiarly used as a cant phrase for the Stock Exchange.

articles

articles there bought and sold consist of national pledges or pawns, bearing interest by way of annuity; and stock-brokers,* or stock-jobbers, are the market-people who traffic in these articles, either on their own account or by commission for other persons.

To explain still further, however, the nature of the transactions of the Stock Exchange, we shall direct the attention of our readers to the origin of the national debt,t or the funds, or the stocks, all of which are used as synonymous terms.

* A stock-broker, properly defined, is one who buys or sells stock on commission for another. The brokerage is half a crown on every hundred pound of stock bought or sold. A stock jobber is one who, having property of his own in the funds, sells it out, and buys it in again at a profit or loss, as the price of the market rises or falls. As every broker, however, must occasionally see opportunities of gain from this species of transfer, it may be fairly inferred that most brokers are also jobbers. There is a third class of persons, who may justly be denominated "gamblers in the funds;" persons who, possessing no property in the stocks, enter into speculative bargains to sell or buy at future periods certain portions of stock, at a stated present price. For example, A. will agree to buy of B. ten thousand 5 per cent. annuities, at 100l. to be transferred to A. on the 7th of Novem ber. On the arrival of that day the market price of 5 per cent. annuities is 105. per cent. and consequently A. gains, and B. loses by this transaction 5 per cent. on ten thousand pounds, Possibly, neither A. nor B. possesses ten pounds of stock, and therefore the transaction between them is confined to the differences of the prices. This species of stock-jobbing, it is plain, is nothing more than wagering, or direct gamlling; and being expressly prohibited by law, no action for recovery of the loss can be maintained in any court of justice.

† It may be useful to suggest the distinction that should at ali

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