New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-11
Vitality Or the. Jewlsh Kaee in Europe.

I + n s VI K at
| Very interesting papers on this subject are fur
nished in the Journal of the Statistical Society Of
Paris, and in the annals of Hygiene and Legal
Medicine In the same city. Our restricted limits
Wall contlne us to brief notice of their contents
NJ, Legoyt, the author of the first of these papers
truly says: The history of the Jews is in MANY
respects, one of the grand episodes of modern.
c!Vllzahon. We cannot but wonder at their per-
slstent and eventually victorious struggle against
impacable prosecutions. instigatei as well 6y re-
llglous hatred as by desire to become possessed
| OF their great riches; their force of expansion,
winch led them to emigrate to all parts of tho
known world; the concentration in their hands Of
La large part of international trade; the triple
agency. of an admirably special aptitude Tor
trade and finance; 2. of sounder notions of the
power OF credit, at time when unproductiVe
| coneealment and boarding were the methods of
| saving; 3. their exclusion by the laws of the,
countries which tolerated their stay in them from
all active employments; the adhesion to their re-
lgion, notwithstanding the ncessant endeaYors to-
proselyte, which were often strengthened bv the.
secular arm; the not less determined retention. in
the land OF their exile, of the manners, costoms.
and traditions of Judea their refusal to mix with
the races by which they were surrounded. ffnallv-
a certain energetic vitality, superior to those
races, which enables them to be readily acnIimat
ed2ln all parts of the world.
We behold in the Jews people whose arecerds
snow fewer marriages, a smaller number nf chil
dern, and fewer deaths of them IA n, family a.
smaller number of still-born, more old persons.
ieWer suicides, larger mean duration of life.
Inc lsraellte weighs carefully the RESPONSIBILITIES
and cares of matrimony, andis slower in taking on
Its bonds. If the marriages of his people are Iess
fruitful, more time is allowed for q mothers care
and tenderness, and hence the less proportionate
mortality Of Jewish children to the population at
large. NJ. Legoyt expresses his surprise at the i
large number of Jews who live to q yery advanced,
age Their temperate habits explain in a GOOD
degree this favorable result. Their sobrietT has
always been known intoxicationis pare-6abit. f
ual drunk9rds can hardly besfound. We see here
a practical commentary on the saying of the eel,
ebrated Halter, that by the far larger number
OF those who were noted for their longevity ware
sober and lived plainly. To this course the Jews !,
would be naturally led by the dietetc inculcatons
OF the Mosaic laws. The love of family. SO strong
IN the Jewish people, insures constant care Of the
children and the aged, and to their poor assured
ana JudIelous assistance Their charity is without
limit. Their fortitude and serenity of mind under
trials are marked features of their Character and
can only be accounted for by their deep faithtand
conndiagness in an overriding Providence.
The Jewish population in the different countries
OF Europe is estimated, in table before as, to he
: ,692, 1872, Prussia not included Russia contains
the largest number, l,425,7S4. Next comes Ans
trla, l048, LAT. Third on the list is Poland. 599
go. England shows 45 900, and ireland the lowest
hgure Of all. being only 23S. The National AL
nianac Tor 1864 sets down the Jewish population
OF the United States at 200 GOO. This IS an esti-
mate, and evidently not too high.