Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-01
DISTINGUISHED JEWS.


The latest claim made on behalf Of
the jews is that Wilhemlj is of their
race. This makes four Of the best
violin players Of the woodland some
will say the very best-descendants Of
Abraham, viz: Vieuxtemps, Wieni-
awski, Joachim and Wilhelm. Three
of these have played to American au-
diences; and the fourth (JOachim)
has become known to those who had
not known of him before through
having had the degree of doctor of
music conferred upon him, recently,
with much ceremony, by the Univer-
sity Of Oxford. To the Jewish race
belongs also Lichtenberg, the youthful
and promising violinist, whom Theo-
dOre Thomas introduced to public
notice last season. Rubenstein, the
Russian pianist and composer, whom
New Workers heard not long ago with
rapt attentinn, and Goldmark, the
composer of "Sakuntala,n and other
works of the highest rank, are Jews.
So are Strauss and 0ffenbach. Lucca
is a Polish Jewess, and Patti is also
claimed as one of the race. This is
certainly a pretty good showing for
the chosen people, whose numbers in
Europe and America do not exceed
one in a hundred as compared with
the other populations.
All of the American operate man
agers-Strakosch, Grau, and Maretzek
ARE Of Hebrew origin, Maretzek's
name having been Meyer Itzig and
DR.. Leopold Damrosch and Cariberg,
the successor of Theodore Thomas,
are marshaled in the same host.
Wagner, the musical genius of Bay
renth, persists in saying that there is
no true music in the Jewish soul /;
but he has among his followers and
admirers many Jews who subscribe
literally in aid of his musical pro-
iects, and who pardon his invectives
in view of his achievements. Those
who thus sound his praises he proba-
bly, credits with better taste than
most of their brethren, and doubtless
views them as exceptional cases.
1t is interesting to note what a part
the Jews have been playing also in
other fields. The best sculptor in
Russia, if not the only enc of any
consequence, was an ignorant boy, and
is the son of Polish Jews. He is
pronounced atrue genius, and is the
pride of Russian art.
The first actress of France is Sarah
Bernhardt, a Jewess-like Rachel,
her predecessor, and like Janauschek
and Modjeska, two Of the most ad-
mired players of our day. Gambetta,
the preserver of the French republic
Lasker, the leader of the Liberals in
the German parliament, and their best
orator, and Beaconsield, the prime
minister of England, were born Of
Jewish parents and CASTELAR,, the elo-
quent Spanish statesman, is said to be
of Jewish descent. Crcmieux, the
leading lawyer of France, and now, or
lately, minister of justice; Judah p.
Benjamin, formerly one of the leaders
of the Southern Confederacy, and now
pronounced by Professor Dwight the
foremost lawyer of England; and Sir
George Jessel, one of the most emf
nent of English judges, were born and
reared as Jews. Many of the most
influential journalistic of Germany, and
some Of its first scholars, belong to the
long prescribed race, and it is Jews
who practically control the newspaper
press, not only of Vienna, but also
Of Rome, where, until within a few
years, the Ghetto still existed.
Among the noteworthy men of
America few are to be counted of the
Hebrew origin, although they appear
creditably in all departments of actiy-
ity but this is not strange in view of
the fact that, with the exception of
the small body known as Portuguese
Jews, all of the race that are Of ma
ture years are immigrants from the
continent of Europe, and are unable
TO use English as a native language.
Nevertheless, Wisconsin has had q
Jewish governor, and the Federal
senate had an able Jewish member in
Judah P. BENJAMIN.
Whether the opinion that the Jews
have shown themselves eminently
gifted as a race be correct or not. It
certainly cannot be denied that thew
have contributed their quota to the
famous persolages Of the present day.