Letter from Solomon Nunes Carvalho to Isaac Leeser;August 23, 1852

Title: Letter from Solomon Nunes Carvalho to Isaac Leeser;August 23, 1852
Author: Solomon Nunes Carvalho
Contributor: Isaac Leeser
Date Created: 23 August 1852
Location(s): Charleston; Philadelphia
Format: Letter. 4 page(s) on 2 sheet(s).
Type: Letter
Language(s): English
Has Format: https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p33j3957x/manifest.json
Link to Colenda: https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p33j3957x
Physical Characteristics: Lined Paper; Manuscript
Is Part Of: Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Isaac Leeser Collection
content: Charleston 23 Aug 1852
My dear Mr Leeser.
I have just read in the last Asmoneon (handed me by a friend) Mr A Breslaws attack upon you; I pray you not to notice or advert to it in any manner, the letter bears the evidence and impress of a man of a low bred and loose character—it is in truth a “scurrilous thing”
—”Revocate animos, moestumque timorem mittite.—Virgil Aeneid;—
Pericles is made to utter the following sentences and I give them to you in the language of his historian Thucidides
“ To be censured and maligned for a time hath been the fate of all those whose merit hath raised them above the common level, but wise and judicious is the man who enjoying the superiority, dispiseth the envy.”
This man M H Breslaw, would like no better opportunity than to be made famous at your expensce. Trust him, Mr Lyon, and his sattellites with the supreme contempt they deserved= I enclose transcribe for you a public notice which I remember to have read some time ago. I have just looked for and found it. London Jewish Chronicle, July 14-21-28 Aug 4. 11-25th. “public notice.” It is most particularly requested that no money be paid to Mr M H Bresslaw, on account of the Jewish Chronicle, he having long ceased to be in the employment of the proprietor, Joseph Mitchelo”
This must mean something—therefore a man

who has been publicly advertized for more than two months consecutively for some “delinquency” as the must suppose—is no fit person for Isaac Leeser to contend or enter into a controversy with under no circumstances whatever. I wrote you when you invited the anonymous correspondent to come forward and when your article appeared on the subject that I thought it impolitic, I feared the result—and my fear, has been realized.
Now my good friend=all this comes form contending about Trifles—and the note I sent you to be affixed to my article comes in admirably—What do the public or the readers of the Occident care, about who gives a Get or How it is given,—whether Mr Nuerbaum marries on Honer—or on Kipur Day.—let all such things stand on their own merits, and for the future take an enlarged view of these Trifles and allow, Mr Levin Abrahams and his set to become Trifles if they will, do you not see that there is no Religion in it
You have translated and given us “Jerusalem” Why not advocate Mendelsons views,—Thise is a Harbor to be reached The good ship has been tossed about on the seas of Biscbay & superstition for over one Hundred years on American Seas and no land in sight yet. It is is it not time to consult the charts given us by Moses & the Prophets and by whether, we may not be able to reach the much desired Haven of Religion look at the numberless young men. (the best sailors) that have deserted the ship by escaping over the side, ? (intermanagers) preferring to swim to some shore rather than remain on board where there is so much contention and strife about things of no consequence that they became disgusted—is it not

imperatively demanded that we should let our children know that there is a true course to be steered and that, our religion is not one of Contention but of peace and good will to all men,
It is all nonsense to expect to govern men by a code of Laws which their own actions plainly speak that they do not recognized the authority of the men who made them and will not be governed except by & with their own consent.—
and. yet. these people who neither practice Biblical Laws & orders? or make a great noise when attacked guided by circumstances hazards an opinion on a Rabbinic affair which conflicts with the opinion of another, perhaps less qualified to Judge on the case, you begin to feel what it is to be crushed and h?ed down without mercy for a Trifle,—therefore let them ? alone for the future. And continue your exe? for the moral and religious improvement of the people make them feel and understand know that they stand under a Law that they cannot exert without Religion—when this is achieved and the restire? horses are broken in to harness harness— you can lead them or drive them on any road and to any place you like.
I have written this not out of abundance of leisure time, but of true affection towards you.
J. N. Carvalho.
N. Nathan. (Trustee) Son
Simon aged about 17 or 18 died last night}
he has been in ill health for years.—
a happy release for him.

Revd Isaac Leeser
Editor of the Occident
Walnut St. near Thirteenth
Philadelphia
Identifier: LSKAP0199
Date: 1852-08-23

Part of Letter from Solomon Nunes Carvalho to Isaac Leeser;August 23, 1852

Solomon Nunes Carvalho, “Letter from Solomon Nunes Carvalho to Isaac Leeser;August 23, 1852”, 1852-08-23, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/66476