The most curious event connected with the Jews in the seventeenth century is the history of the impostor, Zabathai Tzevi, who was born in Syria, of poor Jewish parents; and being gifted with wonderful talents and great powers of learning, was enabled to take advantage of the ignorance and credulity of his countrymen. Towards the close of the century, there was a general idea amongst the Jews, that some wonderful event was about to take place, and all sorts of strange tales were told, and believed: amongst others, it was related that a ship had reached the coast of Scotland, filled with sailors who could speak nothing but the Hebrew language; that the sails of this ship were made of the most beautiful silk; and that upon them were embroidered the words, "The Twelve Tribes of Israel." Tzevi immediately took advantage of so favourable an opportunity, proclaimed himself to be the Messiah, and promised the Jews a glorious kingdom, in which they should enjoy peace and prosperity. He pretended to work miracles, and reproached some of his followers with wilful blindness, because they would not own that they had seen him rise up into the air! The multitude believed in Tzevi, but many of the better instructed and more intelligent Jews condemned him as an impostor, and would gladly have put him to death, could they have done so. After visiting Greece and Alexandria, Tzevi went to Gaza, where he persuaded a celebrated Jew, named Nathan Levi, to act as his forerunner. Tzevi and Levi then went to Jerusalem, and actually named a time when the Jews should recover their kingdom by the conquest of the Sultan, who then held it in subjection.

Some of the more sensible among the Jews, saw that such folly could lead only to their own destruction, and therefore they condemned Tzevi and his forerunner, to be put to death as impostors; but they went off to Constantinople: the Jews there had, however, been warned not to listen to them, and they therefore proceeded to Smyrna.

Here Tzevi received presents from the Jews of many countries; and although the Jewish Council at Smyrna condemned him as an impostor, his party was too numerous and powerful for any active steps to be taken against him. At length Tzevi having, as he said, received the command of God to do so, went again to Constantinople, where, by the Sultan's orders, he was seized and cast into prison; but this event did not in any way shake the faith of his followers, who firmly believed that it was not in the Sultan's power to put him to death.

When he was questioned by the Sultan's ministers, Tzevi declared that he had only called himself the Messiah, because his nation had forced him to do so: his life was therefore spared, and although he was kept in prison, all who chose were allowed to visit him. He remained a prisoner for some months, visited by the infatuated Jews from all parts, who still persisted in looking upon him as the Messiah; but as the Turks made all these Jews pay for the privilege of visiting Tzevi, they did not interfere with the attentions and honours paid to him. In the height of his fame he was visited by a learned Jew from Poland, who wanted to be admitted in some manner to share his honours: this, Tzevi was by no means inclined to allow, and the two men quarrelled. In revenge, the Polish Jew told the Sultan that Tzevi was a dangerous impostor, who was plotting to overthrow the Turkish dominion: upon this, the Sultan ordered that he should be set up as a mark for his archers to aim at, and that if he escaped unwounded, it would be a proof that he was not an impostor. Tzevi naturally had no mind to submit to such a trial of his truth, and therefore he at once confessed himself to be an impostor; and when he found that this was not now enough to save his life, he became a Mahometan, declaring that he had long wished to do so. This step filled his followers with grief and horror.

Tzevi lived for many years at Constantinople, and became a learned and zealous Mahometan: he still declared himself to be the appointed deliverer of the Jews, but told them that he should not be able to prevail with the Almighty to restore them as a nation to the Holy Land, until they gave up the Law of Moses and followed that of Mahomet, as he had done. Multitudes did actually, in consequence, go to Constantinople, and there declare themselves to be followers of the false prophet Mahomet. By this means, Tzevi hoped to keep his influence over the Jews, and at the same time remain in favour with the Turks; but all his impiety and wickedness soon met with just punishment, for, for some cause or other, he was beheaded by order of the Sultan.

During the eighteenth century, the condition of the Jews improved greatly throughout Europe. No more dreadful persecutions took place; and though the prejudices of the people often led them to treat the Jews with contempt and ridicule, and to annoy them in many ways, still the laws of the different countries in which they lived, did more or less, protect the Hebrew race from real injuries and violence. In the middle of the eighteenth century there were nine synagogues in Rome, and also an academy for the instruction of youth: the Jews in this city seem to have exercised some authority over their brethren in other parts of Italy, who consulted them upon all important matters, and paid great respect to their advice. There are now great numbers of Jews in Rome, who are all obliged to dwell together in one part of the city, called the Ghetto.

The King of Naples, in the eighteenth century, granted such great privileges to the Jews, as to make the Roman Catholics very uneasy; but in spite of the remonstrances of the clergy, he persevered in this course, until the Jews, by their ill conduct, forced him to make a change.

In Spain and Portugal during this century, there were a great many Jews who, according to the permission granted them by the Talmud, pretended to be Christians, and as such, filled various offices in the state, and even performed the functions of priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Outwardly they were zealous Roman Catholics; inwardly they were Jews: so that it has been said, that whenever a house was more than usually furnished with crucifixes, images of the Virgin and of the Saints, relics and lamps, the inhabitants were sure to be Israelites in heart. By pretending great zeal for the Christian religion which they detested, these dissemblers generally escaped detection; though from time to time some of them did fall into the hands of the Inquisition.

Jews can now live openly and unmolested in Spain and Portugal: they claim to be descended from the tribe of Judah, and declare that many of their ancestors went into those countries, at the time of the captivity, more than two thousand years ago! For these reasons, the Spanish and Portuguese Jews think themselves superior to those in other countries, and will not allow of marriages with them. The daughter of a Portuguese Jew having married a Jew of Berlin, the parents of the bride put on mourning for her as if she had been dead, which she was to them, as they never would see or hear of her again: they renounced her for ever.

After the revolution in France towards the end of the eighteenth century, when the king Louis the Sixteenth was murdered, the Jews were allowed all the privileges of citizens, on condition of taking an oath of obedience to the Government of the country. Their numbers then increased amazingly in France.

In Germany also, during this century, the Jews gained many privileges from the Emperors. In short, the children of Israel were now everywhere protected by the laws, though they were still often robbed of their property, ridiculed and scoffed at, and employed in the lowest work.

At Frankfort, as in Rome, the Jews rich and poor, are all obliged to live in one quarter of the town: this consists of a long street, with high walls at the backs of the houses, to separate them from those parts in which the Christians dwell.

Zealous Christians have often formed plans for the conversion of the Jews; not, as formerly, by violence, but in a manner more suitable to the spirit of the Gospel; that is, by endeavouring to convince them that Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah prophesied of in the Holy Scriptures, and that they must look for no other, until in the end of the world He shall come again in glory, to judge both the quick and the dead. These efforts have met with some little success, but still there are an immense number of Jews. One of these converts to Christianity in the middle of the eighteenth century, was a young man named Moses Marcus, whose parents, rich Jews of London, had him carefully instructed in Hebrew and Chaldee, and in all the learning of their people. When he was old enough, he was sent from England to finish his education at Hamburg, and there became acquainted with some clergymen of what was called the Reformed Church,—that is, a branch of the Church which had given up many of the doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome. With these clergymen, Marcus frequently talked of the difference between the religion of the Christians and that of the Jews. By their advice he studied the Scriptures of the New Testament, and became thereby convinced that Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah. Mean time the father of Marcus had been to India, and when he returned to England he sent for his son, then about twenty years old. On his arrival, the young man at once told his father of the change which had taken place in his religious feelings and opinions. His father received this intelligence with the greatest displeasure, and spared neither threats nor promises to induce the young man not to desert the synagogue. But the faith of Marcus had been strengthened by conversation with clergymen of the Church of England, and therefore, disregarding all threats and promises, he persevered, even at the risk of his life, and was baptized: soon afterwards, he published a work explaining his reasons for becoming a Christian; pointing out the fulfilment of prophecy in the person of Jesus Christ; and showing how many absurdities and contradictions were contained in the Talmud.