Gentile populations as a river
with rivers? Behold our people still! Their skirts spread afar; they are torn
and soiled and trodden on; but there is a jewelled breastplate. Let the wealthy
men, the monarchs of commerce, the learned in all knowledge, the skilful in all
arts, the speakers, the political counsellors, who carry in their veins the
Hebrew blood which has maintained its vigour in all climates, and the pliancy of
the Hebrew genius for which difficulty means new device - let them say, we will
lift up a standard, we will unite in a labour hard but glorious like that of
Moses and Ezra, a labour which shall be a worthy fruit of the long anguish
whereby our fathers maintained their separateness, refusing the ease of
falsehood. They have wealth enough to redeem the soil from debauched and
paupered conquerors; they have the skill of the statesman to devise, the tongue
of the orator to persuade. And is there no prophet or poet among us to make the
ears of Christian Europe tingle with shame at the hideous obloquy of Christian
strife which the Turk gazes at as at the fighting of beasts to which he has lent
an arena? There is store of wisdom among us to found a new Jewish polity, grand,
simple, just, like the old - a republic where there is equality of protection,
an equality which shone like a star on the forehead of our ancient community,
and gave it more than the brightness of Western freedom amid the despotisms of
the East. Then our race shall have an organic centre, a heart and brain to watch
and guide and execute; the outraged Jew shall have a defence in the court of
nations, as the outraged Englishman or American. And the world will gain as
Israel gains. For there will be a community in the van of the East which carries
the culture and the sympathies of every great nation in its bosom; there will be
a land set for a halting-place of enmities, a neutral ground for the East as
Belgium is for the West. Difficulties? I know there are difficulties. But let
the spirit of sublime achievement move in the great among our people, and the
work will begin.«
    »Ay, we may safely admit that, Mordecai,« said Pash. »When there are great
men on 'Change, and high-flying professors converted to your doctrine,
difficulties will vanish like smoke.«
    Deronda, inclined by nature to take the side of those on whom the arrows of
scorn were falling, could not help replying to Pash's outfling, and said -
    »If we look