PREFACE. A LARGER portion of the following sketches during the month of December, 1891. But their reappearaace now gives me an oppartunity of making a few explanations and stating a fern facts. , I went to southeastern Europe last summer with no thought of the Jew or his affairs in my head. I had no idea that almost daily for five months I should see him under all conditions of life-in fact, that I should be unabIe to escape from him. I may have formed certain conclusions about him, but I have not stated them, and do not intend to. I have been told repeatedly by Jews and Christians, who either have never seen the Jew at home of else have spent a few weeks with him under the most favorable circumstances, that he had no right to discuss the matter, since I had not studied the subject in all its bearings ever since the first appearance of the Jew on the face of the earth. I have, however, had the opportunity thrust upon me of seeing the Jew much more intimately than the majority of his defenders or his detractors and what I did see I have simply put down in black and white....
