Record of David Henry Mordecai's illnesses and schooling, mostly in Heidelberg, Germany, with some notations at Ems. With sporadic notations of weather, and mentions of South Carolinians Albert Rhett, William, John & Alfred Preston, Charles Boyd, Hammond, Legare, D.C. Seixas & others. References to museums, artwork and plays seen. Mentions of health and cures, the need for an operation (p. 73); stupidity of peasants vs. slaves (18); lynching (21), political situation in Kansas (30); doomed nature of American slavery (31); inevitability of Civil War (31-2); state support of SC College (56-57); women who "paint" their faces (111). With constant references to family, and some financial jottings. Some entries in German.
David Henry Mordecai's 1857 diary contains details of a trip through Turin, Milan, Venice, Vienna, Heidelberg, etc with frequent references to artists and specific works seen in Museums. A flare up of consumption triggers change of plans; before embarking for Egypt, he mentions various Charleston friends including Rhetts, Middletons, Prestons and Hamptons, trips to the opera and a life-changing event not described. With botanic specimens and notations in rear of book.
Fragments and narratives describing cities visited, often with notations re principal industries, amusements, transportation, etc. Cities visited include Paris, Ghent, Frankfurt, London, Liverpool, Sheffield, & Birmingham.
Diary of David Henry Mordecai's trip down east coast to Florida Keys, description of town, wreckers, drunkenness of Key West; description of Havana, and Mantanzas, Cuba. Also has notes on school subjects, reflections on various topics, notation of "Jews - the persecuted race," slavery in SC, pressed botanic specimens, details of weather first quarter of 1850, maps and drawings.
The minutes cover all the special and regular meetings of the organization. Members attending are listed and there are various lists throughout the volume, detailing the approximately 100 or so men and women who belonged. Topics were discussed, at first, in both Yiddish and English. Dues were collected and there are frequent mentions of the need to raise more funds for specific causes, and the need to energize the populations of Charleston and South Carolina for Zionism.
