The Late Dr. Asher, M.D.Author(s): Maurice DavisSource: The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 19(1890), pp. 515-516Published by: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and IrelandStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2842503 .

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Anthropological Miscellanea. 515

ethnology presented in the United States is immense. Its very vastness overcomes the student who carefully contemplates it. Yet with all the activity, energy, and wealth of the American people I can scarcely compliment them upon their success in a thorough cultivation of this field, and there are undoubtedly many things which we might well learn from England and from English scientists.

The late Dr. ASHER, M.D.

We have to mourn, amongst other losses of the year 1889, that of Dr. Asher, who died on the 7th January, of malignant disease of the pleura. He had been failing in vigour for some two years, but the terminal stage of his malady ran a rapid course of about two months. Dr. Asher was born in Glasgow on February 16th, 1837, and graduated M.D. of that University at the age of 21. He exchanged in the year 1862 the profession of medicine for that of literature, having been elected secretary of the present " United Synagogue," for which his acquaintance with oriental learning and the Talmud especially qualified him. He never, however, deserted medicine as a study, nor indeed as a practice when his services were required in the cause of charity.

Dr. Asher was much interested in Anthropology, but in conse- quence of his multifarious occupations he never took any active part in the work of the Institute.1 His knowledge of Eastern languages was chiefly conspicuous in his intimate familiarity with Hebrew, in which he could converse and write with elegance and fluency, and his deep study of the origin of customs and comparative theology enabled him to view the Scriptures in a wide field with the light of his wise and philosophic mind, so that his explanations occasionally startled those who were in the habit of reading only the letters upon the surface. He was a frequent contributor of thoughtful articles to the "Jewish Chronicle," but his writings on ethnological and other subjects, with the exception of a quasi- medical work, were anonymous, and, although he possessed a forcible style and a rich command of words, he rarely spoke in public.

Dr. Asher visited Jerusalem and Egypt in 1875, in company with Mr. Samuel Montagu, M.P., when his oriental lore was of great value. Finding the tomb of Rachel insufficiently marked, he raised a monument, with an inscription in testimony of the duty of " one of her sons."

At the time of the persecution of the Jews by Russia he was indefatigable in his place at the MVIansion House Committee, and at the request of that Committee he started in 1882 with Mr. Montagu and the late Mr. Lawrence Oliphant for Lemberg and Brody to

I Dr. Asher was not a member of the Anthropological Institute at the time of his death.

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516 Anthropological Miscellaneat.

examine, classify, and select for colonization, suitable cases from amongst the victims who had crowded over the frontier to take refuge in Austria.

In the year 1884 he accompanied Mr. Montagu and Mr. B. L. Cohen to America in order to inspect the prosperous colony formed by these outcasts. He then took the opportunity to attend the meeting of the British Association, which was held that year in Montreal.

He visited Utah, had frequent interviews with the President, Joseph Taylor, and returned laden with religious books of the Mormon community.

His last pilgrimage was made to Russia, where he went with his old colleague, Mr. Montagu, in 1886. It was at this time that his health seriously gave way; but he continued to work bravely in defiance of much suffering.

Although ever at work his labours were felt, not seen, and generally dissociated from their author; yet for so retiring a man few persons were better known, and certainly none better loved.

MAURICE DAVIS.

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