Show I 1 I 1 MINE FACTS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL V C THE NOVELISTS REBECCA she wo was a iteld resident t of philadelphia and d was the friend of washington irvin in only love how sir walter waiter scott heard of her of all the women sir Scott has drawn rebecca and bowena are ard the best known and best beloved the tender strength of the one the tender sweetness of the other the rou romantic lautic ator through which they move and th tha a perfection of the contrast between betwee ii them all contribute to fix them firmly in th hearts of all 0 readers it has been said that rebecca is the great nov novelists elises finest character if ff this is so it is of all tho tha more interest to us for her prototype was a philadelphian philadelphia the original of rebecca the daughter of asaad isaacoff of york was rebecca gratz born in this ci city y io in the last century and still living livine after the tha two great novelists who succeeded scott had been gathered to walhalla I 1 stood the other day by her forgotten for gotter grave in the little old grass grown jewish cemetery on oa spruce street just r south of the quaker er meeting house bouse between eighth and ninth streets and I 1 read the simple inscription on the to tomb m b i rebecca gratz born bora march 4 died an aug 27 1869 miss mi as gratz was a conspicuous member of an honorable honora ble jewish family she sha possessed in early years indeed even I 1 to tha lay of her death a singular beauta of face and form her ej eyes ea were of exquisite shape large bla bl a and lustrous her figure was graceful and her carriage was marked by quiet dignity besides these attractions she had elegant and winning manners gentle benevolent and accomplished rebecca soon became the center of a brilliant circle of men and women christians and jews her parents died when sha eha was very young but the gratl grata mansion presided over by rebecca continued to bo be known far and wide for its hospitality one of the most intimate friends of her brother was waa washington irving who was then in the early freshness of his literary career caree and in this way a cordial friendship and admiration were established between the author and miss misa gratz which lasted as long as life matilda Eo ffman who was the object of irvings only love was also rebeccas dearest friend many of her younger days being passed with the hoffmans Hoff manE and other old families in now new york during daring miss hoffmans Hoff mana first illness rebecca was her constant companion sharing in with the family the cares of the sick bl bed and holding matilda when eho biad in her arms scott and luring irving met for the first time in 1817 the american visiting sir walter with a letter of introduction froni from the poet campbell he was most cordially received at Ab botsford and there irving passed several of the most delightful days of his life listening to the many tales told as no one but scott could tell them and rambling al out the beautiful hills during one of tho the frequent conversations between the t two wo authors trying spoke of his own and miss hoffmans friend rebecca gratz of philadelphia de alphia he glowingly described her beauty and related the story of her firm adherence to her religious faith under the most trying circumstances but particularly ticul arly did he tell of her zealous philanthropy and loveliness of character sir walter was very deeply impressed and interested and conceived the idea ot of embodying a character like liera hers in one of his novels he was then revolving in his mind the story of ivanhoe and on the strength of irvings vivid description he be determined to introduce adew a jewish female character scott composed this story during ruo mo ments of intense physical pain yet at times he became eo interested in the Cl character aeter of rebecca for he even adopted her name that he rose from his couch and walked up and down the room while he be dictated the story to his hia amanuensis he finished the book in december 1819 and aad immediately sent the first copy to irving in intha the letter accompanying it ft he asked how do you liko like yo your 4 rebecca does the rebecca I 1 have pictured compare well with tho the pattern given we the resemblance of the character tc re that of miss gratzia gratz Grat zit it is said by those win wh knew her was closely inar marked ked although the source of the character charac tei was known to the jewess her modesty made her shrink from the publicity ol oi it and when pressed upon the subject she would deftly evade the matter by b changing the topic when a young girl it is said rebecca gratz won the regard of a gent gentleman lemn ol oi good position and wealth but as he was wae a christian the difference in their reli alous faith proved a hopeless barrier te tc their union she consequently nevet levei married instead she devoted her life to charitable deeds she founded the 0 op p hap hans asylum of this city and a early as 1811 her name appe appeared earea as an I 1 officer of the female association in am a mission school for hebrew children was started by this noble noblewoman woman at A this school prayers of her own comp composition asi were used daily miss gratz grata liveo lived to the advanced age of eighty eight when she died universally regretted the ancient graveyard where her mor tal remains repose has been closed fol foi burial purposes almost eyer ever since hei death although previous to that time it was extensively used Phil philadelphia adelphis times |