 Isaac was born in Enfield, Middlesex, England, the only child of Benjamin D'Israeli (1730–1816), a Jewish merchant who had emigrated from Cento, Italy in 1748, and his second wife, Sarah Syprut de Gabay Villa Real (1742/3–1825).Isaac received much of his education in Leiden.At the age of 16, he began his literary career with some verses addressed to Samuel Johnson.