NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 201 



whole year round. Last September was as wet a month as ever 

 was known ; and yet during those deluges did a young gipsy girl lie 

 in the midst of one of our hop-gardens, on the cold ground, with 

 nothing over her but a piece of a blanket extended on a few 

 hazel-rods bent hoop-fashion, and stuck into the earth at each end, 

 in circumstances too trying for a cow in the same condition ; yet 

 within this garden there was a large hop-kiln, into the chambers of 

 which she might have retired, had she thought shelter an object 

 worthy her attention. 



Europe itself, it seems, cannot set bounds to the rovings of these 

 vagabonds ; for Mr. Bell, in his return from Peking, met a gang 

 of those people on the confines of Tartary, who were endeavouring 

 to penetrate those deserts, and try their fortune in China. 



Gypsies are called in French, Bohemians; in Italian and 

 modern Greek, Zingari. 



I am, etc. 



LETTER XXVI. 



SELBORNE, Nov. \st, 1775. 



" Hie .... taedse pingues, hie plurimus ignis 

 Semper, et assidua postes fuligine nigri." 



DEAR SIR, I shall make no apology for troubling you with the 

 detail of a very simple piece of domestic economy, being satisfied 

 that you think nothing beneath your attention that tends to utility ; 

 the matter alluded to is the use of rushes instead of candles, which 

 I am well aware prevails in many districts besides this; but as 

 I know there are countries also where it does not obtain, and as 

 I have considered the subject with some degree of exactness, I 

 shall proceed in my humble story, and leave you to judge of the 

 expediency. 



The proper species of rush for this purpose seems to be the 

 juncus effusus, or common soft rush, which is to be found in most 

 moist pastures, by the sides of streams, and under hedges. These 

 rushes are in best condition in the height of summer ; but may be 



