Tihe Natural History of Se I borne 267 



and the East, two or three centuries ago, and so spread by 

 degrees over Europe, may not this family-name, a little cor- 

 rupted, be the very name they brought with them from the 

 Levant ? It would be matter of some curiosity, could one 

 meet with an intelligent person among them, to inquire 

 whether, in their jargon, they still retain any Greek words ; 

 the Greek radicals will appear in hand, foot, head, water, 

 earth, &c. It is possible that amidst their cant and corrupted 

 dialect many mutilated remains of their native language might 

 still be discovered. 1 



With regard to those peculiar people, the gypsies, one thing 

 is very remarkable, and especially as they came from warmer 

 climates ; and that is, that while other beggars lodge in barns, 

 stables, and cow-houses, these sturdy savages seem to pride 

 themselves in braving the severities of winter, and in living 

 sub dio the whole year round. Last September was as wet a 

 month as ever was known ; and yet during those deluges did 

 a young gypsy 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 these people on the confines of Tartary, who were 

 endeavouring to penetrate those deserts, and try their fortune 

 in China.* 



Gypsies are called in French, Bohemiens ; in Italian and 

 modern Greek, Zingani. 



I am, &c. 



* See Bell's "Travels in China." 



1 The gypsy language is now known to be an Indian dialect, probably 

 from the Punjab. The fragments which still survive point to a Jat origin. 

 ED. 



