OF SELBORNE 157 



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

 with nothing over her but a piece of 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. 1 



Gypsies are called in French Bohemiens ; in Italian and modern 

 Greek, Zingani. 



I am, &c. 



LETTER XXVI. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, Nov. i, 1775. 



DEAR SIR, 



" Hie - - - - taedae pingues, hie plurimus ignis 

 "Semper, et assidua postes fuligine nigri." 2 



I SHALL make no apology for troubling you with the detail of a 

 very simple piece of domestic oecoiiomy, 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 couglomeratus, 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 



1 See Bell's Travels in China. 2 [Virg. , Eel , vii. , 49, 50.] 



