186 GIPSIES. 



spread by degrees over Europe, may not this family name, a 

 little corrupted, be the very name they brought with them 



Egypt, and, entering Europe from thence, have brought with them the 

 name Egyptians, which has been corrupted in England into gipsies. 



This opinion seems to have been early entertained, but soon forgotten ; 

 for we find that Hieronymus Foroliviensis, in the nineteenth volume of 

 Muratori, says, that, on the 7th day of August, A.D. 1432, two hundred 

 of the cingari came to his native town, and halted there two days on 

 their journey to Rome, and that some of them said they came from India 

 " et, ut atidivi, aliqui dicebant quod erant India." Munster, who, in 1524, 

 conversed with one of the cingari, found that bis belief was, the tribe 

 had come from that country. 



The Abbe Dubois says, that in every country of the Peninsula, great 

 numbers of families are to be found, whose ancestors were obliged to 

 emigrate thither in times of trouble or famine from their native land, and 

 to establish themselves amongst strangers. But the most remarkable 

 feature in their history is, that these colonists preserve their own language, 

 from generation to generation, as well as their national peculiarities. 

 Many families might be pointed out who have continued four or five 

 hundred years in particular districts without approximating in the least 

 to the manners, fashions, or language, of the tribes among whom they 

 have been naturalized. 



Leaving this species of evidence, we shall proceed to one which seems 

 to afford more conclusive proofs than any other of the Hindoo origin of 

 the gipsies ; namely, a short vocabulary of words, collected from the 

 gipsy of England, the giatano of Spain, and the cygani of Hungary; 

 and if we make allowance for the corruptions, which must necessarily 

 have crept in amongst people wandering through countries whose language 

 was not only distinct from their own, but also unconnected with each 

 other, we shall not wonder at the slight difference, seeing the great variety 

 of provincial dialect spoken even in Britain itself : 



English Gypsy. Hungarian. Hindoo. Spanish. 



Cow, Goururnin. Gourumin, Goru. 



Old woman, Puromanesche. Peer. Pari. 



Ox, Gocero. Gouro. 



Soul, Jee, Javo. Ochi. 



Bed, (Bedstead ) Charpoai. Choripey. 



Face, Mui. Mooh. 



Duck, Heretz. Haunse. 



Worm, Kirma. Keerak. 



Fork, Kassoni. Kastoni. " Kaunta. 



Scissors, Catsaw. Quinchee. 



Knife, Churi. Schluri. Chorah. Churi. 



Drunk, Motto. Mad-walla. Matocino. 



Red, Laul. Oiajo. 



Salt, Lone. Lhon. Loon. Lon. 



Key, Kesin. Klucko. Koonjee. Clachi. 



Besides these, we may mention, that the gipsies use the word banduk, 

 for a musket, which, in the Hindoo, is bundooq ; and kahngeree English, 

 cangri Spanish, and kahngeri Hungarian, all signify church. Could a 



