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 re- 

 mains of their native language might still be dis- 

 covered. 



With regard to those peculiar people, the gyp- 

 sies, 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 them- 

 selves in braving the severities of winter, and in 

 living in the open air 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 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 cir- 

 cumstances too trying for a cow in the same con- 

 dition : 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 re- 

 turn from Pekin, met a gang of these people on 



the confines of Tartary, who were endeavouring to 

 21 55 



