208 



EUSH CASDLES. 



liop-gar,deiig, on the cold ground,* witli 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. BeU, in his return from Peking, 

 met a gang of these people on the coniines of Tartary, who 

 were endeavouring to penetrate those deserts, and try their 

 fortune in China.f 



Gipsies are called in ^French, BoJiemians ; in Italian and 

 modern Greek, Zingani. 



LETTEE LXVIII. 



TO THE SAME. 



" Hie ta?daB pingues, hie plurimus ignis 



Semper, et assidud postes fuligine nigri." 



t Selbobne, iVoi). 1, 1775. 



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 aUuded 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 sub- 



* My kind old friend tlie late Dr. Fergusson, while residing at Windsor 

 was sent for to see !i young gipsy girl who was very ill with the small-pox. 

 She was lying on the ground in the sort of tent Mr. White has described. 

 Dr. Fergusson wanted to have her removed to a house, but nothing could pre- 

 vail on the woman to leave her quarters. She eventually recovered, and for 

 years afterwards he received grateful visits from this woman and some of her 

 tribe to thank him for his kindness. — Ed. 



t See Bell's Travels in China. 



