332 NATURAL HISTORY 



little corrupted, 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 mu- 

 tilated remains of their native language 

 might still be discovered.: 



With regard to those peculiar people, the 

 gypsies, one thing is very remarkable, and 

 especially as they came from warmer cli- 

 mates ; and that is, that while other beg- 

 gars lodge in barns, stables, and cow- 

 houses, these sturdy savages seem to pride 

 themselves in braving the severities of Win- 

 ter, and in living suh 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 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 



