The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-20

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| HIsroRy or TIE GYPsrEs, WITH SPECIMENS
or rHK GYPsY LANGUAGE. BY Walter Simson.
Edited, with Preface, Introduction, Notes, &c.
| by James Siuson. Doolady Broome street.
All remember the interest which the "Romanany Rye
Of George Barrow excited the public mind some years
ago. He threw food Of light the habits and char
acteriscs OF the singular race known TO the world ~
Gypses, 10 which IL had previously been . stranger
Curious 70 say, the volume which have before
and which has only recently made appearance In
London was written before Barrow's book published
It originally history Of ,he Gypsies OF Scotland,
but by the abors Of the authors literary legatee has
assumed more general character and embraces that
| Of the race generally, though, Of course, the
main bulk Of its contents has still relation Scotland
The motive Of the postponement OF It's publication until
after the death Of its author explained the EDITORS
preface by the apprehension Of personal danger
vndctve race Of which treats and also by the dread
which he entertained Of the spleen Of the party opposed
TO the literary society with which he identified himself
and the idea Of being made the subject Of Of tho
slashing criticisms characteristic OF tho times
After careful perusa Of the volume inclined
assign to the latter Of these influences the withhold
Ing Of tho work for long period It very dusey
written, and but for the OF interesting facts
which 1t groups together would frequently weary
| the patience Of tho reader It was, no doubt,
| this consciousness OF its literary mperfections
| that rendered. its author tinid in regard to
the critics, and we could have wished that his literary
egatee and editor (Mr James Simson) had
ed by similar doubts Instead of attempting improve
the defects OF the original work he has rendered them
still more glazing by experimenting them with his
prolixes in the'hape OF preface introduction notes.
general dsquisition" he calls it, 'on past.
present and future OF gypsydom" which Is neither phi
osophical in its character altogether correct in it's
| conclusions
Combining ourselves 10 the original portion OF the
| work. which have been written by OF
| sense and intelligence, we Will begin by noticing
| what he says the veSed question Of the origin
| OF the gypsy race. That Asatic there is
| to doubt. The chronological characteristics,
habits and supcrstions OF the would all go prove
this II had other evidence Of the fact We shall
not turn aside refute the theory up by
writer that this strange people had European origin
and simply the offspring Of that tendency to law
lossncss aud rapne which pervaied in the middle ages
and which, assuming organization like that OF free
masonry, succeeded In maintaining II to day through
the influence Of fear Mr. sinson thinks that the Gyp.
sizes originally came from Hndostan, and he assigns
reasons for this opinion which, Il not conclusive.
are least plausible. One OF the links connecting the
with that region he holds TO be the sacrifice Of the
horse in divorces OF man and wife, ceremonial rclg
ousy adhered to by the Gypses and which TO be
AswaneOiha Asmme,d J,ly observed by all the four
principal castles OF India enumerated in the Genioo code
Of laws. The divorce forms, thus practsed among
the Gypscs, suite cnty curious to DO given In tbs
words OF Mr. Smson
when the parties longer live together as hus
band and wife, and separation forever u finally deter
mined ON, horse without bemsh and Ia no manner Of
lame, " led forth 10 the spot for performing the
ceremony OF divorce The hour at which the rites must
be performed Il, II possible, twelve O'Clock at noon,
''when the at his height" The gy pses present
lots for the individual who sacrifice the animal
and whom they call the priest for the time The priest
with long pole stan in his hand, walks round and
wound the animal tmes repeating tho names OF
all the persons In whose possession II his been and
tong and explaining the qualities Of useful
an animal. II Is now let loose and driven from their
presence TO do whatever II pcaacs The horse perfect
and free put in the room OF the woman sho Il To be
divorced and by It's different movements Is the degree Of
her gull as crtancd SONG OF the gypscs now vet of in
pursuit Of H. and endcayor TO catch ~ II 1t Is wild and
ractablc, kicks, leaps dykes and dtchcs scampors
about and will allow itself To be easily taken hold
Of the crimes and guilt OF The are looked upon
n numerous aud benous II Tho horse In tame and do
ce when Il II pursued and suffers itself 10 be taken
without much trouble aud without exhibiting many
capcrs. the guilt OF tho not considered deep
aud aggravated and II is then sacrificed In her stead
But II II Is extremely Wild and vicious, and cannot b.
taken without INFINITE trouble, her crimes considered
exccedingly wicked and a,rococs; and my informant
said Instances occurred In which both horse and woman
sacrificed the time the death Of tbs horse
alone being then considered insufficient TO atone for hor
excessive quit The individuals who cath the norse
bring before the priest They repeat TO him all the
faults and tricks had committed. laying the whole OF
the crimes Of which the woman II supposed to have
been gully to IL charge and upbrldlng and seoding
the dumb creature In angry manner for ls conduct
They bring, As II we're an accusation against i, and
plead for it, condennato When this part OF the trial
10 anhcd the priest takes a large knife and thrusts
the heart Of the horse and H. blood Is allowed to
flow upon the ground I'll life is extinct The dead ant
nal stretched upon tho ground Tho husband
then takes bis stand on one side OF II and the vile on
the other aud holding each other by the hand repeat
spprUpr this gypsy language They
then quit hold OF each other and walk three tmcs round
the body OF the horse coniTar~ise passing aud crossing
NJ fhaUg
directions Al certain parts Of the animal the corners
the horse the gypsy's expressiou such as the
bnd aud fore feet the shoulders and Launches the bead
and tail TIE parties hal, and face each other, and again
sentences In Their own speech at each time they
hiatt The two last stops they make, IN their circuit
round the sacrifice, Nc at the head and tail ~ The
head they again face 1sch other aud speak and lastly
nj tho tail they again confront each 9th r. utter
gyIy expressions shake hands and finally part the
gong north the other SOUTH again to be unei
In this life Immediately after separation takes place the
woman receives token. which IA made Of cast iron
about an inch aud hall square with a mark upon u
resembling the Roman character After the marriage
has been dissolved and the woman dismissed from the
rhce the heart Of the horse taken out and roasted
with Gre, then sprnklod with vnegsr or brandy and
eaten ~ tho husband and his friends then present. the
female not being allowed TO join In this part Of the cerc
| mony Tho body OF The horse, akin and everything
Tesr ,fer the ceremony has taken place the husband
land his friends visit the grave OF the animal, " see
whether II has been disturbed. Al these visits they
walk round about the grave ~ith much grief and
mourning
The husband may take smother wife whenever be
pleases, nut TIE female ~ never pcrtnitted W marry
again The token OF, rather bill u divorce, which she
receives must be from about her person II she
loses attempts 70 pas herself on q woman never
married she becomes liable " the shment or
death In the of her breaking this lsv council
the chiefs held upon her conduct and her fate 10
decided by majority of the members, and II she 70 70
suffer death her be confirmed By the king
principal leader The enlprii then tied 10 stake
IRON chain, and there cudgeled 70 death The
erccutoners do not esiingush lie beating but
leave unhappy for little while and return
her and At last complete their WORK by despatohns
her the spot.
In further confirmation Of hi. theory tina, the gp-1es
came from Hndostsn, Mr. simson quotes from tho
en,h volume o. the Asiatc Researches paragraph de-
.crbtBs tribe Of gipses Who wander ,ha, region
and who practise, In Europe the arts OF posture
making and tumbling, fortune telling, stealing. DC
They are called Nuts Bazegurs and are believed by
many 10 he the rsnalns Of aboriginal prior
70 Hndoo- end vbo adopted the worship
Of Bramah In the ordinances OF Mem the sots ov IA