The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1886-12-11
A RACE OF NOMADs.
Probable Origin, History and
Literature of the Gypsies.

| Literature of the Gypsies.
Their Migration from India to Persia,
Asia Minor and Europe-The Powers
| of Their Kings and Queens-In-
corrigible yagabonds.
IT. ]. Bowditch, in Troy N. W Times.]
! The nomadic race, known as Gypsies or
Gipseys, have different appellations in diff
ferent countries. In England and in this
country they are Gypsies; they are Bohe-
mians in France; Gitanos and Zincali in
Spain, Zigeuner in Germany: Heathens in
Holland, Eaters in Denmark and Sweden,
Czijanyok and Pharonpek in Hungary,
Sisech in Persia Karachee in Hindostan,
Harami in Arabia, and their own acknowl-
edged title is Rom-their language, which
is split into many dialects, being generally
! called Romany Tschib. In the Gypsy
language Rom means a husband, and
Romany the sect of the husbands. Gypsy
is a term derived from a corruption OF
| the word Egyptian. It is somewhat sin-
| gular that the Gypsies never found rest
ing place in the United States, Canada or
Ireland. Thew have been scattered over
| the whole of Europe with the Irish excep-
! ton, and in parts Of Asia and Africa, but
never made settlement in the new world.
There can be no doubt that the Gypsies de-
rive their origin from India and philolo-
gists have decided that their language is
dialect of the old Sanscrit, though it has
appropriated words from various coun-
| tries and lost many of its own. 1t is clear
that originally coming from the borders OF
| Northern India, this tribe passed first into
Persia, where they remained a long time;
next went into Macedonia, or some other
Greek count1y-pcrhaps into Asia minor
and thence descended into Cyprus, Hun
gary, Wallachia, etc. The first emigration
been as early as 400 A. d. The Gypsies
passed from Asia into Europe in the
twelfth century, and were commonly called
Ishmaelites-every hand being against
them. They pursued the ostensible occu-
patton Of 1praziers Tor kettle menders} and
were accused Of cheating and robbing
whenever they had chance.
Early in the fifteenth century they over
ran Germany, Moldavia. Switzerland and
italy, their numbers being fourteen thou
sand. After this they invaded France and
appeared before, but were not admitted
into, Paris. Gradually they wandered as
far north as Russia and Sweden and as low
south as Spain. Their own account is that
they originally came from "Littie Egypt"
One of their traditions is that God sen
fenced the race to endless wandering il
expiration of their want CT hospitality 10
the Holy Family on it's flight from chill
drcn-slaying Herod. At first the Gypsies
were we'll received, but when they proved
themselves adopts in the arts of fortune
telling, cheating, magic and thievng, they
were olltlawea throughout Europe Good
citizens were forbidden to have any deal
ings with them, and it was considered
creditable deed to Stay a Gypsy. They bad
settled in England and Scotland toward
the middle OF the fifteenth century, ana
ere long several severe DEGREES, intended
to extirpate them, were hurled against
them by James v, father of Mary, Queen
Of Scots, and Henry VIII of England.
During the next hundred years later Maria
their moral and social condition, giving
education to their children and trying tc
attach to the soil and to habits OF
industry by giving them land to cultivate
and building additional streets in the vii
lagos for them to Live in But all such ef-
forts have failed. They have always re-
su1ned their wild and wandering mode Of
vagabond life.
No estimate OF the number Of the Gyp-
sizes can be fully relied on. 1t varies from
300, 900, set down by one writer, to 100000
stated by another. In England and Scot
land there are some $1,000 Of this race.
They are divided into classes and tribes
the Stanleys' haunt is the New Forest: the
Lovells are fond of London and its vicinity:
the coopers live round about Windsor; the
Smiths have taken up their abode in the
eastern countries, and the Hens lave ap-
propriated the north Of England and York
shire In Fife, in the south Of Scotland,
they may be said to abound, and live by
ponchi1'g, thieving, cheating, fortnne-t2n-
ing, spoon-maEing, mouse-trap- making,
fishing, wood-carving, tinkering (mending
one hole and leaving two fresh ones), and
SO on.
They are governed by 2 king Or queen, as
the case may be, to whom they pay great
respect, and even submission, leaving ali
the treasures Of the tribe jewels and hard
cash) in their sovereign's possession, and
even at his disposal. The sovereign can
expeI any Of his subjects for misconduct or
INSTRUMENTATION, but there rarely is any oc-
casion to go to this extremity They are
not very particular in their diet--game
birds, domestic fowl, aares, lambs, hedge
hogs, moles. fish, and it is said even rats
~'>~
dron in which they cook their soup. 1t is
said that the soup is wonderfully appctlz~
ing. They have the same aversion to eels
that bcotchmen generally exhibit. 1t
may be added that the finest violin per-
formers in Hungary are Gypsies, and that
John Bunyan, the inspired tinker who
wrote 'sThe Pilgrims Progress,' is claimed
by them as q scion of thei: race.
Bulwer has sketched q Gypsy and 8
Gypsy camp in ''The Diso,7ned," the third
of his novels George Bonau has greater
knowledge Of the Gypsies than perhaps any
other living man. A great philologist, he
availed himself Of an opportunity afforded
by the encamp1nent Of gang of Gypsies
on heath near his residence to obtain q
thorough knowledge Of their language.
While in Spain he consulted much with the
Zincol {the Gypsies, whom the natives call
Gitanos), and found that their language
was much the same as that of their English
cousins. lie Translated the New Testament
into the Spanish dialect of Romany, and in
1895 printed FIVE hundred copies of the Cos
mol NJ LIKE. in the translation of which he