Sentence:  George Borrow (1803-1881) has stood as the acknowledged source of inspiration for countless Romanophiles (as well as <WSD>Romanophobes</WSD>) ever since his literary heyday in the 19th century; in fact Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald saw himself as quite "unfashionable" (1944:x) because he was one of the few who didn't make his "first acquaintance with [Gypsies] in the pages of George Borrow". 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  One who  fears, hates, or is prejudiced against Roma.