A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy Language — John Shaqi
A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy LanguageSimson, Walter
History
A History of the Gipsies: with Specimens of the Gipsy Language
Simson, Walter
Romanies; Romanies -- Languages
to proceed before the horde, spy out the richness of the land, and
organize stations for those to follow; and then continue the migration
till all the horde had passed over. Considering that the representative
part of the Gipsies have retained their peculiarities almost
uncontaminated, it is in the highest degree probable, it may even be
assumed as certain, that this was the manner in which they entered
Europe: at first stragglers, with systematic relays of stations and
couriers, followed up by such small, yet numerous and closely following,
companies, as almost to escape the notice of the authorities of the
countries through which they passed; a mode of travelling which they
still pursue in Great Britain. But when any special obstacle was to be
encountered in their journey--such, for example, as the hostility of the
inhabitants of any particular place--they would concentrate their
strength, so as to force their way through. Their next step would be to
arrange among themselves the district of country each tribe was to
occupy. After their arrival, they seem to have appeared publicly in
large bands, growing emboldened by the generous reception which they met
with for some time after their appearance; and they seem to have had the
sagacity to know, that if they secured the favour of the great, that of
the small would necessarily follow.
But if the first appearance of the Gipsies in Europe had a different
complexion from what I have conjectured, there are other causes to which
may be attributed the fact of its not being known. Among these is to be
found the distracted state of the Eastern Empire in its struggles with
the Turks, which led to the capture of its capital, and the subversion
of the Greek rule in the East. The literary and other men of note,
scattered over the provinces, likely to chronicle such an event as the
appearance of the Gipsies, must necessarily have betaken themselves to
the capital, as each district submitted to the conquerors, and so lost
the opportunity of witnessing the migration, under such circumstances as
would have made it observable, assuming that the Gipsies travelled in
large companies, which, under all the circumstances of the case, was
not, on all occasions, likely. The surrounding countries having been the
theatre of so many changes in the history of the human family, and the
inhabitants having undergone so many changes of masters, leading to so
many distinct races, from the intellectual and cultivated Greek to the
barbarous Arab and dusky Moor, of so various hues and habits, many of
whom would be found in such a city as Constantinople, what peculiarity
was there about the Gipsies to attract the notice of the haughty Greek,
characterized as he was by all the feelings of disdain which his
ancestors displayed in not even naming the Jews and early Christians?
Then, if we consider the peculiar turn which the new-born literary
pursuits of learned men assumed during that age--how it was exclusively
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