Transcribed from the 1911 John Murray edition, by David Price, ccx074@pglaf.org LAVENGRO THE SCHOLAR, THE GYPSY, THE PRIEST BY GEORGE BORROW A NEW EDITION CONTAINING THE UNALTERED TEXT OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE; SOME SUPPRESSED EPISODES, MS. VARIORUM, VOCABULARY AND NOTES BY THE AUTHOR OF THE LIFE OF GEORGE BORROW LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1911 {Rackman's Offices, Tuck's Court, St. Giles', Norwich: p0.jpg} FIRST EDITION . . . 1851 SECOND EDITION . . . ---- THIRD EDITION . . . 1872 FOURTH EDITION . . . 1888 FIFTH EDITION . . . 1896 SIXTH (DEFINITIVE) EDITION . . . 6/- _March_, 1900 _Reprinted_ . . . _July_, 1902 _Reprinted_ . . . _May_, 1904 _Reprinted_ . . . Thin Paper . _Aug._, 1905 _Reprinted_ . . . 6/- . _Jan._, 1907 _Reprinted_ . . . _Sept._, 1907 _Reprinted_ . . . 2/6 net . _Sept._, 1907 _Reprinted_ . . . Thin Paper . _June_ 1908 _Reprinted_ . . . 1/- net . _Feb._, 1911 [ORIGINAL TITLE PAGE.] LAVENGRO; THE SCHOLAR--THE GYPSY--THE PRIEST. BY GEORGE BORROW, AUTHOR OF "THE BIBLE IN SPAIN" AND "THE GYPSIES OF SPAIN" IN THREE VOLUMES--VOL. I. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1851. ADVERTISEMENT. (1851.) In compliance with the advice of certain friends who are desirous that it may not be supposed that the following work has been written expressly for the present times, the author begs leave to state that it was planned in the year 1842, and all the characters sketched before the conclusion of the year 1843. The contents of the volumes here offered to the public have, with the exception of the Preface, existed in manuscript for a very considerable time. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. (1851.) In the following pages I have endeavoured to describe a dream, partly of study, partly of adventure, in which will be found copious notices of books, and many descriptions of life and manners, some in a very unusual form. The scenes of action lie in the British Islands. Pray be not displeased, gentle reader, if perchance thou hast imagined that I was about to conduct thee to distant lands, and didst promise thyself much instruction and entertainment from what I might tell thee of them. I do assure thee that thou hast no reason to be displeased, inasmuch as there are no countries in the world less known by the British than these selfsame British Islands, or where more strange things are every day occurring, whether in road or street, house or dingle. The time embraces nearly the first quarter of the present century. This information, again, may perhaps be anything but agreeable to thee; it is a long time to revert to--but fret not thyself, many matters which at present much occupy the public mind originated in some degree towards the latter end of that period, and some of them will be treated of.