Transcribed from the 1912 Chatto & Windus edition by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk THE POCKET GEORGE BORROW PASSAGES CHOSEN FROM THE WORKS OF BORROW BY EDWARD THOMAS To my brother Julian. NOTE When a man has read once, or twice, or three times, through Borrow's books, he will probably dip into them here and there at intervals. By so doing he gradually makes his own anthology; but it may be that he will yet find place for another man's, if it has no pretension to completeness or authority, and will go into his pocket. Borrow is not a pithy writer, nor is he best when sententious; the following passages are, therefore, somewhat longer than is usual in this series of Anthologies. Even so, many of the best things in his books, especially from Wild Wales, have had to be omitted, because they are longer still. But this selection aims only at giving strangers to Borrow an invitation or challenge, and lovers a few sprigs of his heather for a keepsake. Those who find themselves disagreeing with it may at any rate have had their own taste cleared and braced in the process. Edward Thomas. BORROW'S WRITINGS ROMANTIC BALLADS TARGUM ZINCALI: THE GYPSIES OF SPAIN THE BIBLE IN SPAIN LAVENGRO ROMANY RYE WILD WALES THE SLEEPING BARD ROMANO LAVO-LIL THE TURKISH JESTER AND OTHER TRANSLATIONS CONTENTS It is very possible that the reader . . . Zincali "Are you of the least use?" . . . Lavengro "People are becoming vastly sharp" . . . Lavengro "Will you take a glass of wine?" . . . Lavengro One day it happened . . . Lavengro Because they have been known . . . Zincali One fact has always struck us . . . Zincali Many of them reside in caves . . . Zincali It has always struck me . . . Lavengro A sound was heard . . . Lavengro After much feasting . . . Zincali The English Gypsies . . . Zincali "I say, Jasper!" . . . Romany Rye "What is your opinion of death, Mr. Petulengro?" . . . Lavengro Beating of women . . . Romany Rye Of my wife . . . Wild Wales In the summer. . . . Wild Wales Fear God, and take your own part . . . Romany Rye Soldiers and sailors . . Romany Rye There they come, the bruisers . . . Lavengro The writer now wishes . . . Romany Rye "No," said I . . . Romany Rye Oh, genial and gladdening! . . . Lavengro On the whole . . . Romany Rye On the following day . . . Romany Rye The binding . . . Lavengro I commenced the Bible in Spain . . . Zincali And, as I wandered . . . Lavengro At length the moon shone out . . . Bible in Spain Upon the shoulder of the goatherd . . . Bible in Spain I have always found . . . Bible in Spain "C'est moi, mon maitre" . . . Bible in Spain After travelling four days and nights . . . Bible in Spain The posada. . . . Bible in Spain The landlord brought the ale . . . Wild Wales "Young gentleman" . . . Lavengro Becoming soon tired . . . Wild Wales Late in the afternoon . . . Bible in Spain I had till then . . . Bible in Spain "What mountains are those?" . . . Bible in Spain