The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars: Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary Man — John Shaqi
The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars: Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary ManUnknown
General
The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars: Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary Man
Mr. Carew’s parents did every thing possible to render home agreeable to
him; every day he was engaged in some party of pleasure or other, and all
his friends strove who should entertain him, so that there seemed nothing
wanting to his happiness. But the uncommon pleasure that he had enjoyed
in the community he had left, the freedom of their government, the
simplicity and sincerity of their manners, the frequent changes of their
habitation, the perpetual mirth and good humour that reigned amongst
them, and perhaps some secret presages of that high honour which he has
since arrived at; all these made too deep an impression to be effaced by
any other ideas; his pleasure therefore grew every day more and more
tasteless, and he relished none of those entertainments which his friends
daily provided for him.
For some time these unsatisfied longings after the community of gipseys
preyed upon his mind, his heart being too good to think of leaving his
fond parents again, without reluctance. Long did filial piety and his
inclinations struggle for the victory; at length the last prevailed, but
not till his health had visibly suffered by these inward commotions. One
day, therefore, without taking leave of any of his friends, he directed
his steps towards Brick-house, at Tiverton, where he had at first entered
into the community of the gipseys; and finding some of them there, he
joined their company, to the great satisfaction of them, as well as of
himself; they rejoiced greatly at having regained one who was likely to
be so useful a member to their community.
We are now entering into the busy part of our hero’s life, where we shall
find him acting in various characters, and performing all with propriety,
dignity, and decorum.—We shall, therefore, rather choose to account for
some of the actions of our hero, by desiring the reader to keep in mind
the principles of the government of the mendicants, which are, like those
of the Algerines, and other states of Barbary, in a perpetual state of
hostility with most other people; so that whatsoever stratagems or
deceits they can over-reach them by, are not only allowed by their laws,
but considered as commendable and praise-worthy; and, as the Algerines
are looked upon as a very honest people by those who are in alliance with
them, though they plunder the rest of mankind; and as most other
governments have thought that they might very honestly attack any weak
neighbouring state, whenever it was convenient for them, and murder forty
or fifty thousand of the human species; we hope, to the unprejudiced eye
of reason, the government of the gipseys in general, and our hero as a
member of it, will not appear in so disadvantageous a light, for
exercising a few stratagems to over-reach their enemies, especially when
it is considered they never, like other states, do any harm to the
persons of their enemies, and nothing considerable to their fortunes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account