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EVER since entering Great
Britain, about the year 1506, the Gipsies have been drawing into their body
the blood of the ordinary inhabitants and conforming to their ways; and so
prolific has the race been, that there cannot be less than 250,000 Gipsies
of all castes, colours, characters, occupations, degrees of education,
culture, and position in life, in the British Isles alone, and possibly
double that number. There are many of the same race in the United States of
America. Indeed, there have been Gipsies in America from nearly the first
day of its settlement; for many of the race were banished to the
plantations, often for very trifling offences, and sometimes merely for
being by "habit and repute Egyptians." But as the Gipsy race leaves the
tent, and rises to civilization, it hides its nationality from the rest of
the world, so great is the prejudice against the name of Gipsy. In Europe
and America together, there cannot be less than 4,000,000 Gipsies in
existence. John Bunyan, the author of the celebrated Pilgrim's Progress, was
one of this singular people, as will be conclusively shown in the present
work. The philosophy of the existence of the Jews, since the dispersion,
will also be discussed and established in it.
When the "wonderful story" of
the Gipsies is told, as it ought to be told, it constitutes a work of
interest to many classes of readers, being a subject unique, distinct from,
and unknown to, the rest of the human family. In the present work, the race
has been treated of so fully and elaborately, in all its aspects, as in a
great measure to fill and satisfy the mind, instead of being, as heretofore,
little better than a myth to the understanding of the most intelligent
person.
The history of the Gipsies,
when thus comprehensively treated, forms a study for the most advanced and
cultivated mind, as well as for the youth whose intellectual and literary
character is still to be formed; and furnishes, among other things, a
system of science not too abstract in its nature, and having for its
subject-matter the strongest of human feelings and sympathies. The work also
seeks to raise the name of Gipsy out of the dust, where it now lies while it
has a very important bearing on the conversion of the Jews, the advancement
of Christianity generally, and the development of historical and moral
science.
NEW YORK, May 1st, 1866.
Contents
Scottish Gypsies
From Vol. 1 of Blackwood's Magazine (1817) (pdf)
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