forced to ruin my soul for every morsel of bread I eat; but if God
spares my life I will leave it off as soon as I can; while others who
are both ignorant and hardened in their crimes, have told me it was
the gift of God to them, by which they were to gain their living.
Surely they call _darkness light_! Many of my people who join in
talk with me, declare, that if the Bible which I read to them be
true, there cannot be many saved. But they say that a reformation is
needful, and this is promised by them; and I am in great hopes that
the time is at hand. Oh, Lord! work for thine own glory, and stir up
the minds of thy people in all parts of the land, that they may help
forward this good work amongst these poor wanderers!

"Their ignorance and their crimes seem to have increased of late
years. When I was a boy, I well recollect their parting expressions,
which _was_ so common amongst them--_Artmee Devillesty_, which
is--_God bless you_. But now it is _truly awful_; it is _darkness
itself_, _for they now ask God to send them good luck_ in their
crimes. I _myself_ thought for many years, _till __I heard the
Gospel_, _that God was like some great gentleman_, _living at a great
distance from us_; but I had not a thought that he was every where
present to notice the conduct of his creatures, or to hear prayer.
The ignorance of _my people_ is a loud call to Christians to assist;
and, blessed be God, they find that assistance in Southampton. The
Bible has often been taken away from Southampton in the Gipsies'
pack, and I have seen it when they have returned, preserved with a
great deal of care, and produced for me to read, with great delight
on their part.

"Surely this blessed book will not be idle, but will do _wonders_
amongst them, _through God's grace_. I see the effects already; do
you say, how? I answer, _Was it ever known_, _till now_, that
Gipsies assembled on the sabbath day on the common and in the lanes
for divine worship? Did you ever see them come to town on a sabbath
day in such great numbers as they now do, when encamping near
Southampton? Some of the most ignorant of them are now learning to
read the Scriptures. This is the beginning of good days. Oh! the
good this will do to _my people at large_! Nothing of importance
took place in their camp all last summer, _