of
their being Egyptian is entirely erroneous--their appearance, manners,
and language being totally different from those of either the Copts or
Fellahs; there are many Gipsies now in Egypt, but they are looked upon as
strangers.

Notwithstanding that edicts have been hurled against them, persecuted and
hunted like vermin during the Middle Ages, still they kept coming. Later
on, laws more merciful than in former times have taken a more humane view
of them and been contented by classing them as "vagrants and
scoundrels"--still they came. Magistrates, ministers, doctors, and
lawyers have spit their spite at them--still they came; frowning looks,
sour faces, buttoned-up pockets, poverty and starvation staring them in
the face--still they came. Doors slammed in their faces, dogs set upon
their heels, and ignorant babblers hooting at them--still they came; and
the worst of it is they are reducing our own "riff-raff" to their level.
The novelist has written about them; the preacher has preached against
them; the drunkards have garbled them over in their mouths, and yelped
out "Gipsy," and stuttered "scamp" in disgust; the swearer has sworn at
them, and our "gutter-scum gentlemen" have told them to "stand off."
These "Jack-o'-th'-Lantern," "Will-o'-th'-Wisp," "Boo-peep," "Moonshine
Vagrants," "Ditchbank Sculks," "Hedgerow Rodneys," of whom there are not
a few, are black spots upon our horizon, and are ever and anon flitting
before our eyes. A motley crowd of half-naked savages, carrion eaters,
dressed in rags, tatters, and shreds, usually called men, women, and
children, some running, walking, loitering, traipsing, shouting, gaping,
and staring; the women with children on their backs, and in their arms;
old men and women tottering along "leaning upon their staffs;" hordes of
children following in the rear; hulking men with lurcher dogs at their
heels, sauntering along in idleness, spotting out their prey; donkeys
loaded with sacks, mules with tents and sticks, and their vans and
waggons carrying ill-gotten gain and plunder; and the question arises in
the mind of those who take an interest in this singularly unfortunate
race of beings: From whence came they? How have they travelled? By what
routes did they travel? What is their condition, past and present? How
are they to be dealt with in any efforts put forth to improve their
condition? These are questions I shall in my feeble way endeavour to
solve; at any rate, the