to pay the
poll-tax, even though their ancestors for centuries had been Mahometans,
or though they should actually have been a pilgrimage to Mecca. The
privilege of wearing a white turban, is the only advantage their
conversion gives them, over unbelieving Jews and Gypsies.

Among warlike nations, many instances have occurred, in which the people
subdued, being more enlightened than their conquerors, the latter have
adopted the manners of the former. After the conquest of Greece, the
Romans assumed the manners of the Greeks; and the Turks in like manner
assumed those of the Gauls. The Mancheans vanquished the Chinese, but
Chinese customs prevailed over those of the Mancheans.

_Grellmann_.

Our countryman Dr. Clarke, page 4, of part the second of his Travels in
Greece, says: "There is every reason to believe that the Turks
themselves, at the conquest of Constantinople, adopted many of the
customs, and embraced many of the refinements of a people they had
subdued.

"Their former habits had been those of nomad tribes, their dwellings were
principally tents, and the camp, rather than the city, distinguished
their abode."

But Grellmann observes, Gypsies who have not established themselves by
force in any country, nor obtained toleration from any Government, remain
unchanged. Though they behold fixed dwellings on every side of them,
with settled inhabitants, they nevertheless, proceed in their own way,
and continue, for the most part, unsocial, houseless wanderers.

To their excessive indolence and aversion to industry, may be attributed
the poverty and want which are generally their lots. They dislike every
kind of employment which requires application; and had rather suffer
hunger and nakedness, than provide against these privations, on the
conditions of labour. They therefore practise music and palmistry, which
allows them many idle hours; or addict themselves to vicious habits and
unlawful courses. Though no one of them marries a person who is not of
Gypsey extraction, there is not any people among whom marriage is
contracted with less consideration, or accomplished with less solemnity.

Some Gypsies, who are stationary, have regular habitations, according to
their situation in life. To this class belong those who keep
public-houses in Spain; and others in Transylvania and Hungary, who
follow some regular business; which latter have their own