Gipsy Life

I give my warmest thanks to W. H. OVEREND, Esq., for the block forming the Frontispiece, which he has kindly presented to me on the condition that the picture occupies the position it does in this book; and also to the proprietor of the Illustrated London News for the blocks to help forward my work, the pictures of which appeared in his journal in November and December of last year and January in the present year, as found herein on pages 42, 48, 66, 76, 96, 108, 118, 122, 174, 192, 236, 283.

I must at the same time express my heart-felt thanks to the manager and proprietors of the Graphic for the blocks forming the illustrations on pages 1, 132, 170, 222, 228, 248, 272, 277, and which appeared in their journal on March 13th in the present year, and which they have kindly presented to me to help forward my object, connected with which sketches, at the kind request of the Editor, I wrote the article.

W. H. OVEREND, Esq., was the artist for the sketches in the Illustrated London News, and HERBERT JOHNSON, Esq., was the artist for the sketches in the Graphic.

I also tender my warmest thanks to the Press generally for the help rendered to me during the crusade so far, without which I should have done but little.

TO THE MOST HONOURABLE THE PEERS AND MEMBERS OF THE HIGH COURT OF PARLIAMENT.

I have taken the liberty of humbly dedicating this work to you, the object of which is not to tickle the critical ears of ethnologists and philologists, but to touch the hearts of my countrymen on behalf of the poor Gipsy women and children and other roadside Arabs flitting about in our midst, in such a way as to command attention to these neglected, dark, marshy spots of human life, whose seedlings have been running wild among us during the last three centuries, spreading their poisonous influence abroad, not only detrimental to the growth of Christianity and the spread of civilisation, but to the present and eternal welfare of the children; and, what I ask for is, that the hand of the Schoolmaster may be extended towards the children; and that the vans and other temporary and movable abodes in which they live may be brought under the eye and influence of the Sanitary Inspector.

Very respectfully yours, GEORGE SMITH, Of Coalville.

April 30th, 1880.

INDEX.

Part I.

RAMBLES IN GIPSYDOM.

PAGE

Origin of the Gipsies and their Names 1 Article in The Daily News 8 The Travels of the Gipsies 9 Acts of Parliament relating to the Gipsies 16 Article in The Edinburgh Review 23 ,, The Saturday Review 25 Professor Bott on the Gipsies 29 The Changars of India 32 The Doms of India 33 The Sanseeas of India 35 The Nuts of India 36 Grellmann on the Gipsies 39 Gipsies of Notting Hill 40 Rev. Charles Wesley 42 The Number of Gipsies 44

Part II.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE CRUSADE.

Work begun 48 Letter to The Standard and Daily Chronicle 51 Leading Article in The Standard 53 Correspondence in The Standard 59 Mr. Leland's Letter, &c., &c. 60 My Reply 66 Leicester Free Press 69 Article in The Derby Daily Telegraph 70 ,, The Figaro 73 Letter in The Daily News 75 Mr. Gorrie's Letter 78 My Reply 79 Leading Article in The Standard 82 May's Aldershot Advertiser 87 Article in Hand and Heart 90 Article in The Illustrated London News 91 Leading Article in The Daily News 92 Social Science Congress Paper 95 Article in Birmingham Daily Mail 102 ,, The Weekly Dispatch 106 ,, The Weekly Times 109 ,, The Croydon Chronicle 117 ,, Primitive Methodist 119 ,, Illustrated London News 121 ,, The Quiver 126 Letter in Daily News and Chronicle 127 Article in Christian World 129 ,, Sunday School Chronicle 132 ,, Unitarian Herald 134 ,, Weekly Times 135