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On the Dispersion of the Gipseys, and their Numbers in Europe.

The numerous hordes of Gipseys, widely dispersed over the face of the earth, are incredible. They wander about in Asia; in the interior part of Africa, they plunder the merchants of Agades; [3] and, like locusts, have overrun most of the countries of Europe. America seems to be the only part of the world where they are not known; no mention appearing to be made of them by authors who have written on that quarter of the globe. It would be superfluous to dilate on the history of those in Asia and Africa, as we have no minute accounts of them; we shall therefore confine ourselves to those in Europe.

There are but few countries, here, which are entirely free from Gipseys; although, for centuries, every state has been endeavouring to rid itself of them. Under King Henry VIII, and in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, they suffered a general persecution in England: there are, nevertheless, great numbers still to be found there. About thirty years ago, they even threatened to set the town of Northampton on fire, because the magistrates had arrested some of their young people, whose release they solicited in vain: several of the ringleaders were hanged: they had in the mean time shewn plainly, that their race was very far from being annihilated. It is not uncommon, in the county of Bedford particularly, to see them lying in byplaces, to the number of forty or fifty together: but they are cautious how they travel about in companies, and are rarely seen in towns or villages but by one at a time.

Spain, especially the southern provinces, contains so many of these people, that they rove about in large troops, threatening to plunder and murder travellers whom they happen to meet in lonely places: at a distance from the cities, and where no place of refuge is near, danger is always to be apprehended. Swinburne rates their number very high; he asserts, that the loss of the Gipseys would immediately be perceived by the apparent diminution of population. Now as Spain contains eleven millions of people, how considerable a draft must there be to render it perceptible! Twiss also mentions a great many, but sums up a determinate number, 40,000; which is certainly considerable, but probably twice twenty, or even twice forty, thousand too few;—unless we charge Swinburne, and others, with having greatly exaggerated;—even admitting, that he means to be understood as speaking of the southern provinces only.

In France, before the revolution, there were but few, for the obvious reason, that every Gipsey who could be apprehended, fell a sacrifice to the police. Lorrain and Alsatia were indeed exceptions; they being very numerous there, especially in the forests of Lorrain. Here they seem to have met with milder treatment; yet, according to the assurances of a traveller, many of them were to be found in the gaols of Lorrain. They increased the more in this district, in consequence of their having been very assiduously looked after, and driven from the dominions of a late Duke of Deuxponts, whither his successor would not suffer them to return.

They were universally to be found in Italy, insomuch that even Sicily and Sardinia were not free. But they were most numerous in the dominions of the church; probably because there was the worst police, with much superstition: by the former they were left undisturbed, and the latter enticed them to deceive the ignorant, as it afforded them an opportunity of obtaining a plentiful contribution by their fortune-telling, and enchanted amulets. There was a general law throughout Italy, that no Gipsey should remain more than two nights in any one place: by this regulation, it is true, no place retained its guest long; but no sooner was one gone, than another came in his room: it was a continual circle, and quite as convenient to them as a perfect toleration would have been. Italy rather suffered than benefited by this law; as, by keeping these people in constant motion, they would do more mischief there than in places where they were permitted to remain stationary.

They are very scarce in many parts of Germany; as well as in Switzerland and the Low-countries. A person may live many years in Upper Saxony, or in the districts of Hanover and Brunswic, without seeing a single Gipsey: when one happens to stray into a village, or town, he occasions as much disturbance as if the black gentleman with his cloven foot had appeared; he frights children from their play, and draws the attention of the older people; till the police officers get hold of him, and make him again invisible. In other provinces, on the contrary, particularly on the Rhine, a Gipsey is a very common sight. Some years ago there were such numbers of them in the dutchy of Wirtemburg, that they seen lying about every where: but as, according to custom, they either lived by thieving, by fortune-telling or other tricks, plundering the illiterate people of their money, the government ordered detachments of soldiers to drive them from their holes and lurking-places throughout the country; and then transported the congregated swarm, in the same manner as they were treated by the Duke of Deuxponts, as before related.

In Poland and Lithuania, as well as in Courland, there is an amazing number of Gipseys. Their wayvode in Courland is distinguished from the principals of hordes in other countries; being not only very much respected by his own people, but, even by the Courland nobility, is esteemed a man of high rank, and is frequently to be met with at entertainments and card parties in the first families, where he is always a welcome guest. His dress is uncommonly rich, in comparison with others of his tribe; generally silk in summer, and constantly velvet in winter. The common Gipseys, on the contrary, are, in every particular, exactly like their brethren in other countries: even with regard to religion, they shew the same levity and indifference;—they suffer their children to be several times baptised; now they profess themselves to be Catholics, then Lutherans, and presently after nothing at all.

That they are to be found in Denmark, and Sweden, is certain, but how numerous they are in those countries we cannot affirm; and therefore proceed to the south-east of Europe.

The countries in this part seem to be the general rendezvous of the Gipseys: their number amounts in Hungary, according to a probable statement, to upwards of 50,000; and in the districts of the Banat, Grisellini assures us, that when Count Clary occupied the situation of president, they were reckoned at 5500: yet they appear to be still more numerous in Transylvania. It is not only Mr. Benko, a German writer, who says they swarm upon the land like locusts, but we have also certain calculation, wherein their numbers are estimated at between 35 and 36,000.

Cantemir says, the Gipseys are dispersed all over Moldavia, where every baron has several families of them subject to him: in Wallachia, and the Sclavonian countries, they are quite as numerous. In Wallachia and Moldavia they are divided into two classes—the princely, and bojarish: the former, according to Sulzer, amounts to many thousands; but that is trifling, in comparison with the latter, as there is not a single bojar in Wallachia who has not at least three or four of them for slaves; the rich have often some hundreds each, under their command.

Bessarabia, all Tartary, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania, swarm with them; even in Constantinople they are innumerable. In Romania, a large tract of Mount Hæmus, which they inhabit has acquired from them the name Tschenghe Valkan (Gipsey Mountain). This district extends from the city Aydos, quite to Philippopolis, and contains more Gipseys than any other province in the Turkish empire.

From what has been advanced, the reader will be enabled to form some conception, how considerable a class of people the Gipseys are in Europe; independent of their numbers in Egypt, and some parts of Asia.

If we could obtain an exact estimate of them in the different countries, or if the unsettled life of these people did not render it extremely difficult, perhaps impossible, to procure such information, the immense number would probably greatly exceed what we have any idea of. At a moderate calculation, without being extravagant, they might be reckoned at between 7 and 800,000. What a serious matter of consideration when we reflect, that the greatest part of these people are idlers, cheats, and thieves! What a field does this open for the contemplation of governments!—But more of this in another place.