第 1 节
作者:指环王      更新:2024-01-24 16:00      字数:9322
  The Zincali … An Account of the Gypsies of Spain
  by George Borrow
  PREFACE
  IT is with some diffidence that the author ventures to offer the
  present work to the public。
  The greater part of it has been written under very peculiar
  circumstances; such as are not in general deemed at all favourable
  for literary composition:  at considerable intervals; during a
  period of nearly five years passed in Spain … in moments snatched
  from more important pursuits … chiefly in ventas and posadas;
  whilst wandering through the country in the arduous and unthankful
  task of distributing the Gospel among its children。
  Owing to the causes above stated; he is aware that his work must
  not unfrequently appear somewhat disjointed and unconnected; and
  the style rude and unpolished:  he has; nevertheless; permitted the
  tree to remain where he felled it; having; indeed; subsequently
  enjoyed too little leisure to make much effectual alteration。
  At the same time he flatters himself that the work is not destitute
  of certain qualifications to entitle it to approbation。  The
  author's acquaintance with the Gypsy race in general dates from a
  very early period of his life; which considerably facilitated his
  intercourse with the Peninsular portion; to the elucidation of
  whose history and character the present volumes are more
  particularly devoted。  Whatever he has asserted; is less the result
  of reading than of close observation; he having long since come to
  the conclusion that the Gypsies are not a people to be studied in
  books; or at least in such books as he believes have hitherto been
  written concerning them。
  Throughout he has dealt more in facts than in theories; of which he
  is in general no friend。  True it is; that no race in the world
  affords; in many points; a more extensive field for theory and
  conjecture than the Gypsies; who are certainly a very mysterious
  people come from some distant land; no mortal knows why; and who
  made their first appearance in Europe at a dark period; when events
  were not so accurately recorded as at the present time。
  But if he has avoided as much as possible touching upon subjects
  which must always; to a certain extent; remain shrouded in
  obscurity; for example; the; original state and condition of the
  Gypsies; and the causes which first brought them into Europe; he
  has stated what they are at the present day; what he knows them to
  be from a close scrutiny of their ways and habits; for which;
  perhaps; no one ever enjoyed better opportunities; and he has;
  moreover; given … not a few words culled expressly for the purpose
  of supporting a theory; but one entire dialect of their language;
  collected with much trouble and difficulty; and to this he humbly
  calls the attention of the learned; who; by comparing it with
  certain languages; may decide as to the countries in which the
  Gypsies have lived or travelled。
  With respect to the Gypsy rhymes in the second volume; he wishes to
  make one observation which cannot be too frequently repeated; and
  which he entreats the reader to bear in mind:  they are GYPSY
  COMPOSITIONS; and have little merit save so far as they throw light
  on the manner of thinking and speaking of the Gypsy people; or
  rather a portion of them; and as to what they are capable of
  effecting in the way of poetry。  It will; doubtless; be said that
  the rhymes are TRASH; … even were it so; they are original; and on
  that account; in a philosophic point of view; are more valuable
  than the most brilliant compositions pretending to describe Gypsy
  life; but written by persons who are not of the Gypsy sect。  Such
  compositions; however replete with fiery sentiments; and allusions
  to freedom and independence; are certain to be tainted with
  affectation。  Now in the Gypsy rhymes there is no affectation; and
  on that very account they are different in every respect from the
  poetry of those interesting personages who figure; under the names
  of Gypsies; Gitanos; Bohemians; etc。; in novels and on the boards
  of the theatre。
  It will; perhaps; be objected to the present work; that it contains
  little that is edifying in a moral or Christian point of view:  to
  such an objection the author would reply; that the Gypsies are not
  a Christian people; and that their morality is of a peculiar kind;
  not calculated to afford much edification to what is generally
  termed the respectable portion of society。  Should it be urged that
  certain individuals have found them very different from what they
  are represented in these volumes; he would frankly say that he
  yields no credit to the presumed fact; and at the same time he
  would refer to the vocabulary contained in the second volume;
  whence it will appear that the words HOAX and HOCUS have been
  immediately derived from the language of the Gypsies; who; there is
  good reason to believe; first introduced the system into Europe; to
  which those words belong。
  The author entertains no ill…will towards the Gypsies; why should
  he; were he a mere carnal reasoner?  He has known them for upwards
  of twenty years; in various countries; and they never injured a
  hair of his head; or deprived him of a shred of his raiment; but he
  is not deceived as to the motive of their forbearance:  they
  thought him a ROM; and on this supposition they hurt him not; their
  love of 'the blood' being their most distinguishing characteristic。
  He derived considerable assistance from them in Spain; as in
  various instances they officiated as colporteurs in the
  distribution of the Gospel:  but on that account he is not prepared
  to say that they entertained any love for the Gospel or that they
  circulated it for the honour of Tebleque the Saviour。  Whatever
  they did for the Gospel in Spain; was done in the hope that he whom
  they conceived to be their brother had some purpose in view which
  was to contribute to the profit of the Cales; or Gypsies; and to
  terminate in the confusion and plunder of the Busne; or Gentiles。
  Convinced of this; he is too little of an enthusiast to rear; on
  such a foundation; any fantastic edifice of hope which would soon
  tumble to the ground。
  The cause of truth can scarcely be forwarded by enthusiasm; which
  is almost invariably the child of ignorance and error。  The author
  is anxious to direct the attention of the public towards the
  Gypsies; but he hopes to be able to do so without any romantic
  appeals in their behalf; by concealing the truth; or by warping the
  truth until it becomes falsehood。  In the following pages he has
  depicted the Gypsies as he has found them; neither aggravating
  their crimes nor gilding them with imaginary virtues。  He has not
  expatiated on 'their gratitude towards good people; who treat them
  kindly and take an interest in their welfare'; for he believes that
  of all beings in the world they are the least susceptible of such a
  feeling。  Nor has he ever done them injustice by attributing to
  them licentious habits; from which they are; perhaps; more free
  than any race in the creation。
  PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
  I CANNOT permit the second edition of this work to go to press
  without premising it with a few words。
  When some two years ago I first gave THE ZINCALI to the world; it
  was; as I stated at the time; with considerable hesitation and
  diffidence:  the composition of it and the collecting of Gypsy
  words had served as a kind of relaxation to me whilst engaged in
  the circulation of the Gospel in Spain。  After the completion of
  the work; I had not the slightest idea that it possessed any
  peculiar merit; or was calculated to make the slightest impression
  upon the reading world。  Nevertheless; as every one who writes
  feels a kind of affection; greater or less; for the productions of
  his pen; I was averse; since the book was written; to suffer it to
  perish of damp in a lumber closet; or by friction in my travelling
  wallet。  I committed it therefore to the press; with a friendly
  'Farewell; little book; I have done for you all I can; and much
  more than you deserve。'
  My expectations at this time were widely different from those of my
  namesake George in the VICAR OF WAKEFIELD when he published his
  paradoxes。  I took it as a matter of course that the world; whether
  learned or unlearned; would say to my book what they said to his
  paradoxes; as the event showed; … nothing at all。  To my utter
  astonishment; however; I had no sooner returned to my humble
  retreat; where I hoped to find the re