of　women；　the　men　seldom　or　never　visited　me；　save　they　stood　in
  need　of　something　which　they　hoped　to　obtain　from　me。　　This
  circumstance　I　little　regretted；　their　manners　and　conversation
  being　the　reverse　of　interesting。　　It　must　not；　however；　be
  supposed　that；　even　with　the　women；　matters　went　on　invariably　in　a
  smooth　and　satisfactory　manner。　　The　following　little　anecdote　will
  show　what　slight　dependence　can　be　placed　upon　them；　and　how
  disposed　they　are　at　all　times　to　take　part　in　what　is　grotesque
  and　malicious。　　One　day　they　arrived；　attended　by　a　Gypsy　jockey
  whom　I　had　never　previously　seen。　　We　had　scarcely　been　seated　a
  minute；　when　this　fellow；　rising；　took　me　to　the　window；　and
  without　any　preamble　or　circumlocution；　said　…　'Don　Jorge；　you
  shall　lend　me　two　barias'　（ounces　of　gold）。　　　'Not　to　your　whole
  race；　my　excellent　friend；'　said　I；　'are　you　frantic？　　Sit　down　and
  be　discreet。'　　He　obeyed　me　literally；　sat　down；　and　when　the　rest
  departed；　followed　with　them。　　We　did　not　invariably　meet　at　my　own
  house；　but　occasionally　at　one　in　a　street　inhabited　by　Gypsies。
  On　the　appointed　day　I　went　to　this　house；　where　I　found　the　women
  assembled；　the　jockey　was　also　present。　　On　seeing　me　he　advanced；
  again　took　me　aside；　and　again　said　…　'Don　Jorge；　you　shall　lend　me
  two　barias。'　　I　made　him　no　answer；　but　at　once　entered　on　the
  subject　which　brought　me　thither。　　I　spoke　for　some　time　in
  Spanish；　I　chose　for　the　theme　of　my　discourse　the　situation　of　the
  Hebrews　in　Egypt；　and　pointed　out　its　similarity　to　that　of　the
  Gitanos　in　Spain。　　I　spoke　of　the　power　of　God；　manifested　in
  preserving　both　as　separate　and　distinct　people　amongst　the　nations
  until　the　present　day。　　I　warmed　with　my　subject。　　I　subsequently
  produced　a　manuscript　book；　from　which　I　read　a　portion　of
  Scripture；　and　the　Lord's　Prayer　and　Apostles'　Creed；　in　Rommany。
  When　I　had　concluded　I　looked　around　me。
  The　features　of　the　assembly　were　twisted；　and　the　eyes　of　all
  turned　upon　me　with　a　frightful　squint；　not　an　individual　present
  but　squinted；　…　the　genteel　Pepa；　the　good…humoured　Chicharona；　the
  Casdami；　etc。　etc。　　The　Gypsy　fellow；　the　contriver　of　the　jest；
  squinted　worst　of　all。　　Such　are　Gypsies。
  THE　ZINCALI　PART　III
  CHAPTER　I
  THERE　is　no　nation　in　the　world；　however　exalted　or　however
  degraded；　but　is　in　possession　of　some　peculiar　poetry。　　If　the
  Chinese；　the　Hindoos；　the　Greeks；　and　the　Persians；　those　splendid
  and　renowned　races；　have　their　moral　lays；　their　mythological
  epics；　their　tragedies；　and　their　immortal　love　songs；　so　also　have
  the　wild　and　barbarous　tribes　of　Soudan；　and　the　wandering
  Esquimaux；　their　ditties；　which；　however　insignificant　in
  comparison　with　the　compositions　of　the　former　nations；　still　are
  entitled　in　every　essential　point　to　the　name　of　poetry；　if　poetry
  mean　metrical　compositions　intended　to　soothe　and　recreate　the　mind
  fatigued　by　the　cares；　distresses；　and　anxieties　to　which　mortality
  is　subject。
  The　Gypsies　too　have　their　poetry。　　Of　that　of　the　Russian　Zigani
  we　have　already　said　something。　　It　has　always　been　our　opinion；
  and　we　believe　that　in　this　we　are　by　no　means　singular；　that　in
  nothing　can　the　character　of　a　people　be　read　with　greater
  certainty　and　exactness　than　in　its　songs。　　How　truly　do　the
  warlike　ballads　of　the　Northmen　and　the　Danes；　their　DRAPAS　and
  KOEMPE…VISER；　depict　the　character　of　the　Goth；　and　how　equally　do
  the　songs　of　the　Arabians；　replete　with　homage　to　the　one　high；
  uncreated；　and　eternal　God；　'the　fountain　of　blessing；'　'the　only
  conqueror；'　lay　bare　to　us　the　mind　of　the　Moslem　of　the　desert；
  whose　grand　characteristic　is　religious　veneration；　and
  uncompromising　zeal　for　the　glory　of　the　Creator。
  And　well　and　truly　do　the　coplas　and　gachaplas　of　the　Gitanos
  depict　the　character　of　the　race。　　This　poetry；　for　poetry　we　will
  call　it；　is　in　most　respects　such　as　might　be　expected　to　originate
  among　people　of　their　class；　a　set　of　Thugs；　subsisting　by　cheating
  and　villainy　of　every　description；　hating　the　rest　of　the　human
  species；　and　bound　to　each　other　by　the　bonds　of　common　origin；
  language；　and　pursuits。　　The　general　themes　of　this　poetry　are　the
  various　incidents　of　Gitano　life　and　the　feelings　of　the　Gitanos。
  A　Gypsy　sees　a　pig　running　down　a　hill；　and　imagines　that　it　cries
  'Ustilame　Caloro！'　（62）　…　a　Gypsy　reclining　sick　on　the　prison
  floor　beseeches　his　wife　to　intercede　with　the　alcayde　for　the
  removal　of　the　chain；　the　weight　of　which　is　bursting　his　body　…
  the　moon　arises；　and　two　Gypsies；　who　are　about　to　steal　a　steed；
  perceive　a　Spaniard；　and　instantly　flee　…　Juanito　Ralli；　whilst
  going　home　on　his　steed；　is　stabbed　by　a　Gypsy　who　hates　him　…
  Facundo；　a　Gypsy；　runs　away　at　the　sight　of　the　burly　priest　of
  Villa　Franca；　who　hates　all　Gypsies。　　Sometimes　a　burst　of　wild
  temper　gives　occasion　to　a　strain　…　the　swarthy　lover　threatens　to
  slay　his　betrothed；　even　AT　THE　FEET　OF　JESUS；　should　she　prove
  unfaithful。　　It　is　a　general　opinion　amongst　the　Gitanos　that
  Spanish　women　are　very　fond　of　Rommany　chals　and　Rommany。　　There　is
  a　stanza　in　which　a　Gitano　hopes　to　bear　away　a　beauty　of　Spanish
  race　by　means　of　a　word　of　Rommany　whispered　in　her　ear　at　the
  window。
  Amongst　these　effusions　are　even　to　be　found　tender　and　beautiful
  thoughts；　for　Thugs　and　Gitanos　have　their　moments　of　gentleness。
  True　it　is　that　such　are　few　and　far　between；　as　a　flower　or　a
  shrub　is　here　and　there　seen　springing　up　from　the　interstices　of
  the　rugged　and　frightful　rocks　of　which　the　Spanish　sierras　are
  composed：　　a　wicked　mother　is　afraid　to　pray　to　the　Lord　with　her
  own　lips；　and　calls　on　her　innocent　babe　to　beseech　him　to　restore
  peace　and　comfort　to　her　heart　…　an　imprisoned　youth　appears　to
  have　no　earthly　friend　on　whom　he　can　rely；　save　his　sister；　and
  wishes　for　a　messenger　to　carry　unto　her　the　tale　of　his
  sufferings；　confident　that　she　would　hasten　at　once　to　his
  assistance。　　And　what　can　be　more　touching　than　the　speech　of　the
  relenting　lover　to　the　fair　one　whom　he　has　outraged？
  'Extend　to　me　the　hand　so　small；
  Wherein　I　see　thee　weep；
  For　O　thy　balmy　tear…drops　all
  I　would　collect　and　keep。'
  This　Gypsy　poetry　consists　of　quartets；　or　rather　couplets；　but　two
  rhymes　being　discernible；　and　those　generally　imperfect；　the　vowels
  alone　agreeing　in　sound。　　Occasionally；　however；　sixains；　or
  stanzas　of　six　lines；　are　to　be　found；　but　this　is　of　rare
  occurrence。　　The　thought；　anecdote　or　adventure　described；　is
  seldom　carried　beyond　one　stanza；　in　which　everything　is　expressed
  which　the　poet　wishes　to　impart。　　This　feature　will　appear　singular
  to　those　who　are　unacquainted　with　the　character　of　the　popular
  poetry　of　the　south；　and　are　accustomed　to　the　redundancy　and
  frequently　tedious　repetition　of　a　more　polished　muse。　　It　will　be
  well　to　inform　such　that　the　greater　part　of　the　poetry　sung　in　the
  south；　and　especially　in　Spain；　is　extemporary。　　The　musician
  composes　it　at　the　stretch　of　his　voice；　whilst　his　fingers　are
  tugging　at　the　guitar；　which　style　of　composition　is　by　no　means
  favourable　to　a　long　and　connected　series　of　thought。　　Of　course；
  the　greater　part　of　this　species　of　poetry　perishes　as　soon　as
  born。　　A　stanza；　however；　is　sometimes　caught　up　by　the　bystanders；
  and　committed　to　memory；　and　being　frequently　repeated；　makes；　in
  time；　the　circuit　of　the　country。　　For　example；　the　stanza　about
  Coruncho　Lopez；　which　was　originally　made　at　the　gate　of　a　venta　by
  a　Miquelet；　（63）　who　was　conducting　the　said　Lopez　to　the　galleys
  for　a　robbery。　　It　is　at　present　sung　through　the　whole　of　the
  peninsula；　however　insignificant　it　may　sound　to　foreign　ears：…
  'Coruncho　Lopez；　gallant　lad；
  A　smuggling　he　would　ride；
  He　stole　his　father's　ambling　prad；
  And　therefore　to　the　galleys　sad
  Coruncho　now　I　guide。'
  The　couplets　of　the　Gitanos　are　composed　in　the　same　off…hand
  manner；　and　exactly　resemble　in　metre　the　popular　ditties　of　the
  Spaniards。　　In　spirit；　however；　as　well　as　language；　they　are　in
  general　widely　different；　as　they　mostly　relate　to　the　Gypsies　and
  their　affairs；　and　not　unfrequently　abound　with　abuse　of　the　Busne
  or　Spaniards。　　Many　of　these　creations　have；　like　the　stanza　of
  Coruncho　Lopez；　been　wafted　over　Spain　amongst　the　Gypsy　tribes；
  and　are　even　frequently　repeated　by　the　Spaniards　themselves；　at
  least；　by　those　who　affect　to　imitate　the　p