life to the shriveled moral elements, and call forth the fruits of righteousness. Its steady shining will lead the spirits of all flesh upward in an everlasting career of culture and of progress. As age after age rolls by, it will witness the onward course of a universe of human souls, in intellectual, moral and spiritual attainments; in knowledge, purity and holiness. To this amazing march of free and happy souls, there will come no conclusion. And so the prediction of the Prophet Isaiah will be fulfilled, when he says, as is commonly supposed in reference to the Saviour, that "of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end."

For sublimity and grandeur, no conception can equal this. We sit down to its contemplation. We call in our wandering thoughts, and endeavor to give it a distinct form in our mind. With the eye of faith, we see the millions of our race, crowding to fulness the many mansions of the Father's house. We behold them, under the leadership of Jesus, the great Captain of our salvation, engaged in those celestial employments, which engage the attention of the spirits of the just made perfect, studying and learning the wisdom of God, as displayed in the works of his hands, and in the provisions of his redeeming grace. They see more clearly, day by day; they feel more deeply; they mount as on eagles' wings; they soar; and as page after page of the great volume is unrolled, there are opened to their astonished visions new and ever increasing wonders of Divine skill and love. This their employment, as age after age rolls away ever learning, and forever approaching the fountain of infinite purity, intelligence and love! How grand the thought! With what exceeding glory it invests our human nature! It gives to every providence of God a meaning and a use, and shows its reference to

"The one, far off, divine event,

To which the whole creation moves!"

G. B-Y.

ART. XXIII.

The Gypsies.

THE history of the Gypsies, and the facts concerning them, so far as they have been ascertained, are laden with interest to every student of ethnology. Their early history is wrapped in obscurity, though their origin has doubtless been ascertained. Formerly they were supposed to be Egyptians; and many, at the present time, have the same belief. This notion, however, beyond all reasonable doubt, has been proved incorrect. The theory most compatible with known facts, is, that they are natives of India. Their language abounds in Sanscrit words; and one, which is universal in use among them, we think sufficient to determine their origin, if even it were the only term employed. This word is parie, the Sanscrit for water. Mr. Borrow,-whom we largely recognize as authority, on account of his residence among the Gypsies in various countries, where he critically studied their language and habits,-says of the word: "It was brought by the race from sunny Ind, and esteemed so holy that they have never presumed to modify it." The word is used by the Gypsies in all countries for water, and is considered an abundant proof of their Indian origin.

Their early condition, and the causes which brought them from their native country, are as obscure now as they have ever been. There are no traditions among them, except that they are Egyptian wanderers, doing penance on account of the sin of their nation for refusing hospitality to the Virgin and Son. This, however, is only a cloak for their wicked deeds; for in Egypt they are considered foreigners, as much so as in any country over which their wanderings have extended.

In the Gypsy or Rommany language of all countries, there is a large proportion of Russian words, indicating that they must have left the land of their nativity in a united band, and sojourned in Sclavonia, where they borrowed many words of Sclavonic origin and incorporated them into their own tongue. Their language also contains many Per

sian words, the result, perhaps, of the invasion of India by Timoor, whose armies were principally Persian; and these Persian accretions have never been lost. However, in their nomadic life, they may have, to some extent, modified their language by intercourse with other people, and acquired the language of the countries through which they passed, in order to facilitate their schemes. Yet there is a language among themselves which no other people can understand, and which is as distinct as that of any nation. Indeed, there seems to have been a solemn compact among them, before separating upon the steppes of Russia, to stamp their footprints upon almost every part of the habitable globe, that they would preserve the language of their race intact ; and this they have done to a great extent.

There are three words by which the Spanish Gypsies distinguish themselves and their race. They are, “Zincala," "Romani," and "Chai." They also speak of themselves as "Colés," which is merely the plural termination of the compound word "Zincala," and signifies the "Black men." "Chai" denotes the "sons of heaven," and often in its use means nothing more than "children."

The exact date of their appearance in Europe is not known. Some affirm it to have been in the commencement of the fifteenth century, while others suppose it to have been the next century. Whichever time is the more accurate, it does not seem to be a matter of vital importance in their history. Probably among those nations upon whom they chose to fasten themselves, the delay of such a curse as they were every where felt to be, would have been an occasion of great rejoicing. The name by which they generally designate themselves is "Rommany," or "that which pertaineth unto them." They bear different names, according to the language of the country where they reside, although it will be observed that there is a great similarity among them. It is supposed that all the words by which they distinguish themselves in various countries are derived from the generic term "Zincali." In Germany they are called "Zigeunor"; in Russia, "Zigani"; in Turkey and Persia, "Zingarri"; in Hungary, "Chingany"; in France, "Bohemians"; in Spain, England and Scotland, "Gypsies," or "Gitanos," 66 or Egyptians." The first four names are very similar, and readily admitted as derivations of "Zin

cali." In Hungary, the Chingany, as they are called, are very numerous, as much so as in Russia; although Hungary is very small in comparison with that great empire. The Gypsies appeared in Hungary in the early part of the fifteenth century. A large band, three thousand in number, previous to this period had settled in Moldavia, and soon after another and larger company settled in Transylvania, Hungary and Wallachia. About this time they appeared in France in such large numbers that the natives were terrified, particularly when their manners and customs became extensively known. They were hunted and persecuted so violently and vigorously that they were compelled to flee or become galley slaves.

On leaving France, they scaled the mountain walls of the Pyrennes, and quickly spread themselves over the whole extent of the Spanish peninsula. They formed themselves into bands of thirties, twenties, and twelves, and ere long every cave had been explored, every mountain retreat ascer tained, every winding path or hiding place in the wild sierras traversed. In a short time they were better acquainted with the physical features of Spain than the natives themselves. At the time of their persecution in France, a portion went to England and Scotland, and some returned to Germany and Hungary.

The Chingany, or Gypsies of Hungary, arrived during the reign of Sigismund, emperor of the Romans and king of Hungary. They obtained permission from the emperor to settle on the crown estates, and thus were under royal protection, and subjects, nominally, of Sigismund. At present they are under subjection to the nobles upon whose estates they have their homes. Ineffectual attempts were made by Maria Theresa and Joseph the Second to elevate these degraded beings-they gave not the least evidence of susceptibility to improvement. Their present numbers are not as large as in 1782. At that time the census of Hungary estimated their number as upward of fifty thousand.

They are a distinct race from all others, as much so as the Jews, between whom and themselves there are decided points of similarity. The Gypsies of Hungary bear the same detestable characteristics as their race in other lands. They despise and hate the "Busné," as they call the Gentiles, which comprehends all excepting the Rommany; in

turn they are despised by all nations where they make their appearance. They are lawless in the extreme, and bring crime and high-handed wickedness in their train. A pestilence, however virulent, could not be the cause of more terror and dread. In Hungary, where the feudal system has hardly declined since its inauguration centuries ago, the feudal lords and the Chingani are the independent classes. The nobles crush the peasantry, and exact from them revenues to support their idle luxury, but the Chingani awe the superstitious nobility by their sorcery, and roam unmolested in their wild freedom. They frequently go on excursions of plunder, which last several years, and then return rich, to squander their wicked earnings in the most reckless

manner.

The Rommany of the East are more numerous than those of Europe, but possess the same essential peculiarities. They are, perhaps, more numerous in Constantinople than in any other place in the world. In that city they obtain large revenues from the harems of the nobles for curing the children of the "evil eye." In Russia there is no town, and scarcely a foot of territory, which they have not trodden, and where they have not pitched their tents. They can endure extremes of heat and cold better than almost any other race. Reaumeor states that they have frequently been found under thin canvas tents, surrounded by deep snow, when the temperature was twenty or twenty-five degrees below the freezing point. The forests of Russia abound in game and fuel, and here they generally spend their winters, the men engaged in tinkering. A rude smithy is erected for this purpose, and remnants of tin are always found where their fires have been lighted.

The Zingani of Russia occupy the extremes of poverty and riches. It is not unusual, but surprising to those acquainted with the Rommany in other countries, to see them dash out in their expensive equipages, and maintain splendid establishments, while not a few of the higher classes maintain themselves and friends in luxurious style. But the poorest of the Zingani are more miserable than the Gypsy race in any other land. They wander in rags, or in a state of nudity, from birth until death; merry in their half civilized condition, and never envious of their kindred who occupy superior positions. The elevation of some of