八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > the zincali >

第2部分

the zincali-第2部分

小说: the zincali 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!





accomplished something which will really do credit to … Street; it 



will be time enough to think of another delivery of these GYPSIES。'







Mistos amande:  'I am content;' I replied; and sitting down I 



commenced the BIBLE IN SPAIN。  At first I proceeded slowly … 



sickness was in the land; and the face of nature was overcast … 



heavy rain…clouds swam in the heavens; … the blast howled amid the 



pines which nearly surround my lonely dwelling; and the waters of 



the lake which lies before it; so quiet in general and tranquil; 



were fearfully agitated。  'Bring lights hither; O Hayim Ben Attar; 



son of the miracle! ' And the Jew of Fez brought in the lights; for 



though it was midday I could scarcely see in the little room where 



I was writing。 。 。 。







A dreary summer and autumn passed by; and were succeeded by as 



gloomy a winter。  I still proceeded with the BIBLE IN SPAIN。  The 



winter passed; and spring came with cold dry winds and occasional 



sunshine; whereupon I arose; shouted; and mounting my horse; even 



Sidi Habismilk; I scoured all the surrounding district; and thought 



but little of the BIBLE IN SPAIN。







So I rode about the country; over the heaths; and through the green 



lanes of my native land; occasionally visiting friends at a 



distance; and sometimes; for variety's sake; I stayed at home and 



amused myself by catching huge pike; which lie perdue in certain 



deep ponds skirted with lofty reeds; upon my land; and to which 



there is a communication from the lagoon by a deep and narrow 



watercourse。 … I had almost forgotten the BIBLE IN SPAIN。







Then came the summer with much heat and sunshine; and then I would 



lie for hours in the sun and recall the sunny days I had spent in 



Andalusia; and my thoughts were continually reverting to Spain; and 



at last I remembered that the BIBLE IN SPAIN was still unfinished; 



whereupon I arose and said:  'This loitering profiteth nothing' … 



and I hastened to my summer…house by the side of the lake; and 



there I thought and wrote; and every day I repaired to the same 



place; and thought and wrote until I had finished the BIBLE IN 



SPAIN。







And at the proper season the BIBLE IN SPAIN was given to the world; 



and the world; both learned and unlearned; was delighted with the 



BIBLE IN SPAIN; and the highest authority (1) said; 'This is a much 



better book than the GYPSIES'; and the next great authority (2) 



said; 'something betwixt Le Sage and Bunyan。'  'A far more 



entertaining work than DON QUIXOTE;' exclaimed a literary lady。  



'Another GIL BLAS;' said the cleverest writer in Europe。 (3)  



'Yes;' exclaimed the cool sensible SPECTATOR; (4) 'a GIL BLAS in 



water…colours。'







And when I heard the last sentence; I laughed; and shouted; 'KOSKO 



PENNESE PAL!' (5)  It pleased me better than all the rest。  Is 



there not a text in a certain old book which says:  Woe unto you 



when all men shall speak well of you!  Those are awful words; 



brothers; woe is me!







'Revenons a nos Bohemiens!'  Now the BIBLE IN SPAIN is off my 



hands; I return to 'these GYPSIES'; and here you have; most kind; 



lenient; and courteous public; a fresh delivery of them。  In the 



present edition; I have attended as much as possible to the 



suggestions of certain individuals; for whose opinion I cannot but 



entertain the highest respect。  I have omitted various passages 



from Spanish authors; which the world has objected to as being 



quite out of place; and serving for no other purpose than to swell 



out the work。  In lieu thereof; I have introduced some original 



matter relative to the Gypsies; which is; perhaps; more calculated 



to fling light over their peculiar habits than anything which has 



yet appeared。  To remodel the work; however; I have neither time 



nor inclination; and must therefore again commend it; with all the 



imperfections which still cling to it; to the generosity of the 



public。







A few words in conclusion。  Since the publication of the first 



edition; I have received more than one letter; in which the writers 



complain that I; who seem to know so much of what has been written 



concerning the Gypsies; (6) should have taken no notice of a theory 



entertained by many; namely; that they are of Jewish origin; and 



that they are neither more nor less than the descendants of the two 



lost tribes of Israel。  Now I am not going to enter into a 



discussion upon this point; for I know by experience; that the 



public cares nothing for discussions; however learned and edifying; 



but will take the present opportunity to relate a little adventure 



of mine; which bears not a little upon this matter。







So it came to pass; that one day I was scampering over a heath; at 



some distance from my present home:  I was mounted upon the good 



horse Sidi Habismilk; and the Jew of Fez; swifter than the wind; 



ran by the side of the good horse Habismilk; when what should I see 



at a corner of the heath but the encampment of certain friends of 



mine; and the chief of that camp; even Mr。 Petulengro; stood before 



the encampment; and his adopted daughter; Miss Pinfold; stood 



beside him。







MYSELF。 … 'Kosko divvus (7); Mr。 Petulengro!  I am glad to see you:  



how are you getting on?'







MR。 PETULENGRO。 … 'How am I getting on? as well as I can。  What 



will you have for that nokengro (8)?'







Thereupon I dismounted; and delivering the reins of the good horse 



to Miss Pinfold; I took the Jew of Fez; even Hayim Ben Attar; by 



the hand; and went up to Mr。 Petulengro; exclaiming; 'Sure ye are 



two brothers。'  Anon the Gypsy passed his hand over the Jew's face; 



and stared him in the eyes:  then turning to me he said; 'We are 



not dui palor (9); this man is no Roman; I believe him to be a Jew; 



he has the face of one; besides; if he were a Rom; even from 



Jericho; he could rokra a few words in Rommany。'







Now the Gypsy had been in the habit of seeing German and English 



Jews; who must have been separated from their African brethren for 



a term of at least 1700 years; yet he recognised the Jew of Fez for 



what he was … a Jew; and without hesitation declared that he was 



'no Roman。'  The Jews; therefore; and the Gypsies have each their 



peculiar and distinctive countenance; which; to say nothing of the 



difference of language; precludes the possibility of their having 



ever been the same people。







MARCH 1; 1843。















NOTICE TO THE FOURTH EDITION















THIS edition has been carefully revised by the author; and some few 



insertions have been made。  In order; however; to give to the work 



a more popular character; the elaborate vocabulary of the Gypsy 



tongue; and other parts relating to the Gypsy language and 



literature; have been omitted。  Those who take an interest in these 



subjects are referred to the larger edition in two vols。 (10)















THE GYPSIES … INTRODUCTION















THROUGHOUT my life the Gypsy race has always had a peculiar 



interest for me。  Indeed I can remember no period when the mere 



mention of the name of Gypsy did not awaken within me feelings hard 



to be described。  I cannot account for this … I merely state a 



fact。







Some of the Gypsies; to whom I have stated this circumstance; have 



accounted for it on the supposition that the soul which at present 



animates my body has at some former period tenanted that of one of 



their people; for many among them are believers in metempsychosis; 



and; like the followers of Bouddha; imagine that their souls; by 



passing through an infinite number of bodies; attain at length 



sufficient purity to be admitted to a state of perfect rest and 



quietude; which is the only idea of heaven they can form。







Having in various and distant countries lived in habits of intimacy 



with these people; I have come to the following conclusions 



respecting them:  that wherever they are found; their manners and 



customs are virtually the same; though somewhat modified by 



circumstances; and that the language they speak amongst themselves; 



and of which they are particularly anxious to keep others in 



ignorance; is in all countries one and the same; but has been 



subjected more or less to modification; and lastly; that their 



countenances exhibit a decided family resemblance; but are darker 



or fairer according to the temperature of the climate; but 



invariably darker; at least in Europe; than those of the natives of 



the countries in which they dwell; for example; England and Russia; 



Germany and Spain。







The names by which they are known differ with the country; though; 



with one or two exceptions; not materially for example; they are 



styled in Russia; Zigani; in Turkey and Persia; Zingarri; and in 



Germany; Zigeuner; all which words apparently spring from the same 



etymon; which there is no improbability in supposing to be 



'Zincali;' a term by which these people; especially those of Spain; 



sometimes designate themselves; and the meaning of which is 



believed to be; THE BLACK MEN OF ZEND OR IND。  In England and Spain 



they are commonly known as Gypsies and Gitanos; from a general 



belief that they were originally Egyptians; to which the two words 



are tantamount; and in France as Bohemians; from the circumstance 



that Bohemia was one of the first countries in civilised Europe 



where they made their appearance。







But they generally style themselves and the language which they 



speak; Rommany。  This word; of which I shall ultimately have more 



to say; is of Sanscrit origin; and signifies; The Husbands; or that 



which pertaineth unto them。  From whateve

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的