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Gypsies have excited particular attention； but a desire far more
noble and laudable than mere antiquarian curiosity has given rise
to it； namely； the desire of propagating the glory of Christ
amongst those who know Him not； and of saving souls from the jaws
of the infernal wolf。 It is； however； with the Gypsies of Spain；
and not with those of England and other countries； that we are now
occupied； and we shall merely mention the latter so far as they may
serve to elucidate the case of the Gitanos； their brethren by blood
and language。 Spain for many centuries has been the country of
error； she has mistaken stern and savage tyranny for rational
government； base； low； and grovelling superstition for clear；
bright； and soul…ennobling religion； sordid cheating she has
considered as the path to riches； vexatious persecution as the path
to power； and the consequence has been； that she is now poor and
powerless； a pagan amongst the pagans； with a dozen kings； and with
none。 Can we be surprised； therefore； that； mistaken in policy；
religion； and moral conduct； she should have fallen into error on
points so naturally dark and mysterious as the history and origin
of those remarkable people whom for the last four hundred years she
has supported under the name of Gitanos？ The idea entertained at
the present day in Spain respecting this race is； that they are the
descendants of the Moriscos who remained in Spain； wandering about
amongst the mountains and wildernesses； after the expulsion of the
great body of the nation from the country in the time of Philip the
Third； and that they form a distinct body； entirely unconnected
with the wandering tribes known in other countries by the names of
Bohemians； Gypsies； etc。 This； like all unfounded opinions； of
course originated in ignorance； which is always ready to have
recourse to conjecture and guesswork； in preference to travelling
through the long； mountainous； and stony road of patient
investigation； it is； however； an error far more absurd and more
destitute of tenable grounds than the ancient belief that the
Gitanos were Egyptians； which they themselves have always professed
to be； and which the original written documents which they brought
with them on their first arrival in Western Europe； and which bore
the signature of the king of Bohemia； expressly stated them to be。
The only clue to arrive at any certainty respecting their origin；
is the language which they still speak amongst themselves； but
before we can avail ourselves of the evidence of this language； it
will be necessary to make a few remarks respecting the principal
languages and dialects of that immense tract of country； peopled by
at least eighty millions of human beings； generally known by the
name of Hindustan； two Persian words tantamount to the land of Ind；
or； the land watered by the river Indus。
The most celebrated of these languages is the Sanskrida； or； as it
is known in Europe； the Sanscrit； which is the language of religion
of all those nations amongst whom the faith of Brahma has been
adopted； but though the language of religion； by which we mean the
tongue in which the religious books of the Brahmanic sect were
originally written and are still preserved； it has long since
ceased to be a spoken language； indeed； history is silent as to any
period when it was a language in common use amongst any of the
various tribes of the Hindus； its knowledge； as far as reading and
writing it went； having been entirely confined to the priests of
Brahma； or Brahmans； until within the last half…century； when the
British； having subjugated the whole of Hindustan； caused it to be
openly taught in the colleges which they established for the
instruction of their youth in the languages of the country。 Though
sufficiently difficult to acquire； principally on account of its
prodigious richness in synonyms； it is no longer a sealed language；
… its laws； structure； and vocabulary being sufficiently well known
by means of numerous elementary works； adapted to facilitate its
study。 It has been considered by famous philologists as the mother
not only of all the languages of Asia； but of all others in the
world。 So wild and preposterous an idea； however； only serves to
prove that a devotion to philology； whose principal object should
be the expansion of the mind by the various treasures of learning
and wisdom which it can unlock； sometimes only tends to its
bewilderment； by causing it to embrace shadows for reality。 The
most that can be allowed； in reason； to the Sanscrit is that it is
the mother of a certain class or family of languages； for example；
those spoken in Hindustan； with which most of the European； whether
of the Sclavonian； Gothic； or Celtic stock； have some connection。
True it is that in this case we know not how to dispose of the
ancient Zend； the mother of the modern Persian； the language in
which were written those writings generally attributed to
Zerduscht； or Zoroaster； whose affinity to the said tongues is as
easily established as that of the Sanscrit； and which； in respect
to antiquity； may well dispute the palm with its Indian rival。
Avoiding； however； the discussion of this point； we shall content
ourselves with observing； that closely connected with the Sanscrit；
if not derived from it； are the Bengali； the high Hindustani； or
grand popular language of Hindustan； generally used by the learned
in their intercourse and writings； the languages of Multan；
Guzerat； and other provinces； without mentioning the mixed dialect
called Mongolian Hindustani； a corrupt jargon of Persian； Turkish；
Arabic； and Hindu words； first used by the Mongols； after the
conquest； in their intercourse with the natives。 Many of the
principal languages of Asia are totally unconnected with the
Sanscrit； both in words and grammatical structure； these are mostly
of the great Tartar family； at the head of which there is good
reason for placing the Chinese and Tibetian。
Bearing the same analogy to the Sanscrit tongue as the Indian
dialects specified above； we find the Rommany； or speech of the
Roma； or Zincali； as they style themselves； known in England and
Spain as Gypsies and Gitanos。 This speech； wherever it is spoken；
is； in all principal points； one and the same； though more or less
corrupted by foreign words； picked up in the various countries to
which those who use it have penetrated。 One remarkable feature
must not be passed over without notice； namely； the very
considerable number of Sclavonic words； which are to be found
embedded within it； whether it be spoken in Spain or Germany； in
England or Italy； from which circumstan