196
ftables, and cow-houfes, thefe fturdy favages feem to pride them-
lelves in braving the feverities of winter, and in living fub dio the
whole year round. Laft September was as wet a month as ever was
known ; and yet during thofe deluges did a young gypfy-girl lie-in
in the midft of one of our hop-gardens, on the cold ground, with
nothing over her but a piece of a blanket extended on a few
hazel-rods bent hoop falhion, and ftuck into the earth at each end,
in circumftances too trying for a cow in the fame condition : yet
within this garden there was a large hop-kiln, into the chambers of
which (he might have retired, had the thought Ihelter an objedt
worthy her attention.
Europe itfelf, it feems, cannot fet bounds to the rovings of thefe
vagabonds; for Mr. Bell, in his return from Peking, met a gang
of thefe people on the confines of Tartary, who were endeavouring
to penetrate thofe deferts and try their fortune in China k.
Gypfies are called in French, Bohemie/ts; in Italian and modern
;Greek,.Zinguni.
I am, See.
* See Bell’s Travels in China,
l e t t e r
L E T T E R XXVI.
TO T H E S AM E .
-DEAR SIR, S e l b o r n e , N o v . r , 1 7 7 5 .
“ H i e - ----- t£ed* pingues, hie plurimus ignis
“ Semper, et affidua poftes fuligine nigri.,,
I s h a l l make no apology for troubling you with the detail of a
very Ample piece of domeftic oeconomy, being fatisfied that you
think nothing beneath your attention that tends to utility;' the
matter alluded to is the ufe of rußes inftead of candles, Which
I am well aware prevails in many diftridb befides- this / but as
I know there are countries alfo where it does not obtain, and as
I have confidered the fubjeft with fome degree of exa&nefs Jfiiall
proceed :in my humble ftory, and leave you to judgeWf the
expediency.
The proper fpecies of ruß for this purpofe feems to be the
juncus effufus, or common foft rulh, which is to be found in moft
rnoift paftures, by the fides of ftreams, and under hedges. Thefe
rulhes are in beft condition in the height of futnmer; but may be
gathered, fo as to ferve the purpofe well, quite on to autumn.
It would be needlefs to add that the largeft and longeft are belt."
Decayed labourers, women, and children, make it their bufinefs
to procure and prepare them. As foon as they are cut they muft
be flung into water, and kept there; for otherwife they will dry
and Ihrink, and the peel will not run. At firft a perfon would
find