Bell, in his return from Peking, met a gang of
these people on the confines of Tartary, who were endeavouring to
penetrate those deserts and try their fortune in China.*
(* See Bell's Travels in China.)
Gypsies are called in French, Bohemians; in Italian and modern
Greek, Zingari.
I am, etc.
Letter XXVI
To The Honourable Daines Barrington
Selborne, Nov. 1, 1775.
Dear Sir,
Hic ... taedae pingues, hic plurimus ignis
Semper, et assidua postes fuligine nigri.
I shall make no apology for troubling you with the detail of a very
simple piece of domestic Economy, being satisfied that you think
nothing beneath your attention that tends to utility: the matter
alluded to is the use of rushes instead of candles, which I am well
aware prevails in many districts besides this; but as I know there
are countries also where it does not obtain, and as I have
considered the subject with some degree of exactness, I shall
proceed in my humble story, and leave you to judge of the
expediency.
The proper species of rush for this purpose seems to be the juncus
effusus, or common soft rush, which is to be found in most moist
pastures, by the sides of streams, and under hedges.
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