“We arrived in England, and went to our country seat, but the peace and tranquillity of the family had been marred, and I no longer found my place the pleasant one which it had formerly been; there was nothing but gloom in the house, for the youngest daughter exhibited signs of lunacy, and was obliged to be kept under confinement. The next season I attended my master, his son and eldest daughter to London, as I had previously done. There I left them, for hearing that a young baronet, an acquaintance of the family, wanted a servant, I applied for the place, with the consent of my masters, both of whom gave me a strong recommendation, and being approved of, I went to live with him.
“My new master was what is called a sporting character, very fond of the turf, upon which he was not very fortunate. He was frequently very much in want of money, and my wages were anything but regularly paid; nevertheless, I liked him very much, for he treated me more like a friend than a domestic, continually consulting me as to his affairs. At length he was brought nearly to his last shifts, by backing the favourite at the Derby, which favourite turned out a regular brute, being found nowhere at the rush. Whereupon, he and I had a solemn consultation over fourteen glasses of brandy and water, and as many cigars—I mean, between us—as to what was to be done. He wished to start a coach, in which event he was to be driver and I guard. He was quite competent to drive a coach, being a first-rate whip, and I dare say I should have made a first-rate guard; but to start a coach requires money, and we neither of us believed that anybody would trust us with vehicles and horses, so that idea was laid aside. We then debated as to whether or not he should go into the Church; but to go into the Church—at any rate to become a dean or bishop, which would have been our aim—it is necessary for a man to possess some education; and my master, although he had been at the best school in England, that is, the most expensive, and also at College, was almost totally p. 550illiterate, so we let the Church scheme follow that of the coach. At last, bethinking me that he was tolerably glib at the tongue, as most people are who are addicted to the turf, also a great master of slang, remembering also that he had a crabbed old uncle, who had some borough interest, I proposed that he should get into the House, promising in one fortnight to qualify him to make a figure in it, by certain lessons which I would give him. He consented; and during the next fortnight I did little else than give him lessons in elocution, following to a tittle the method of the great professor, which I had picked up listening behind the door. At the end of that period, we paid a visit to his relation, an old gouty Tory, who, at first, received us very coolly. My master, however, by flattering a predilection of his for Billy Pitt, soon won his affections so much that he promised to bring him into Parliament, and in less than a month was as good as his word. My master, partly by his own qualifications, and partly by the assistance which he had derived, and still occasionally derived, from me, cut a wonderful figure in the House, and was speedily considered one of the most promising speakers; he was always a good hand at promising. He is at present, I believe, a Cabinet minister.
“But as he got up in the world, he began to look down on me. I believe he was ashamed of the obligation under which he lay to me; and at last, requiring no further hints as to oratory from a poor servant like me, he took an opportunity of quarrelling with me and discharging me. However, as he had still some grace, he recommended me to a gentleman with whom, since he had attached himself to politics, he had formed an acquaintance, the editor of a grand Tory Review. I lost caste terribly amongst the servants for entering the service of a person connected with a profession so mean as literature; and it was proposed at the Servants’ Club, in Park Lane, to eject me from that society. The proposition, however, was not carried into effect, and I was permitted to show myself among them, though few condescended to take much notice of me. My master was one of the best men in the world, but also one of the most sensitive. On his veracity being impugned by the editor of a newspaper, he called him out, and shot him through the arm. Though servants are seldom admirers of their masters, I was a great admirer of mine, and eager to follow his example. The day after the encounter, on my veracity being impugned by the servant of Lord C--- in something I said in praise of my master I determined to call him out, so I went into another room and wrote a challenge. But whom p. 551should I send it by? Several servants to whom I applied refused to be the bearers of it; they said I had lost caste, and they could not think of going out with me. At length the servant of the Duke of B--- consented to take it; but he made me to understand that, though he went out with me, he did so merely because he despised the Whiggish principles of Lord C---’s servant, and that if I thought he intended to associate with me, I should be mistaken. Politics, I must tell you, at that time ran as high amongst the servants as the gentlemen, the servants, however, being almost invariably opposed to the politics of their respective masters, though both parties agreed in one point, the scouting of everything low and literary, though I think, of the two, the liberal or reform party were the most inveterate. So he took my challenge, which was accepted; we went out, Lord C---’s servant being seconded by a reformado footman from the Palace. We fired three times without effect; but this affair lost me my place, my master on hearing it forthwith discharged me; he was, as I have said before, very sensitive, and he said this duel of mine was a parody of his own. Being, however, one of the best men in the world, on his discharging me he made me a donation of twenty pounds.
“And it was well that he made me this present, for without it I should have been penniless, having contracted rather expensive habits during the time that I lived with the young baronet. I now determined to visit my parents, whom I had not seen for years. I found them in good health, and, after staying with them for two months, I returned again in the direction of town, walking in order to see the country. On the second day of my journey, not being used to such fatigue, I fell ill at a great inn on the north road, and there I continued for some weeks till I recovered, but by that time my money was entirely spent. By living at the inn I had contracted an acquaintance with the master and the people, and become accustomed to inn life. As I thought that I might find some difficulty in procuring any desirable situation in London, owing to my late connection with literature, I determined to remain where I was, provided my services would be accepted. I offered them to the master, who, finding I knew something of horses, engaged me as a postillion. I have remained there since. You have now heard my story.
“Stay, you sha’n’t say that I told my tale without a per—peroration. What shall it be? Oh, I remember something which will serve for one. As I was driving my chaise some weeks ago, on my return from L---, I saw standing at the gate of p. 552an avenue, which led up to an old mansion, a figure which I thought I recognised. I looked at it attentively, and the figure, as I passed, looked at me; whether it remembered me I do not know, but I recognised the face it showed me full well.
“If it was not the identical face of the red-haired priest whom I had seen at Rome, may I catch cold!
“Young gentleman, I will now take a spell on your blanket—young lady, good-night.”
[End of Vol. III., 1851.]
Lavengro and The Romany Rye (properly Romanó Ráï) were terms applied to George Borrow in his youth by the Norfolk Gypsy, Ambrose Smith, better known in these volumes as Jasper Petulengro. The names signify respectively “Philologist” and “the Gypsy Gentleman”. The two works thus entitled constitute a more or less exact autobiography of the writer of them, from the date of his birth to the end of August, 1825. The author himself confesses in his Preface that “the time embraces nearly the first quarter of the present century”.
Lavengro was written at Oulton, in Suffolk, slowly and at intervals, between the years 1842 and 1851. The MSS. exist in three varieties: 1. The primitive draft of a portion, found scattered through sundry notebooks and on isolated scraps of paper, as described in the letter to Dawson Turner (Life, i., p. 394). 2. The definitive autograph text in one thick quarto volume. 3. The transcript for the printers, made by Mrs. Borrow, in one large folio volume, interlarded with the author’s additions and corrections.
The text of the present edition reproduces with fidelity the first issue of 1851. Occasionally a verbal alteration, introduced by the author himself into his second edition of 1872, has been adopted in this, whenever it seemed to improve the reading. In general, however, that reprint was in many respects a defective one. Not only words, but even whole sentences, which had escaped the printers, remained undetected by the editor, and, as a consequence, were lost to later impressions, based, as they all have been, on that issue. We should have preferred to alter, quietly and without remark, certain errors in the text, as we did in the documents published in the Life; but save in a single instance, we have left such inaccuracies intact, reserving all corrections for the place where we might be supposed to exercise a free hand. [553]
p. 554The insertion, with brackets of course, of the promised inedited episodes, caused in two cases some embarrassment. In removing them from the final form of his MS., Mr. Borrow closed up the gap with a few fitting lines which concealed the withdrawal. These words had to be suppressed on the restoration of the passages.
The insertions will be met with as follows:—
The Poet Parkinson, pp. 119-25.
The Wake of Freya, pp. 128-33.
Cromwell’s Statue and the Dairyman’s Daughter, pp. 196-98.
Portobello or the Irish Patriot, pp. 231-39.
Thomas d’Éterville, in the Notes, pp. 558-59.
Thus we have made a full statement as regards the text of the present reprint. Any one who takes up this edition will discover no visible name, or preface, or introduction, save only those of George Borrow, from the title to the close. The book is, therefore, “all Borrow,” and we have sought to render the helping hand as inconspicuous as possible. Should, however, the prejudiced stumble at the Notes, we can say in the language of the fairy smith of Loughmore: is agad an t-leigheas, you have the remedy in your own power.
Speaking of the Notes, they have been drawn up on the unimpeachable testimony of contemporaneous record. Especially have we sought the works which Mr. Borrow was accustomed to read in his younger days, and at times with curious results. A list of these is given at the close of The Romany Rye, and is referred to in these notes as “Bibliography” for the sake of concision. What is not here explained can be easily looked up in our Life, Writings, and Correspondence of George Borrow, London, 1899, which of itself furnishes a sufficient and unalterable exhibition of the facts concerning the man and his work.
W. I. Knapp.
High St., Oxford,
November, 1899.
Page 1. East D---: East Dereham, a small town in Norfolk, 16 miles W. of Norwich, and 102 N.E. of London. Here Capt. Thomas Borrow, the father of George, was often stationed from 1792 to 1812.—1. East Anglia: This Anglo-Saxon kingdom comprised the present counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge.—1. Tredinnock, read Trethinnick; Parish of St. Cleer, Cornwall.—2. Big Ben: Benjamin Brain or Bryan was born in 1753. Some of his most severe “battles” were fought between 1780 and 1790—one on the 30th of August in the latter year, with Hooper at Newbury, Berks. A few days after this exploit, he picked a quarrel with Sergeant Borrow of the Coldstream Guards, which resulted in the Hyde Park encounter. Some four months later, i.e., 17th January, 1791, the decisive fight for the championship came off between Brain and Johnson. It was an appalling spectacle, and struck dumb with horror, even in that day, the witnesses to the dreadful conflict. Big Ben was the victor, and remained champion of England from that date until his death three years (not “four months”) later—8th April, 1794. “Lavengro,” carried away by the enthusiasm of early reminiscence, allowed himself to declare that his father read the Bible to Brain in his latter moments. But in 1794 Thomas Borrow was busy recruiting soldiers in Norfolk, one hundred miles from the scene of the dying pugilist. However, the error was probably one of date merely, and during the year 1791 Thomas doubtless read the Bible to him in London, since we learn from Pierce Egan that “Ben derived great consolation from hearing the Bible read, and generally solicited those of his acquaintance who called upon him to read a chapter to him”. [555]—3. Captain: The West Norfolk Militia was raised in 1759 by the third Earl of Orford. He died in December, 1791, when the regiment was reorganised (not “raised”) under the new Colonel, the Hon. Horatio Walpole, subsequently the sixth Earl of Orford. Thus in February, 1792, Thomas was transferred from the Guards to be Sergeant-major in the W.N.M., and stationed at East Dereham. He married the following year, became Quarter-master (with the rank of Ensign) in 1795, and Adjutant (Lieutenant) in February, 1798. This his final promotion doubtless gave him the honorary rank of Captain, since in the Monthly Army List for 1804 we read: “Adjutant, Thomas Borrow, Capt.”. But a letter before me dated 18th April, 1799, from his Major, is officially addressed to him as “Lieut. Borrow, Adjutant,” etc., etc.—3. Petrement: Our author knew very well that his mother’s maiden name was Ann Perfrement, pronounced and written Parfrement at the present day by those of the family we have met. The correct spelling is found on the tombstone p. 556of her sister, Sarah, at Dereham (1817), and on that of her brother, Samuel, at Salthouse near Holt (1864).—3. Castle of De Burgh: A fanciful Borrovian epithet applied to Norwich Castle. Nor did the exiles build the Church of St. Mary-the-Less, in Queen Street, Norwich; it was a distinct parish church long before Elizabeth’s reign, and in her time the parish was consolidated with the neighbouring one of St. George’s, Tombland, while the church became municipal property. But the French exiles of the Edict of 1685 did worship there, even as did the Dutch refugees from Alva’s persecution a century before (1565-70).—4. Middle Age: Borrow’s father was thirty-four, and his mother twenty-one, at the date of their marriage. John was born seven years after the marriage, and George ten. The mother was, then, thirty-one at George’s birth.—4. Bishop Hopkins: Sermons.—4. Angola: More correctly Angora.—5. Foreign grave: Lieut. John Thomas Borrow died at Guanajuato, Mexico, 22nd November, 1833.
Pages 12-13. “Snorro” Sturleson: Poet and historian of Iceland (1178-1241). Harald (not Harold) III., called “Haardraade”. Battle of Stamford Bridge, a.d. 1066, same year as Norman Conquest. See Mallet’s Northern Antiquities, pp. 168-71 and 194; Snorro’s Heimskringla, ii., p. 164, and his Chronica, 1633, p. 381, for the quotation; also Bibliog. at end of Romany Rye.—13. Winchester: Rather Winchelsea, according to the Regimental Records.—14. A gallant frigate: A reminiscence of Norman Cross gossip in 1810-11. “Ninety-eight French prisoners, the crew of a large French privateer of eighteen guns called the Contre-Amiral Magon, and commanded by the notorious Blackman, were captured 16th October, 1804, by Capt. Hancock of the Cruiser sloop, and brought into Yarmouth. They marched into Norwich, 26th November, and the next morning proceeded under guard on their way to Norman Cross barracks”—Norwich Papers, 1804.—15. Lady Bountiful: Dame Eleanor Fenn (1743-1813).—15. Bard: William Cowper (1731-1800).—16. Some Saint: Withburga, daughter of Anna, king of the East Angles, was the “saint” and the “daughter” at the same time.—19. Hunchbacked rhymer: Alexander Pope.—20. Properties of God, read attributes.—20. Rector: The Rev. F. J. H. Wollaston.—20. Philoh: James Philo (1745-1829).—21. Tolerism, read toleration.—24. Mere: Whittlesea Mere, long since drained.—31. Bengui: See the vocabulary at the end for all Gypsy words in this volume.—34. Jasper: The change from Ambrose to Jasper was made in pencil in Mrs. Borrow’s transcript at the last moment in 1849, before handing it to the printers.—38. Three years: Included in the subsequent narrative, not excluded from it as his Norwich school days (1814-15, 1816-18) were. They extend from July, 1811, to April, 1813—from Norman Cross to Edinburgh. The chronology, according to the Regimental Records, was as follows: George was at East Dereham from 22nd July to 18th November, 1811, at J. S. Buck’s (“Dr. B.’s”) school; 30th November, 1811, to February, 1812, at Colchester; 28th February to 5th March, 1812, at Harwich; 15th to 19th March, at Leicester; 21st to 30th March, at Melton Mowbray; 2nd to 25th April, at Leicester again; 28th April to 3rd May, at Tamworth (Lavengro, pp. 367-68); 8th to 26th May, at Macclesfield; 28th May to 2nd August, at Stockport; 3rd to 23rd August, at Ashton; 24th August to 15th December, at Huddersfield (W. W., p. 64, and Lavengro, pp. 39-41); 16th December, 1812, to 19th March, 1813, at Sheffield; 20th and 21st March, 1813, at Leeds; 22nd March, at Wetherby; 23rd March, Boroughbridge; 24th March, Allerton; 25th March, Darlington; 26th March, Durham (W. W., pp. 258-59); 27th and 28th March, Newcastle; 29th March, Morpeth; 30th March, Alnwick; 3rd and 4th April, at Berwick-upon-Tweed; 6th April, 1813, Edinburgh Castle.—38. Lilly: See Bibliog.
p. 557Page 42. Bank of a river: The Tweed. The scene here described occurred on a Sunday, 4th April, 1813, near Berwick, where they “arrived the preceding night” (p. 44).—42. Elvir Hill: See Borrow’s Romantic Ballads, Norwich, 1826, pp. 111-14. This piece entitled “Elvir Hill,” one of the old Danish ballads of Vedel’s collection, 1591, represents the dangers attending a youth who “rested” his “head upon Elvir Hill’s side” where he was so charmed in his sleep by a brace of seductive fairies, that
“If my good luck had not managed it so
That the cock crew out then in the distance,
I should have been murder’d by them on the Hill,
Without power to offer resistance.“’Tis therefore I counsel each young Danish swain
Who may ride in the forest so dreary,
Ne’er to lay down upon lone Elvir Hill
Though he chance to be ever so weary.”
43. Skaldaglam: The barditus of Tacitus, or the “din” made by the Norse “bards” (skalds) on shields and with shouts as they rushed into battle. It is not in Molbech, but Snorro frequently uses it in his Chronica, 1633.—43. Kalevala: Title of the great Finnish epic, of which the hero is Woinomöinen.—43. Polak: Polander or Pole.—43. Magyar (pron. Mädjr): Hungarian.—43. Batuscha: An erratum of the author for his Batuschca (161)—better Batyushca, “father Tsar”—but generally applied by Borrow to his friend the Pope.—45 to 55: See Life, i., pp. 39-43.—46. Bui hin Digri: The Jomsburg Viking, a.d. 994. See Borrow’s Romantic Ballads, p. 136, and Once A Week, ix., p. 686. The account is given in Snorro’s Chronica, 1633, p. 136 (see Bibliog.), but a more accessible version of it is found in Mallet’s Northern Antiquities (Bohn’s ed.), pp. 144-45.—46. Horunga Vog, read Hjörúnga Vâgr in Icelandic, or Vaag in Danish. In Romany Rye (p. 359) it is Englished as “Horinger Bay”.—50. Hickathrift: A Norfolk worthy of the eleventh century, whose prodigious exploits with the axle of his cart as an offensive weapon, and the wheel as a shield, are handed down in the chap-books of the last three centuries. See p. 63; also Bibliog. at the end of Romany Rye.—51. Elzigood: William E., of Heigham, Norwich, enlisted October, 1789, became Drum-major in the regiment, 22nd October, 1802; called facetiously or maliciously Else-than-gude on p. 54.—55. O’Hanlon: Redmond O’Hanlon (d. 1681), a proprietor of Ulster, dispossessed under the Cromwellian settlement, and afterwards leader of a band of outlaws.—56. Disbanded: The W.N.M. regiment left Edinburgh in July, 1814, and was disembodied at Norwich, 19th July. It was again called out, 10th July, 1815, and sent to Ireland. John Borrow was appointed Ensign, 29th May, 1815, and Lieutenant, 13th December of the same year. The regiment sailed from Harwich (“port in Essex”) 31st August, reaching Cork harbour (“the cove”) about 9th September, 1815. 63. Wight Wallace (story book of): See Bibliog.
Page 63. Shorsha: The Irish for George, properly written Seors, but the author usually wrote his Irish by sound.—64. Saggart, read sagart: (Lat. sacerdos), a priest.—64. Finn-ma-Coul: In Irish Fionn-mac-Cumhail, the father of Ossian.—64. Brian Boroo: In Irish, Brian Boroimhe, a king of Ireland (926-1014).—65. Saggarting: Studying with reference to the priesthood.—65. Mavourneen: Properly mo mhuirnin, my darling.—65. Hanam p. 558mon Dioul: Wrongly given for M’anam o’n Diabhal [God preserve] my soul from the devil! See Romany Rye, p. 286, where it is quite correct—from sound.—66. Christmas over: 1816. Regiment quartered at Templemore. John, now a lieutenant (not “ensign”), is sent with a detachment to Loughmore, three miles away. Sergeant Bagg, promoted to that rank, 10th July, 1815, accompanies him.—66. Mountain: Called locally, “Devil’s Bit,” and not Devil’s Hill or Mt., as in the text.—68. Fine old language (add: which):
“A labhair Padric ’nninsè Fail na Riogh
’San faighe caomhsin Colum naomhtha ’n I.”
(which) “Patrick spoke in Innisfail to heathen chiefs of old,
And Columb, the mild prophet-saint, spoke in his island-hold.”
So Borrow gives the Irish and his version in Romantic Ballads, p. viii. The Erse lines were taken from Lhuyd’s Archæologia Britannica, Oxford, 1707, sign. d.—69. The Castle: Loughmore Castle.—71. Figure of a man: Jerry Grant, the Irish outlaw. See the Newgate Calendars subsequent to 1840—Pelham. Griffith, etc.—72 and 83. “Sas” and “Sassanach,” of course mean Englishman or English (Saxon).—74. Clergyman of the parish: The Rev. Patrick Kennedy, vicar of Loughmore. His name is also on the list of subscribers to the Romantic Ballads, Norwich, 1826, as J. Kennedy, by mistake.—76. Swanton Morley: A village near East Dereham.—82. Arrigod yuit (Irish), read airgiod dhuit: Have you any money?—82. Tabhair chugam (pron. tower khoogam): Give (it) to me.—83. Is agam an’t leigeas (read an t-leigheas): I have the remedy.—83. Another word: deaghbhlasda: See Romany Rye, p. 266, and Notes and Queries, 5th May, 1855, p. 339, article by George Métivier.
Page 84. Old city: Norwich. The regiment having returned to head-quarters, 11th May, 1816, was mustered out 17th June. The author describes the city from the “ruined wall” of the old Priory on the hill to the east.—85. The Norman Bridge: is Bishop’s Bridge.—85. Sword of Cordova, in Guild Hall, is a mistake for the sword of the Spanish General Don Xavier Winthuysen.—90. Vone banished priest: Rev. Thomas d’Éterville. The MS. gives the following inedited account of D’Éterville. I omit the oft-recurring expletive sacré (accursed):—
[Myself. Were you not yourself forced to flee from your country?
D’Éterville. That’s very true. . . . I became one vagabond—nothing better, I assure you, my dear; had you seen me, you would have said so. I arrive at Douvres; no welcome. I walk to Canterbury and knock at the door of one auberge. The landlord opens. “What do you here?” he says; “who are you?” “Vone exiled priest,” I reply. “Get you gone, sirrah!” he says; “we have beggars enough of our own,” and he slams the door in my face. Ma foi, il faisoit bien, for my toe was sticking through my shoe.
Myself. But you are no longer a vagabond, and your toe does not stick through your shoe now.
D’Éterville. No, thank God, the times are changed. I walked and walked, till I came here, where I became one philologue and taught tongues—French and Italian. I found good friends here, those of my religion. “He very good man,” they say; “one banished priest; we must help him.” I am no longer a vagabond—ride a good horse when I go to visit pupils in the country—stop at auberge—landlord comes to the door: “What do you please to want, sir?” “Only to bait my horse, that is all.” Eh bien, landlord very polite; he not call me vagabond; I carry pistols in my pocket.
Myself. I know you do; I have often seen them. But why do you carry pistols?
p. 559D’Éterville. I ride along the road from the distant village. I have been to visit my pupil whom I instruct in philology. My pupil has paid me my bill, and I carry in my purse the fruits of my philology. I come to one dark spot. Suddenly my bridle is seized, and one tall robber stands at my horse’s head with a very clumsy club in his hand. “Stand, rascal,” says he; “your life or your purse!” “Very good, sir,” I respond; “there you have it.” So I put my hand, not into my pocket, but into my holster; I draw out, not my purse, but my weapon, and—bang! I shoot the English robber through the head.
Myself. It is a bad thing to shed blood; I should be loth to shoot a robber to save a purse.
D’Éterville. Que tu es bête! mon ami. Am I to be robbed of the fruits of my philology, made in foreign land, by one English robber? Shall I become once more one vagabond as of old? one exiled priest turned from people’s doors, my shoe broken, toe sticking through it, like that bad poet who put the Pope in hell? Bah, bah!
By degrees D’Éterville acquired a considerable fortune for one in his station. Some people go so far as to say that it was principally made by an extensive contraband trade in which he was engaged. Be this as it may, some twenty years from the time of which I am speaking, he departed this life, and shortly before his death his fellow-religionists, who knew him to be wealthy, persuaded him to make a will, by which he bequeathed all his property to certain popish establishments in England. In his last hours, however, he repented, destroyed his first will, and made another, in which he left all he had to certain of his relations in his native country;—“for,” said he, “they think me one fool, but I will show them that they are mistaken. I came to this land one banished priest, where I made one small fortune; and now I am dying, to whom should I leave the fruits of my philology but to my blood-relations? In God’s name, let me sign. Monsieur Boileau left the fruits of his verses to his niece; eh bien, I will bequeath the fruits of my philology to my niece and nephew. There, there! thanks be to God, it is done! They take me for a fool; I am no fool. Leave to the Pope the fruits of my philology! Bah, bah! I do no such thing. I do like Monsieur Boileau.”]
Page 93. Earl’s Home: Earlham Hall, the residence of Joseph John Gurney (1788-1847), the Norwich banker and famous Quaker. The “tall figure” mentioned on the next page was Mr. Gurney, then twenty-eight years of age.—95. Only read Greek: This is a mistake. Mr. Gurney was an early student of Italian. See Braithwaite’s Life, i., pp. 25 and 49.—Zohar: Very correct. Braithwaite, i., p. 37.—Abarbenel, read Abarbanel or Abrabanel: A Spanish Jew driven from Spain in 1492. See p. 282.—97. Castle Hill: Norwich.—97. Fair of horses: Tombland Fair, held on Maundy Thursday every year.—100. Heath: Mousehold Heath, near Norwich. See also pp. 106, 161, etc.—112. “Gemiti, sospiri ed alti guai” (compare Dante, Inf., iii., 8: “Quivi sospiri, pianti, e alti guai”): Groans, sighs, and deep lamentations.—114. Ab Gwilym: See Bibliog. at the end of Romany Rye.—114. Cowydd: A species of Welsh poetry.—114. Eos (W.); Nightingale.—114. Narrow Court: Tuck’s Court, St. Giles, Norwich.—115. Old master: William Simpson of the law firm of Simpson & Rackham, Norwich.—115. Bon jour: read “Bonjour . . . ! bien des chases de ma part à Monsieur Peyrecourt or Pierrecourt”. “Expressions” in this sense (kind regards) is the Spanish expresiones, disguised as French.—118. Bwa Bach: The “little hunchback”. See p. 114.—119 to 125. Parkinson the poet: p. 560This character, who appears for the first time among the inedited episodes of Lavengro, was a real one, although his true name (Parkerson) is given somewhat veiled, as usual with Mr. Borrow. He seems to have been the poet-laureate of farmers, corn-merchants, drovers and publicans, selling his muse to the highest bidder, at first in printed sheets of eight pages, and subsequently gathered into pamphlets of thirty or more pages which he offered for one or two shillings each. They were printed by R. Walker, “near the Duke’s Palace, Norwich,” and sold by “Lane and Walker, St. Andrew’s”. They are without date, but cannot range far from 1818. Here are some specimens of his style: “The Norwich Corn Mart. By J. Parkerson, Junior.”
At one o’clock the busy scene begin,
Quick to the hall they all are posting in;
The cautious merchant takes his stand,
The farmer shows the produce of his land,
etc., for sixty-six lines. “On Mr. L . . . taking leave of his wife and children, who was sentenced to transportation for fourteen years” (!):—
Hannah, farewell, I’m bound to go,
To taste the bitter draught of woe,
134 lines. “A Description of the Pine-Apple at Trowse”:—
Both Beauty and Art have exerted their skill,
You will find on a spot near the brow of a hill;
The hill is near Norwich and call’d Bracondale,
I stept into Vince’s myself to regale,
etc., four pages of that.—124. Mr. C.: Thomas William Coke, Esq., of Holkham, Earl of Leicester in 1837, and died in 1842.
Pages 128-133. The Wake of Freya: This incident must have occurred to Mrs. Borrow at her home, Dumpling Green, East Dereham, on a Friday night, 5th December, 1783, when she was twelve (not “ten”) years old. Her eldest sister, Elizabeth, would be in her seventeenth year. Friday was then, as now, market day at Dereham. The place was the Blyth farm about one and a half miles (not “three”) from “pretty D”. The superstition referred to in this episode is, or was, a very common one in Norfolk, and even other countries. See the Norfolk Chronicle for 14th May, 1791; Glyde’s Norfolk Garland, pp. 13-14, and George Borrow in the Quarterly Review for January, 1861, p. 62.—130. Freya: The Venus of the North was the sister of Frey, according to Mallet (p. 94), and the original sources.—136. To London: Crome (John’s teacher) died at Norwich, 22nd April, 1821; but John could not leave until after the Regimental Training, which closed that year on 26th June; hence his departure may be set down for the last of June, 1821.—136. Rafael: Note spelling here (also pp. 223 and 225) and Raphael on p. 352.—137. Corregio, read Correggio.—139. Murray and Latroon, the Scotch outlaw and the “English Rogue”. See Bibliog. at the end of Romany Rye.—142. “Draoitheac,” magic, read draoidheachd (Ir.).—144. Muggletonians: Evidently a Borrovian slip here. See Notes and Queries for 3rd April, 1852, p. 320.—145. Vedel: Anders Sörensen Vedel, first collector of the Kiæmpeviser, or Heroic Ballads of the Danes, Copenh., 1591.—146. Chapter xxiii.: Interview between William Taylor (21 King Street, Norwich) p. 561and George Borrow.—151. Orm Ungarswayne: “Orm the youthful Swain,” Romantic Ballads, p. 86. But see the Danish ballad “Birting” in Borrow’s Targum, St. Petersb., 1835, pp. 59-61, commencing:—
“It was late at evening tide,
Sinks the day-star in the wave,
When alone Orm Ungarswayne
Rode to seek his father’s grave”.
—151. Swayne Vonved: See this piece in Romantic Ballads, pp. 61-81.—151. Mousha, read Muça, in Arabic or Moshé in Hebrew; both represent our Moses. But the Jew’s name was Levi, according to the MS.—153. The Fight: Between Painter and Oliver, near North Walsham, 17th July, 1820. This chapter xxiv. relates the author’s call on Mr. Petre of Westwick House, which must have been after 20th May, when it was decided that the “battle” should take place within twenty miles of Norwich.—155. Parr: There were two Parrs, one, Thomas, called “English” or “Old” Parr (1483-1635) who lived 152 years, and Samuel, called the “Greek” Parr (1747-1825,) who had been Head Master of the Norwich Grammar School from 1778 to 1785. This Dr. Samuel Parr was the one referred to by Mr. Petre.—155. Whiter: Rev. Walter Whiter, author of the Commentary on Shakespeare, Lond. 1794, and Etymologicum Magnum, Camb., 1800, 4to; enlarged ed., Camb., 1822-25, 3 vols. 4to.—156. Game Chicken: Henry Pierce, nicknamed Game Chicken, beat Gulley, 8th October, 1805 (Egan’s Boxiana, i., p. 145).—156. Sporting Gentlemen: John Thurtell and Edward Painter (“Ned Flatnose”).—158. Harmanbeck: Slang for constable—word taken from the English Rogue.—161. Batuschca (read Bátyooshca): See p. 43.—161. Priberjensky, read Préobrazhenski: Crack regiment of the Russian Imperial Guard, so called from the barracks situated near the Church of the Transfiguration (Préobrazhenïe).
Page 166. The Fight of 1820, chapter xxvi. We will here give a condensed portion of a chapter which we suppressed from the Life.
On the 20th of May, 1820, an eager crowd might have been seen pressing up to a card displayed in the Castle Tavern, Norwich. The card was signed T. C. and T. Belcher; but every one knew that the initials stood for the Champion of England, Thomas Cribb. The purport of the notice was that Edward Painter of Norwich was to fight Thomas Oliver of London for a purse of 100 guineas, on Monday, the 17th of July, in a field within twenty miles of the city.
A few days after this announcement, George Borrow was charged by his principals to convey a sum of money to a country gentleman by the name of John Berney Petre, Esq., J.P., residing at Westwick House, some thirteen and a half miles distant on the North Walsham road. The gentleman was just settling the transfer of his inheritance, his father having died eight months before. Borrow walked the entire distance, and while he tarried with the magistrate, the interview took place between him and Thurtell who desired to secure a field for the fight. Mr. Petre could not accommodate them, and they drove on to North Walsham. There they found the “pightle” which suited them in the vicinity of that town, on the road leading to Happisburgh (Hazebro).
Norwich began to fill on Saturday, the 15th of July, as the stage-coaches rolled in by the London (now Ipswich) and Newmarket roads. The Inn p. 562attached to the Bowling Green on Chapel-Field, then kept by the famous one-legged ex-coachman Dan Gurney (p. 167), was the favourite resort of the “great men” of the day. Belcher, not old Belcher of 1791, but the “Teucer” Belcher, and Cribb, the champion of England, slept at the Castle Tavern, which like Janus had two faces—backed on the Meadows and fronted on White-Lion. The Norfolk in St. Giles and the Angel on the “Walk,” housed other varieties of the sporting world.
At an early hour on Monday, the 17th, the roads were alive with pedestrians, equestrians, Jews, Gentiles and Gypsies, in coaches, barouches and vehicles of every sort. From Norwich they streamed down Tombland into Magdalen street and road, out on the Coltishall highway, and thence—sixteen and one half miles in all—to North Walsham and the field. One ancient MacGowan (the Scotch for Petulengro) stood on Coltishall bridge and counted 2050 carriages as they swept past. More than 25,000 men and thieves gathered in concentric circles about the stand.
I do not propose to attempt the description of this celebrated pugna or “battle with the fists”. Those who crave such diversions will find this one portrayed fittingly in the newspapers of the time. The closing passage of one of them has always seemed to me to be a masterpiece of grim brutality: “Oliver’s nob was exchequered, and he fell by heavy right-handed blows on his ears and temple. When on his second’s knee, his head dangled about like a poppy after a shower.”
A second fight, this time between Sampson, called the “Birmingham boy,” and Martin the “baker,” lost much of its interest by reason of the storm described in Lavengro. “During the contest,” says the Norfolk Chronicle, “a most tremendous black cloud informed the spectators that a rare sousing was in preparation for them.” And the Mercury states that “the heavy rain drenched the field, and most betook themselves to a retreat, but the rats were all drinkled”. Thus the “cloud” was no fiction, by which the Gypsy foretold the dreadful fate awaiting John Thurtell before Hertford gaol, 9th January, 1824. Ned Painter never fought again. He was landlord of the White Hart Inn from 1823 to 1835. The present proprietor still shows his portrait there, with the above fact duly inscribed on the back of the frame.
Page 168. Public: The Castle Tavern, Holborn, kept by Tom Belcher—the “Daffy Club”.—169. “Here’s a health to old honest John Bull:” The verses were taken from a rare old volume entitled: The Norwich Minstrel, p. 30, (See Bibliog.):—
“HONEST JOHN BULL.”
“Here’s a health to ‘Old honest John Bull’;
When he’s gone we shan’t find such another;
With hearts and with glasses brim full,
We’ll drink to ‘Britannia, his mother’;
For she gave him a good education,
Bade him keep to his God and his King,
Be loyal and true to the nation,
And then to get merry and sing.“For John is a good-natured fellow,
Industrious, honest and brave;
Not afraid of his betters when mellow,
For betters he knows he must have.
p. 563There must be fine lords and fine ladies,
There must be some little, some great;
Their wealth the support of our trade is,
Our trade the support of the State.“Some were born for the court and the city,
And some for the village and cot;
For it would be a dolorous ditty,
If we were born ‘equal in lot’.
If our ships had no pilots to steer,
What would come of poor Jack on the shrouds?
Or our troops no commanders to fear,
They would soon be arm’d robbers in crowds.“The plough and the loom would stand still,
If we were made gentlefolks all;
If clodhoppers—who then would fill
The parliament, pulpit or hall?
‘Rights of Man’ makes a very fine sound,
‘Equal riches’ a plausible tale;
Whose labourers would then till the ground?
All would drink, but who’d brew the ale?“Half naked and starv’d, in the streets
We should wander about, sans culottes;
Would Liberty find us in meats,
Or Equality lengthen our coats?
That knaves are for levelling, don’t wonder,
We may easily guess at their views;
Pray, who’d gain the most by the plunder?
Why, they that have nothing to lose.“Then away with this nonsense and stuff,
Full of treason, confusion and blood;
Every Briton has freedom enough
To be happy as long as he’s good.
To be rul’d by a glorious king,
To be govern’d by jury and laws;
Then let us be happy and sing,
‘This, this, is true Liberty’s cause’.”
Page 174. Haik, read Haïk: Armenian.—178. Conqueror of Tippoo Sahib: General Harris (1791).—181. March: The exact date was discovered by me in private letters in Norwich. See Life, i., p. 91. George left Norwich on the evening of 1st April, 1824, and consequently reached London early on the morning of 2nd April.—182. Lodging: No. 16 Millman Street, Bedford Row.—185. The publisher: Sir Richard Phillips.—185. Mr. so-and-so: Taylor of Norwich.—186. The Magazine: The Monthly Magazine; or, British Register.—187. The Oxford Review: The Universal Review; or, Chronicle of the Literature of all Nations. No. 1, March, 1824, to No. 6, January, 1825. See also pp. 190, 203 and ff.—191. Red Julius, called elsewhere by Borrow Iolo Goch: A Welsh bard of the fifteenth century.—193. Cæsar’s Castle: The Tower of London.—194 and 423. Blessed Mary Flanders: Defoe’s Moll Flanders, See Bibliog. at the end of Romany Rye.—197. Booksellers’ p. 564shop: The shop was a depository of the Religious Tract Society, the publishers of Legh Richmond’s Annals of the Poor, of which the first section was the Dairyman’s Daughter (pp. 101).—203. Newly married: Richard, Jr., m. Feb., 1823.—204. “Newgate Lives”: The true title was: Celebrated Trials, and Remarkable Cases of Criminal Jurisprudence, from the earliest records to the year 1825, Lond., 1825 (February), 6 vols. 8vo.—205. Translator of “Faustus”: Faust, a Drama by Goethe, and Schiller’s Song of the Bell; translated by Lord Francis Leveson Gower, Lond., J. Murray, 1823, 8vo; 2nd ed., enlarged, ibid., 1825, 2 vols. 8vo.—208. Translator of Quintilian: I doubt whether this was John Carey, LL.D. (1756-1826), who published an edition of Quintilian, 1822, but no translation. My information is positive that it was Wm. Gifford, translator of Juvenal, 1802, 3rd ed. 1817.—215. Oxford: This constant satirising of the great English university in connection with the publisher’s theory, doubtless grew out of a series of articles printed in the Magazine during the years ’23 and ’24, and which may be summarised by this notice in vol. lvi., p. 349: “In a few days will appear a series of Dialogues between an Oxford Tutor and a Disciple of the new Commonsense Philosophy; in which the mechanical principles of matter and motion will be accurately contrasted with the theories of occult powers which are at present cherished by the Universities and Royal Associations throughout Europe”.—220. Churchyard: St. Giles churchyard where Capt. Borrow was buried on the 4th of March previous.—220. A New Mayor: Inexact. Robert Hawkes was mayor of Norwich in 1822. Therefore he was now ex-mayor—220. Man with a Hump: Thomas Osborn Springfield, was not a watchmaker so far as is known in Norwich, but “carried on the wholesale silk business, having almost a monopoly of the market” (Bayne’s Norwich, p. 588).—221. Painter of the heroic: Benjamin Robert Haydon (1785-1846).—224. Norman Arch: The grand entrance and exit to the Norwich Cathedral, west side.—225. Snap: The Snap-Dragon of Norwich is the Tarasque of the south of France, and the Tarasca of Corpus day in Spain. It represents a Dragon or monster with hideous jaws, supported by men concealed, all but their legs, within its capacious belly, and carried about in civic processions prior to the year 1835; even now it is seen on Guy Fawkes’ day, the 5th of November.—Whiffler: An official character of the old Norwich Corporation, strangely uniformed and accoutred, who headed the annual procession on Guildhall day, flourishing a sword in a marvellous manner. All this was abolished on the passage of the Municipal Reform Act in 1835. As a consequence, says a contemporaneous writer, “the Aldermen left off wearing their scarlet gowns, Snap was laid up on a shelf in the ‘Sword Room’ in the Guildhall, and the Whifflers no longer danced at the head of the procession in their picturesque costume. It was a pretty sight, and their skill in flourishing their short swords was marvellous to behold.” See Romany Rye, pp. 349-50.—Billy Blind and Owlenglass (Till Eulenspiegel): See Bibliography.—228. Brandt and Struensee: For High-Treason in Denmark, 1772. See Celebrated Trials, iv., p. 465; and for Richard Patch (“yeoman Patch”), 1805, vol. v., p. 584.—229. Lord Byron: The remains of the poet lay in state from Friday 9th July, 1824, in Sir Edward Knatchbull’s house, Great George Street, to Monday the 12th when they were conveyed to Hucknall-Torkard in Nottinghamshire. On that day (12th July) Borrow witnessed the procession as described in the text.—233. Carolan’s Receipt: Torlough (i.e., Charles) O’Carolan, the celebrated Irish harper and bard, was born at Nobber, Co. Meath, in 1670, and died in 1738. See Alfred Webb’s Compendium of p. 565Irish Biography, Dublin, 1878, p. 372; J. C. Walker’s Irish Bards, 1786, App., pp. 86-87, and Dict. of Nat. Biog., xli., p. 343. The “Receipt” in Irish is in Walker, and at the end of Vallancey’s Irish Grammar, second ed., Dublin, 1781. [565] Here is the translation given in Walker:—
“When by sickness or sorrow assail’d,
To the mansion of Stafford I hie’d
His advice or his cordial ne’er fail’d
To relieve me—nor e’er was denied.“At midnight our glasses went round,
In the morning a cup he would send;
By the force of his wit he has found
That my life did on drinking depend.“With the spirit of Whiskey inspir’d,
By my Harp e’en the pow’r is confess’d;
’Tis then that my genius is fir’d,
’Tis then I sing sweetest and best.“Ye friends and ye neighbours draw near,
Attend to the close of my song;
Remember, if life you hold dear,
That drinking your life will prolong.”
Curiously enough among the subscribers to the Romantic Ballads, Norwich, 1826, we find these names: (p. 185) “F. Arden, Esq., London, five copies,” “T. G. O’Donnahoo, Esq., London, five copies;” (p. 187) “Mr. J. Turner, London”.
Page 244. The Review: The Review actually ceased January, 1825, with its sixth number.—268. Laham: In Heb. bread is lèhem; but our author probably wrote it by sound. Z’hats is the acc. of hats, the Arm. for bread; for as Borrow’s source, old Villotte (1714), says: “Accusativus præfigit nominativo literam z”.—270 and 286. Mesroub, read Miesrob, who, about a.d. 450 introduced the Armenian alphabet. 271. Sea in Arm. is dzow. See Romany Rye, p. 356—281. Adelánte (Span.): Come in.—281. Bueno (Span.): Good. This sound of the word bueno, heard in 1825 from the Jew Manasseh, was brought to Borrow’s memory in 1836 when he met the Jew Abarbanel on the roads in Spain. See B. in S., p. 65, sm. ed.—282. Una vez, etc. (Span.): On one occasion when he was intoxicated.—282. Goyim (Heb.): Nations, Gentiles.—282. Lasan akhades, read Lâshôn haqqôdesh: Sacred language, i.e., Hebrew.—282. Janin: Wine in Heb. is yâyim (not yânin), but our author quoted correctly from the Dialoghi di Amore composti per Leone Medico, Vinegia, 1541, and the Span. ed. (which I use): Los Dialogos de Amor de mestre Leon Abarbanel medico y Filosofo excelente, Venetia, 1568, sm. 410 (Bodleian). The passage is: “And he (Noah), after the flood, was called Janus on account of his invention of wine, for Janin in Hebrew signifies wine, and he is represented with two faces p. 566turned in opposite directions, because he saw before the flood and after it”. [566] G. B. always writes Abarbenel for Abarbanel. His true name was Leo Abrabanel.—282. Janinoso (Judæo-Span.) meaning vinosus, intoxicated.—283. Epicouraiyim: Christians, as below, the “Epicureans,” for so the rabbis of the East call us in the West—properly, “unbelievers”. But Borrow’s form is not found in Buxtorf (1869)—read [unknown Hebrew text] Epikûrôsîn and (pop.) Epikûrîn.—285. Sephardim: Spanish and Portuguese Jews, as the Ashkenazim are the German Jews.—290 to 301. I am at . . .: Greenwich, Blackheath and Shooter’s Hill (301).—304. Colonel B. . . .: Col. Blood. See Celebrated Trials, vol. ii., pp. 248-354: “Thomas Blood, generally called Colonel Blood, who stole the crown from the Tower of London, 1671”.—317. Got fare to . . ., read Amesbury, Wilts.—323. City of the Spire: Salisbury.—325. From . . ., read Bristol.—330. Stranger: Could not be William Beckford (1759-1844) of Fonthill Park, three miles from Hinton, a dozen or fifteen miles from Salisbury. Besides the place was sold in 1822 and George Mortimer occupied it in 1825. Borrow had been walking five days in a N.W. direction from Salisbury, and all his narrative harmonises with the places and dates that bring him to Horncastle in August, 1825—362. Abedariums, read abecedariums.—363. Flaming Tinman: He is also called by Borrow, Blazing Tinman, Flying Tinker, Blazing Bosville or Boswell, and finally Anselo Herne, his true clan-name.—367. Ten years ago, i.e., thirteen, when he was at Tamworth in April or May, 1812.—377. The Romany chi, etc.: See p. 387 for the translation.—379. Answer to the gillie: The Rommany churl and the Rommany girl love thieving and spaeing and lying and everything but honesty and truth.—390. Peth yw, etc. (W.): What is that lying there on the ground? Yn wirionedd, in truth, surely.—390. Gwenwyn: Poison! Poison! the lad has been poisoned!—394. Hanged the mayor: The suppressed name of the Welshman and the whole account of the affair is given in Wild Wales, p. 7 (chapter iii).—404. Bardd Cwsg: The Sleeping Bard, by Ellis Wynn. See Bibliog.—421. Merddin Wyllt (Myrddin): i.e., Wild Merlin, called the Wizard.—423. Found written: See Moll Flanders by Defoe, p. 188, ed. 1722: “Oh! what a felicity is it to mankind,” said I, “that they cannot see into the hearts of one another!” I have carefully re-read the whole volume of Moll Flanders, and find no such passages as those referred to here, save the one above. Hence, we may justly infer that Borrow quoted the spirit, rather than the words, of his author. See Romany Rye, pp. 305-6.—431. Catraeth, read Cattraeth. The reference is to Aneurin’s book, the Gododin, or Battle of Cattraeth. See Bibliog.—432. Fish or flesh: See Borrow’s Targum, St. Petersb., 1835, p. 76, under the “History of Taliesin,” ending:—
“I saw the end with horror
Of Sodom and Gomorrah!
And with this very eye
Have seen the [Trinity];
I till the judgment day
Upon the earth shall stray:
None knows for certainty
Whether fish or flesh I be.”
p. 567The original Welsh of the “Hanes Taliesin” is in the Gorchestion Beirdd Cymru, 1773—Bibliog. at the end of Romany Rye.—432. Take this: This Bible, with Peter Williams’ name in it, was sold in London in 1886 out of Geo. Borrow’s collection.—443. Mumpers’ Dingle: Near Willenhall, Staffordshire. The place is properly Momber or Monmer Lane, and is now occupied by the “Monmer Lane Ironworks,” hence totally obliterated.—444. Volundr (Völundr): The Wayland Smith of Northern legends. See in the Bibliog. under “Wayland Smith,” and Mallet, p. 570.—456. Ingeborg: The lines are from the Romantic Ballads of 1826, p. 58, entitled the “Heroes of Dovrefeld. From the old Danish.”—456. “As I was jawing:” Text and translation of the whole eight lines are found on pp. 182-83 of the Lavo-Lil, 1874:—
As I to the town was going one day
My Roman lass I met by the way.
The MS. is somewhat different—“Rommany” instead of Roman, and the last line, “If you will share my lot with me”.—469. The man in black: This priest seems to have been a Fraser of Lovat. See Romany Rye, p. 25, and “Arbuthnot” in the Bibliog.—481. Armenian: It must be remembered that Borrow’s Armenian was limited to the Introduction, Grammar and Lat.-Arm. Dict. of the Jesuit Joseph Villotte, 1714, fol., which he picked up at Norwich in 1822-23 as he tells us on p. 175, and Romany Rye, p. 92. Hence all his examples are taken from that book—mi, one; yergou, two; yerek, three, and those in Romany Rye.—482. Buona sera (It.): Good evening.—482. Per far visita, etc.: To pay your lordship a call, that is my motive.—486. Che io non, etc., read ch’ in, etc.: That I do not believe at all.—488. Addio: Farewell.—497. Pulci: See the Bibliog. This version is rather free and local. Here is the original (canto xviii., f. 97, ed. 1546):—
Rispose allhor Margutte: “A dirtel tosto,
Io non credo piu al nero ch’ a l’azzurro,
Ma nel cappone, o lesso, o, vuogli, arrosto,
E credo alcuna volta anco nel burro,
Nella cervogia, e, quando io n’ho, nel mosto,
E molto pui nell’ aspro che il mangurro,
Ma sopra tutto nel buon vino ho fede,
E credo che sia salvo chi gli crede.”
503. O Cavaliere, etc.: Oh, Sir Walter, ye have wrought much in behalf of the Holy See!—504. Poveri frati: Poor friars!—508. One fellow I met: See the postillion’s story on pp. 536-48.—513. Master in Arm. is d’yèr; of a master, d’yearn; pl., d’yeark.—515. Koul Adonai, read Kôl A. The next quotation is from part of verse 4 of the xxixth Psalm, which he gives according to the prayer-book version.
Ambról, pear.
Andé, in, into.
André, in, within.
Angár, charcoal, coals.
Apopli, again.
Aukko, here is.
Ava, yes.
Ávali, yes.
Avella, comes, is coming.
Baró, large, big.
Bawlor, swine.
Bebee (aunt), grandmother.
Bengui, devil.
Bitchadey, pl. sent.
Bitchadey pawdel (p. 300), an error for bitchadó pawdel, sing.
Boró, great.
Borodromengro, highwayman.
Boro foros, London.
Cafi, horse-shoe nail.
Cana, when.
Caulor, shillings.
Chabé, pl. of
Chabó, child, lad, Gypsy.
Chachipen, truth.
Chal, lad, Gypsy.
Chal Devlehi, go with God, farewell.
Chavó, i.q. chabó.
Chi, girl, lass, Gypsy.
Chinomescro, chisel.
Chipes, pl. tongues.
Chive, to throw; pass (bad money).
Chivios, he or it is cast.
Chong, hill.
Chong gav, Norwich.
Churi, knife.
Coor, to strike, hammer.
Cooromengro, boxer.
Covantza, anvil.
Dearginni (Hung. G.), it thunders.
Dinelo, a fool, silly.
Divvus, day.
Dloovu, money (for lovo).
Dook, to bewitch, to spirit away.
Dook, spirit, soul, divining spirit, demon, ghost.
Dosta, enough.
Dovey odoi, that there, up yonder.
Drab, herb, poison.
Drab, to poison.
Drom, road, way.
Drow (often pl.), drugs; poison.
Dui, two.
Dukkerin (the in is Eng. “ing”), any one’s fortune, or fortunes, fate, fortune-telling.
Dukkerin dook, the fortune-telling or divining spirit or demon.
Dukkeripen, fortune-telling.
Duvel, God.
Duvelskoe, divine.
Engro (mere ending), Borrovian for “master,” “fellow,” “chap”.
Foros, city, town.
Gav, village, town.
Gillie, song, ditty.
Gorgio, non-gypsy, stranger, somebody, police. G. avella, some one is coming. G. shunella, some one is listening. G.’s welling, the police are about.
Gorgious, adj. formed from gorgio.
Grandbabee, see bebee.
Grondinni (Roumanian G.), it hails.
Gry, horse, pony.
Harkomescro, tinker.
Hinjiri, executioner.
Hir mi Devlis, by my G---.
Hokkeripen, falsehood.
Jaw, to go. Jaw-ing, going.
Jib, tongue, language.
Juggal, dog.
Juwa, woman.
Kauley, f. of
Kaulo, black, dark.
p. 569Kaulomescro, blacksmith.
Kaured, stole.
Kekaubi, kettle.
Ker, house.
Kosko, good.
Kral or Krallis, king.
Lachipen, honesty.
Lavengro, “word-master,” “philologist”.
Leste, him.
Lil, book.
Loovu, coin, money.
Lundra, London.
Luripen, theft, robbery.
Mailla, donkey.
Manricli, cake.
Manro, bread.
Manus, man.
Marel (read merel), dies.
Men, we.
Mensar (read mensa), with us.
Miro, my.
Morro, bread.
Muchtar, tool-box.
Nashkado, lost, hanged.
Nashky, gallows.
O, the.
Odoi, there; dovey o., yonder.
Pa, over, for.
Pal, brother, friend, mate.
Palor, brothers.
Parraco, I thank.
Pawdel, on the other side, across; bitchadey p., transported.
Pen, to say, to tell; penning, telling.
Peshota, pl. bellows.
Petul, horse-shoe.
Petulengro, smith.
Pindro, hoof, foot.
Pios, health (in toasting).
Plaistra, pincers.
Plastramengro, runner, detective.
Poknees, magistrate.
Prala (voc.). brother.
Pudamengro, blower, bellows.
Puró, old, ancient.
Puv, earth, ground.
Ran, stick, cane.
Rati, blood, stock.
Rikkení, f. of
Rikkenó, pretty, fine.
Rin, file.
Rom, husband; Gypsy.
Roman, Borrovian for Gypsy.
Romaneskoenæs, in Gypsy fashion.
Romanly (Bor.), in Gypsy, G.-like.
Romanó, Gypsy.
Rome and dree (Rom andré?) Gypsy at heart.
Romí, wife.
Rommanis, in Gypsy.
Rommany, Gypsy.
Rommany Chal, Eng. Gypsy.
Rommany Chi, f. Eng. Gypsy-girl.
Rovel, weeps.
Rye, gentleman; farming r., farmer.
Sap, snake.
Sapengro, snake-catcher.
Sastra, iron.
Sastramescro, worker in iron, smith.
Scoppelo, ninny.
Sherengro, head man.
Shoon, to hear, to listen.
Shukaro, hammer.
Shunella, is listening.
Si, is, are.
Sore, all (who).
Ta, and.
Tacho rommanis, faithful wife.
Tan, tent.
Tasaulor (ta-sorlo), to-morrow.
Tatchipen, truth.
Tawno Chickno, “Shorty”.
Tu, thy.
Tute, thee.
Vagescoe chipes, tongues of fire.
Villaminni (Hung. G.), it lightens.
Wafodo, bad, false.
Welling (corruption of avella), coming. G.’s welling, “the hawks are abroad”.
Wesh, forest.
Yag, fire.
Yeck, one.
Ziga*****************ń********************* (Slavic), Gypsy.
Zingaro (Italian), Gypsy.
p. 570printed
by
hazell, watson and
viney, ld.,
london and aylesbury
[0a] We are all relations, all alike; all who are with us are ourselves.
[0b] Chal is simply the contraction of chavál, a form cognate with chavoró the diminutive of chavó, a lad. Chavál is still common in Spain, both among the Gypsies and the lower orders of Spaniards.—Ed.
[1a] MS., “On the fifth day of July, 1803, at East D---, a beautiful little town in the western division of Norfolk, I first saw the light”.
[1b] “In Cornwall are the best gentlemen.”—Corn. Prov.
[2a] MS., “after being insulted by him”.
[2b] So in MSS.; “manly,” an erratum.
[3] MS., “Orford”.
[13] Norwegian ells—about eight feet.
[23] MS., “in regimental slang”.
[34] MS., “Ambrose” throughout the book.
[81] MS., “like the philologist Scaliger, who, though acquainted with the exact value of every word in the Latin language, could see no beauty in the ‘Enchantments of Canidia,’ the masterpiece of the prince of Roman poets. What knew he,” etc.
[112] MS. note: “Written in 1843”.
[115] MS., “à Monsieur Peyrecourt” or “Pierrecourt”.
[126] MS., “Simpson”.
[137] Klopstock.
[158] MS., “John Thurtell”.
[185] MS., “Bartlett”.
[187] MS., “Saviour”.
[190] MS., “High Tory principles”.
[201] MS., “Arden” throughout.
[210] The MS. develops this paragraph as follows:—
So Francis Ardry called upon me, and right glad I was that he did so; and after we had sat conversing for some time, he said, “Did you ever see Kean?”
“No,” said I, “but I have heard both of him and of Belcher. I should like to see either, especially the latter. Where are they to be found?”
“I know nothing of the latter,” said Frank, “but if you wish to see Kean, you had better come with me where he will appear to-night after a long absence. The public are anxiously waiting for him, intending to pelt him off the stage.”
“And what has he done,” said I, “to be pelted off the stage?”
“What is very naughty,” said Frank; “breaking one of the commandments.”
“And did he break the commandment on the stage?”
“No,” said Frank, “I never heard that he broke it on the stage, except in the way of his profession.”
“Then, what have the public to do with the matter?”
“They think they have,” said Frank.
And then we went out together to see Shakespeare’s “Richard,” or rather we went to see the man who was to personate Shakespeare’s “Richard”—and so did thousands; we did not see him, however. There was a great tumult, I remember, in the theatre. The man who was to perform the part of Richard, and who it was said was the best hand for interpreting the character that had ever appeared on the stage, had a short time before been involved in a disgraceful affair, and this was to be his first appearance on the stage since the discovery. The consequence was that crowds flocked to the theatre with the firm intention of expressing their indignation. “We will pelt his eyes out,” said a man who sat beside me in the pit—for we sat in the pit—and who bore the breach of all the commandments in his face. The actor in question, however, who perhaps heard the threats which were vented against him, very prudently kept out of the way, and the manager coming forward informed the public that another would perform the part—whereupon there was a great uproar. “We have been imposed upon,” said the individual who sat beside me. “I came here for nothing else than to pelt that scoundrel off the stage.” The uproar, however, at length subsided, and the piece commenced. In a little time there was loud applause. The actor who had appeared in place of the other was performing. “What do you clap for?” said I to the individual by my side, who was clapping most of all. “What do I clap for?” said the man. “Why, to encourage Macready, to be sure. Don’t you see how divinely he acts? why, he beats Kean hollow. Besides that, he’s a moral man, and I like morality.” “Do you mean to say,” said I, “that he was never immoral?” “I neither know nor care,” said the man; “all I know is that he has never been found out. It will never do to encourage a public man who has been found out. No, no! the morality of the stage must be seen after.”
[212] MS. “Charlie” and “Charlie’s” throughout.
[222] The MS. adds: “‘It will, perhaps, be as well, first of all, to go to the exhibition of British art, which is at present open. I hear he has a picture there, which he has just finished. We will look at it, and from that you may form a tolerable estimate of his powers.’ Thereupon my brother led the way, and we presently found ourselves in the Gallery of British Art.”
[231] Arden throughout the MS.
[232] The text is: “Malheur, as the French say, that it is so choked”.
[235] “Bishop Sharpe,” a pugilist of that name and time.
[236] Three are after my death.
[249] MS. (apparently) “L---,” but see p. 276.
[250a] MS., “is quite as rational an amusement as politics”.
[250b] Le Noir in MS. A, and in Rom. Rye, app.
[251a] MS., “L---,” or “T.”
[251b] MS., “Canning”.
[350] MS., “The Times”.
[484] MS. “Lord A[berdeen]”.
[553] The one sole emendation consists in substituting the masc. cheval for the fem. jument, on p. 314. Le jument est beau was a solecism that could not longer be tolerated.
[555] Boxiana, ii., 497.
[565] Beginning—
Mas tinn no slán atharlaigheas féin,
Do ghluàis me trá, agus bfhéirde mé,
Air cuáirt an Seóin le sócal dfhághail,
“An Stafartach saímh, nach gnáth gan chéill.”
[566] “El qual (Noé) despues del diluuio, por su inuencion del uino, fue lhamado lano, porque Ianin en ebràico quiere dezir uino, y lo pintan con dos caras boltadas, porque tuuo uista antes del diluuio y despues” (Foja 71, verso).