GII"SIES. or GYPSIES, a wandering tribe, or race of vagabonds, sprea I over the greatsr part of Europe, au I some parts of Asia and Africa ; strolling about and subsisting mostly by theft, low games, and fortune-telling. The name is sup posed to be corrupted from Egyptian, as they were formerly thought to have C01110 front Egypt ; but it is now believed they are of Indian origin, and that they be longed to the race of the Shiites, an In dian caste, which was dispersed, in 1400, by the expeditions of Thnonr. Their language is the same throughout Europe with but little variation, Mill even vow resembles the dialect of Iliudost an. The late Bishop Delmer relates in his Narra tive of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India, that he met with a camp of gypsies on time banks of the t lenges, who spoke the lindoo language as their mother tongue ; and he further observes, that he found the same people Russia. Gypsies are re markable for the yellow brown, or rather olive color of their skin ; the jet black of their hair and eyes; the extreme whiteness of their teeth ; and for the symmetry of their limbs, which distin guishes even the men, whose general ap pearance, however, is repnlsive and shy. Though some occasionally follow a trade or hottest calling, they rarely settle per manently anywhere. Wherever the cli mate is init.] enough, they are found in forests and deserts. in companies. They
seldom have tents, but seek shelter from the cold or whiter in grottoes and eaves, or they huts, sunk some feet in the th, and coverel with sods laid on poles. They are rend of instriimentni music, which they chiefly practise by the ear, and their lively motions arc remarkable in their own peculiar dances. The youth rul gypsies traverse the country, the men obtaining their living by gymnastie feats, tricks, ,tn.., while the Wolili•11 invariably practise fortune-telling and eldromaney. They are not nice in their food, but eat all kinds of flesh ; even that of animals which have died a natural death. Brandy is their favorite beverage ; tobacco their greatest luxury ; both men and women chew and smoke it with avidity, and are ready to make great sacrifices for the sake of satisfying this inclination. As for religion they have no settled notions or principles: amongst the Turks they are 11ohamutedans ; in Christian coun tries, if they make any religious profes sion at all, they follow the forms of Chris tianity, without, however, caring for in struction, or having any interest in the spirit of religion. They marry with none but their own race, but their marriages are formed in the rudest manner, and when a gypsy becomes tired of his wife, he will turn her off without ceremony.