tumble to the ground.

The cause of truth can scarcely be forwarded by enthusiasm, which
is almost invariably the child of ignorance and error. The author
is anxious to direct the attention of the public towards the
Gypsies; but he hopes to be able to do so without any romantic
appeals in their behalf, by concealing the truth, or by warping the
truth until it becomes falsehood. In the following pages he has
depicted the Gypsies as he has found them, neither aggravating
their crimes nor gilding them with imaginary virtues. He has not
expatiated on 'their gratitude towards good people, who treat them
kindly and take an interest in their welfare'; for he believes that
of all beings in the world they are the least susceptible of such a
feeling. Nor has he ever done them injustice by attributing to
them licentious habits, from which they are, perhaps, more free
than any race in the creation.



PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION



I CANNOT permit the second edition of this work to go to press
without premising it with a few words.

When some two years ago I first gave THE ZINCALI to the world, it
was, as I stated at the time, with considerable hesitation and
diffidence: the composition of it and the collecting of Gypsy
words had served as a kind of relaxation to me whilst engaged in