All assembled stand they still；
In the second part I'll tell
Unto them what there befell。
PART THE SECOND
When I last did bid farewell；
I proposed the world to tell；
Higher as the Deluge flow'd；
How the frog and how the toad；
With the lizard and the eft；
All their holes and coverts left；
And assembled on the height；
Soon I ween appeared in sight
All that's wings beneath the sky；
Bat and swallow； wasp and fly；
Gnat and sparrow； and behind
Comes the crow of carrion kind；
Dove and pigeon are descried；
And the raven fiery…eyed；
With the beetle and the crane
Flying on the hurricane：
See they find no resting…place；
For the world's terrestrial space
Is with water cover'd o'er；
Soon they sink to rise no more：
'To our father let us flee！'
Straight the ark…ship openeth he；
And to everything that lives
Kindly he admission gives。
Of all kinds a single pair；
And the members safely there
Of his house he doth embark；
Then at once he shuts the ark；
Everything therein has pass'd；
There he keeps them safe and fast。
O'er the mountain's topmost peak
Now the raging waters break。
Till full twenty days are o'er；
'Midst the elemental roar；
Up and down the ark forlorn；
Like some evil thing is borne：
O what grief it is to see
Swimming on the enormous sea
Human corses pale and white；
More； alas！ than I can write：
O what grief； what grief profound；
But to think the world is drown'd：
True a scanty few are left；
All are not of life bereft；
So that； when the Lord ordain；
They may procreate again；
In a world entirely new；
Better people and more true；
To their Maker who shall bow；
And I humbly beg you now；
Ye in modern times who wend；
That your lives ye do amend；
For no wat'ry punishment；
But a heavier shall be sent；
For the blessed saints pretend
That the latter world shall end
To tremendous fire a prey；
And to ashes sink away。
To the Ark I now go back；
Which pursues its dreary track；
Lost and 'wilder'd till the Lord
In his mercy rest accord。
Early of a morning tide
They unclosed a window wide；
Heaven's beacon to descry；
And a gentle dove let fly；
Of the world to seek some trace；
And in two short hours' space
It returns with eyes that glow；
In its beak an olive bough。
With a loud and mighty sound；
They exclaim： 'The world we've found。'
To a mountain nigh they drew；
And when there themselves they view；
Bound they swiftly on the shore；
And their fervent thanks outpour；
Lowly kneeling to their God；
Then their way a couple trod；
Man and woman； hand in hand；
Bent to populate the land；
To the Moorish region fair …
And another two repair
To the country of the Gaul；
In this manner wend they all；
And the seeds of nations lay。
I beseech ye'll credence pay；
For our father； high and sage；
Wrote the tale in sacred page；
As a record to the world；
Record sad of vengeance hurl'd。
I； a low and humble wight；
Beg permission now to write
Unto all that in our land
Tongue Egyptian understand。
May our Virgin Mother mild
Grant to me； her erring child；
Plenteous grace in every way；
And success。 Amen I say。
THE PESTILENCE
I'm resolved now to tell
In the speech of Gypsy…land
All the horror that befell
In this city huge and grand。
In the eighteenth hundred year
In the midst of summertide；
God； with man dissatisfied；
His right hand on high did rear；
With a rigour most severe；
Whence we well might understand
He would strict account demand
Of our lives and actions here。
The dread event to render clear
Now the pen I take in hand。
At the dread event aghast；
Straight the world reform'd its course；
Yet is sin in greater force；
Now the punishment is past；
For the thought of God is cast
All and utterly aside；
As if death itself had died。
Therefore to the present race
These memorial lines I trace
In old Egypt's tongue of pride。
As the streets you wander'd through
How you quail'd with fear and dread；
Heaps of dying and of dead
At the leeches' door to view。
To the tavern O how few
To regale on wine repair；
All a sickly aspect wear。
Say what heart such sights could brook …
Wail and woe where'er you look …
Wail and woe and ghastly care。
Plying fast their rosaries；
See the people pace the street；
And for pardon God entreat
Long and loud with streaming eyes。
And the carts of various size；
Piled with corses； high in air；
To the plain their burden bear。
O what grief it is to me
Not a friar or priest to see
In this city huge and fair。
ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE GITANOS
'I am not very willing that any language should be totally
extinguished； the similitude and derivation of languages afford the
most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations； and the
genealogy of mankind； they add often physical certainty to
historical evidence of ancient migrations； and of the revolutions
of ages which left no written monuments behind them。' … JOHNSON。
THE Gypsy dialect of Spain is at present very much shattered and
broken； being rather the fragments of the language which the
Gypsies brought with them from the remote regions of the East than
the language itself： it enables； however； in its actual state； the
Gitanos to hold conversation amongst themselves； the import of
which is quite dark and mysterious to those who are not of their
race； or by some means have become acquainted with their
vocabulary。 The relics of this tongue； singularly curious in
themselves； must be ever particularly interesting to the
philological antiquarian； inasmuch as they enable him to arrive at
a satisfactory conclusion respecting the origin of the Gypsy race。
During the later part of the last century； the curiosity of some
learned individuals； particularly Grellmann； Richardson； and
Marsden； induced them to collect many words of the Romanian
language； as spoken in Germany； Hungary； and England； which； upon
analysing； they discovered to be in general either pure Sanscrit or
Hindustani words； or modifications thereof； these investigations
have been continued to the present time by men of equal curiosity
and no less erudition； the result of which has been the
establishment of the fact； that the Gypsies of those countries are
the descendants of a tribe of Hindus who for some particular reason
had abandoned their native country。 In England； of late； the
Gypsies have excited particular attention； but a desire far more
noble and laudable than mere antiquarian curiosity has given rise
to it； namely； the desire of propagating the glory of Christ
amongst those who know Him not； and of saving souls from the jaws
of the infernal wolf。 It is； however； with the Gypsies of Spain；
and not with those of England and other countries； that we are now
occupied； and we shall merely mention the latter so far as they may
serve to elucidate the case of the Gitanos； their brethren by blood
and language。 Spain for many centuries has been the country of
error； she has mistaken stern and savage tyranny for rational
government； base； low； and grovelling superstition for clear；
bright； and soul…ennobling religion； sordid cheating she has
considered as the path to riches； vexatious persecution as the path
to power； and the consequence has been； that she is now poor and
powerless； a pagan amongst the pagans； with a dozen kings； and with
none。 Can we be surprised； therefore； that； mistaken in policy；
religion； and moral conduct； she should have fallen into error on
points so naturally dark and mysterious as the history and origin
of those remarkable people whom for the last four hundred years she
has supported under the name of Gitanos？ The idea entertained at
the present day in Spain respecting this race is； that they are the
descendants of the Moriscos who remained in Spain； wandering about
amongst the mountains and wildernesses； after the expulsion of the
great body of the nation from the country in the time of Philip the
Third； and that they form a distinct body； entirely unconnected
with the wandering tribes known in other countries by the names of
Bohemians； Gypsies； etc。 This； like all unfounded opinions； of
course originated in ignorance； which is always ready to have
recourse to conjecture and guesswork； in preference to travelling
through the long； mountainous； and stony road of patient
investigation； it is； however； an error far more absurd and more
destitute of tenable grounds than the ancient belief that the
Gitanos were Egyptians； which they themselves have always professed
to be； and which the original written documents which they brought
with them on their first arrival in Western Europe； and which bore
the signature of the king of Bohemia； expressly stated them to be。
The only clue to arrive at any certainty respecting their origin；
is the language which they still speak amongst themselves； but
before we can avail ourselves of the evidence of this language； it
will be necessary to make a few remarks respecting the principal
languages and dialects of that immense tract of country； peopled by
at least eighty millions of human beings； generally known by the
name of Hindustan； two Persian words tantamount to the land of Ind；
or； the land watered by the river Indus。
The most celebrated o