The same man once put 150 sovereigns into his kettle, to treat himself
with what he called, _gold water_, for his tea; a piece of folly and
wickedness only equalled by a fact with which the author is well
acquainted, when an old man had his gold put under his pillow, and often
shown to him, when he was dying. We need not wonder, therefore, that the
children of this Gipsy couple should be so ignorant, depraved, and
destitute. For money that is ill-gotten, and squandered in extravagance,
entails a double curse on the parties concerned. But to return to the
subject of this chapter.

To visit the Gipsies in their tents is of great importance. Clergymen of
the Establishment, dissenting ministers, and home missionaries, have at
various times done this, and conversed freely with them on the Christian
religion; and it has _not been in vain_. Indeed, nothing that is done,
through Jesus Christ, purposely to please God, and benefit the wretched,
can fail to produce a good effect. The Rev. Messrs Hyatt and Cobbin, who
were deputed by the Home Missionary Society, to visit many parts of
England, to enquire into the condition of this people, had no doubt, but
that much good may be done among them, if proper means are pursued. It
has many times been proved, that to attempt to raise them in society,
without the influence of religious instruction, would be improper. They
have not sufficient principles of honesty, nor purity of conduct, till
they are taught those principles, and changed, by religion. One, among
several instances, may be named.

A young female Gipsy, remarkable for the beauty of her person, was much
noticed by a lady of rank. She was made to sit many times for her
portrait, was introduced into the drawing-room, and became of consequence
as one of the family. She might have done well, had she not given up all
her prospects by running away with a Gipsy youth, for whom she had an
attachment, and with whom she has ever since lived in great misery. If
less attention had been paid to her beauty, and more to the cultivation
of right principles, she might now have been reformed, religious, and
happy.

To those who wish to forward the instruction of the children of these
wanderers, which is of vast importance, the use of tins with letters and
monosyllables stamped upon them, is recommended. A little ink or paint
will be necessary to make the letters visible. This plan would save much
expense, and render elementar