d means of gaining
knowledge, to their employers. Two female servants went into the camp of
some Gipsies near Southampton, to have their fortunes told by one well
known to the author, and a great professor of the art. On observing them
to appear like persons in service, she said to a companion, _I shall not
get my books or cards for them_; _they are but tenants_. And calling for
a frying-pan, she ordered them to fill it with water, and hold their
faces over it. This being done, she proceeded to flatter and to promise
them great things, for which she was paid 1_s_ 6_d_ each. This is called
the frying-pan fortune. But it ought to be remembered that all
fortune-telling is quite as contemptible.

These artful pretenders to a knowledge of future events, generally
discover who are in possession of property; and if they be superstitious
and covetous, they contrive to persuade them there is a lucky stone in
their house, and that, if they will entrust to them, _all_, or a _part of
their money_, they will double and treble it. Sorry is the author to say
that they often gain their point. Tradesmen have been known to sell
their goods at a considerable loss, hoping to have the money doubled to
them by the supposed power of these wicked females, who daringly promise
to multiply the blessings of Providence.

If the fortune-teller cannot succeed in obtaining a large sum at first,
from such credulous dupes, she commences with a small one; and then
pretending it to be too insignificant for the planets to work upon, she
soon gets it doubled, and when she has succeeded in getting all she can,
she decamps with her booty, leaving her mortified victims to the just
punishment of disappointment and shame, who are afraid of making their
losses known, lest they should be exposed to the ridicule they deserve.
Parties in Gloucestershire, Dorsetshire, and Hampshire, have been robbed
in this manner of considerable sums, even as much as three and four
hundred pounds, the greatest part of which has been spent in Hampshire.

A young lady in Gloucestershire allowed herself to be deluded by a Gipsy
woman of artful and insinuating address, to a very great extent. This
lady admired a young gentleman, and the Gipsy promised that he would
return her love. The lady gave her all the plate in the house, and a
gold chain and locket, with no other security than a vain promise that
they should be restored at a given period. As might be expected, the
wi