nd smaller in England, and as this goes on the
likelihood of his practices becoming more and more undisguisedly criminal
is obvious. The best way to prevent this is, of course, to catch him
young and educate him. A century or two ago the innate Bohemianism of
the race might have made this difficult, if not impossible. But it is
clear that even if the Gipsy blood has not been largely crossed during
their four centuries of residence in England, other influences have been
sufficient to work upon them. If they can live in towns at all, they can
live in them after the manner of civilised townsmen. A Gipsy at school
suggests odd ideas, and one might expect that the pupils would imitate
some day or other, though less tragically, the conduct of that promising
South African prince who, the other day, solemnly took off his trousers
(as a more decisive way of shaking our dust from his feet), and began
vigorously to kill colonists. But it is by no means certain that this
would be the case. The old order of Gipsy life has, in England, at any
rate, become something of an impossibility and everything of a nuisance.
It has ceased to be even picturesque."

The following is a copy of my paper upon the "Condition of Gipsy
Children," as read by me before the Social Science Congress, held at
Manchester on October 7th, 1879. Although it was at the "fag end" of the
session, and the last paper but two, it was evident the announcement in
the papers that my paper was to be read on Tuesday morning had created a
little interest in the Gipsy children question, for immediately I began
to read it in the large room, under the presidency of Dr. Haviland, it
was manifest I was to be honoured with a large audience, so much so,
that, before I had proceeded very far with it, the hall was nearly full
of merchant princes--who could afford to leave their bags of gold and
cotton--and ladies and gentlemen desirous of listening to my humble tale
of neglected humanity, and the outcasts of society, commonly called
"Gipsies' children." Dr. Gladstone, of the London School Board, opened
the discussion and said that he could, from his own observation and
knowledge of the persons I had quoted, testify to the truthfulness of my
remarks. Dr. Fox, of London, Mr. H. H. Collins, Mr. Crofton, and other
gentlemen took part in the discussion, and it was the unanimous feeling
of those present that something should be done to remedy this sad state
of things; and the cha