a most perfect resemblance of her, by
transferring the copy from my imagination to the canvass. There are some
faces which it is impossible to forget.

We passed a group of gipsies: they were seated under a broad branching
oak by the road-side; there were twenty or more of them collected in a
circle, in the midst of which was a fire, and a pot boiling. "These
people," said Mademoiselle St. Sillery, "are realising the wish of our
good King Henry the Fourth: he wished that every peasant in France might
have a fire in his chimney, and a fowl in his pot:--- and fowls must be
very scarce, when these good folks are in want of them."

"Whence is it," said I, "that such notorious thieves are tolerated."

"From the humanity," said Mr. Younge, "which prevails from an indistinct
reference to their origin. They are generally considered as the refugees
from some persecution in their native land: they have fled from towns
and cities to the shelter of woods and fields. On the continent they are
almost universally called Bohemians, and regarded as the descendants of
those unfortunate exiles, who were driven out of that kingdom in the
religious wars. By others, they have been considered as descendants
from the Jews expelled from Syria and Judaea under the Roman emperors. In
short, every tradition concurs in representing them as having their
origin in some persecution."

"But whatever this original stock must have been," said I, "it must
doubtless have long since perished, even in its posterity. Their
unsettled life is very unsuitable to keeping up their generation."

Mr. Younge suggested, that the species had been supported by subsequent
additions; that it was a standing receptacle for all vagabonds and
beggars: "but there is something in the true gipsey," said he, "which I
cannot but consider as characteristic of a certain definite origin. They
are all tall, raw-boned, and with raven locks; and though like the Jews
of different countries they may have national traits, these traits are
never sufficient to merge a certain essential character; they seem
chiefly only minor differences added to others more strong and
indelible."

We reached St. Laurence rather late, but were fortunate enough to
procure a good supper, two fowls being killed for the purpose. The
night, from some cause or other, was so chill, that we found it
necessary to have a fire, and being in excellent spirits, we sate up
late and talked merrily.

On the following