Sir Joseph Banks, who has spared no
pains to promote this investigation, I procured an opportunity of
obtaining a list of words from our Gypsies, which I can depend upon as
genuine, and tolerably accurate in respect to the pronunciation, from
their being corroborated also by words taken down, separately, by Sir
Joseph, and by Dr. Blagden.

"Mr. Matra did me the favour to transmit for me, a list of words to
Turkey; and from his ingenious friend B. Pisani, I received a complete
and satisfactory translation of them, together with some information,
respecting the manners of the Chingiares, in the Turkish dominions,
which, however, does not come within the design of this paper, as I mean
to confine myself in the present communication, simply to the question of
similarity of language; which, if established, I should esteem a matter
of no little curiosity; presuming it to be perfectly new to the world.

"Of this similarity, the learned members of the Society will be enabled
to form their judgment from the annexed paper, exhibiting a comparison of
a few of the words procured from the different quarters before mentioned,
with the Hindostanie terms, from the best published, and parole
authorities. It may not be unworthy of remark, that the general
appellation of these people in the eastern part of Europe, is very nearly
connected with that of the inhabitants of Ceylon, in the East-Indies, who
are equally termed. Lingalese and Chingalese; though at the same time it
must be acknowledged, that the language of this Island has much less
correspondence with that of the Gypsies, than many others of the Indian
dialects.

"His Grace, the Archbishop of York, with his usual discernment, suggested
to me, the probability that the Zingara here spoken of, may have derived
their name, and perhaps their origin from the people called Langari, or
Langarians, who are found in the north-west parts of the Peninsula of
Hindostan, and infest the coasts of Guzerat and Sindy with their
piratical depredations.

"The maritime turn of this numerous race of people, with their roving and
enterprising disposition, may warrant the idea of occasional emigration
in their boats, by the coarse of the Red Sea.

"Notwithstanding the resemblance to the Hindostanie, is the predominant
feature in the Gypsey dialect, yet there are words interspersed, which
evidently coincide with other languages. Besides the Mahratta, and
Bengalese, which I have marked in the com