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Borrow, George Henry, 1803-1881

"The Romany Rye"

It has made the daughter of Ursula the chaste take
up with the base drummer of a wild-beast show. It makes Gorgiko
Brown, the gypsy man, leave his tent and his old wife, of an
evening, and thrust himself into society which could well dispense
with him. "Brother," said Mr. Petulengro to the Romany Rye, after
telling him many things connected with the decadence of gypsyism,
"there is one Gorgiko Brown, who, with a face as black as a tea-
kettle, wishes to be mistaken for a Christian tradesman; he goes
into the parlour of a third-rate inn of an evening, calls for rum
and water, and attempts to enter into conversation with the company
about politics and business; the company flout him and give him the
cold shoulder, or perhaps complain to the landlord, who comes and
asks him what business he has in the parlour, telling him if he
wants to drink to go into the tap-room, and perhaps collars him and
kicks him out, provided he refuses to move." With respect to the
Quakers, it makes the young people like the young Jews, crazy after
gentility diversions, worship, marriages, or connections, and makes
old Pease do what it makes Gorgiko Brown do, thrust himself into
society which could well dispense with him, and out of which he is
not kicked, because unlike the gypsy he is not poor.


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