The Romany Rye

ude - Miracles - Pestilent Heretics - O

fortably with me in the dingle. The place, it is true, is as free to you as to ourselves, nevertheless, as we are located here by necessity, whilst you merely come as a visitor, I must take the liberty of telling you that we shall be glad to be alone as soon as you have

cipally in the hope of enlisting you in our regiment, in

my companion as

us, whether she comes with you or alone,' sai

ied, 'I would fain know more about you

will not declare it, even in a dingle; as for the rest, Sono un Prete Cattolico Appostolico -

'You must be aware that we English are gene

elf admission, as a surprising young gentleman of infinite learning, who by dint of study has discovered that the Roman is the only true faith. I tell you confidently that our popish females would make a saint, nay a God of you; they are fools enough for anything. There is one person in particular with whom I should wish to make you acquainted, in the hope that you would be able to help me to perform good service to the holy see. He is a gouty old fellow, of some learning, residing in an old hall near the great western seaport, and

ould you provide for

which time she would be instructed in every elegant accomplishment, she should take the veil. Her advancement would speedily follow, for, with such a face and figure, she would make a capital lady abbess, especially in Italy, to which country she would probably be sent; ladies of her hair and complexion - to say nothing of her height - being a curiosity in the south.

what have you to say to

his way I will break his

d the lady's a

sils flying at the nuns' heads occasionally, and just the person to wring the nose of Satan should he venture to appear one night in her cell in the shape of a handsome black man. No offence, madam, no offence, pray retain your seat,' said he, observing that Belle had started up; '

ave the dingle this moment, for though 't is free

e will presently leave, take my word for it - there, sit down again,' said I, as I led her to her seat;

your answer to my pro

not entertain your proposal; I detest your

'have they not - he! he! - the

ich you yourself do not beli

sm chiefly flourishes amongst them; for though a baronet or two may be found amongst the radicals, and perhaps as many lords - fellows who have been discarded by their own order for clownishness, or something they have done - it incontestably flourishes best among the lower orders. Then the love of what is foreign is a great friend to us; this love is chiefly confined to the middle and upper classes. Some admire the French, and imitate them; others must needs be Spaniards, dress themselves up in a zamarra, stick a cigar in their mouths, and say, "Carajo." Others would pass for Germans; he! he! the idea of any one wishing to pass for a German! but what has done us more service than anything else in these regions - I mean amidst the middle classes - has been the novel, the Scotch novel. The good folks, since they have read the novels, have become Jacobites; and, because all

p my cup, and

horse, and c

!" more especially if he's drinking at another person's expense - all Scotchmen being fond of liquor at free cost: but "Saddle his horse!!!"- fo

ood in your veins,' said I, 'otherwise you

t extinguish love of country, even in a Scotchman. A thorough-going Papist - and who more thorough-going th

horough-going Papist, yet are continually saying the most pungent things against Pop

e who curse their masters at every stroke they do. She was not fool enough to be angry with the Miquelets of Alba, who renounced her, and called her "puta" all the time they were cutting the throats of the Netherlanders. Now, if

tell the world some of the disorderly thi

im - yes, the priests would: but they would make no sign of belief. They believe in t

d of everything noble, and brings the minds of its ministers to a

h your Protestantism, and you will see the difference. Popery is ever at work, whilst Protest

ch work miracl

ke the blind see; and to convince you, I will give sight to the blind. Here is this blind Saxon, whom you cannot cure, but on whose eyes I will manifest my power, in order to show the difference between the true and the false Church;" and forthwith, with the assistance of a handkerchief and a little hot water, he opened the

hat interview with Austin, did not bring forward a b

y ought to have done; but they were fools without

t believe in the

away holding their heads down, and muttering to themselves. What a fine subject for a painting would be Austin's opening

still performs miracles

possession of people; he has been eminently successful. In two instances he not only destroyed the devils, but the lives of th

's Word. I remember only a few months ago, having occasion for a Bible, going to an establishment, 38 the object of which was to send Bibles all over the world. The supporters of that esta

hey are doing us anything but mischief. These fellows are a pestilent set of heretics, whom we would gladly see burnt; they are, with the most untiring perseverance, and in spite of divers minatory declarations of the holy father, scattering their books abroad through all Europe, and have caused many people in Catholic countries to think that hitherto their priesthood have endeavoured, as much as possible, to keep them blinded. There is one fellow amongst th

ur plans in these regions, and that even amongst the ecclesiastics there a

undermine even their zeal. Their sons return at the vacations, from Oxford and Cambridge, puppies, full of the nonsense which they have imbibed from Platitude professors; and this nonsense they retail at home, where it fails not to make some impression, whilst the daughters scream - I b

ck drained the las

'will I become th

decent time and place, her Popes occasionally call her "puta." A Pope has been known to start from his bed at midnight

sted, though the worthiest head which the popish system ever had - so his cons

he word, which is Spanish, from Spain, his native country, to Rome. He was very fond of calling the Church

I, 'without belonging to her

a chapel in Rome where there is a wondrously fair statue - the son of a cardinal - I mean his n

' said I; 'do you tell her that I would not touch h

es not grudge a faithful priest a little private perqu

o flash that watch before the ey

of one like you,' s

,' said I; 'I care

join us?' said

ad my answe

said the man in black

r have undergone what you have. You remember, per

tely recovering himself, he said, 'Well, we

fought; there's the landlord of the public-house, who made sure that his cocks would

'both in intellect and station, think we shall surely win; there

ng and station, he was very fond of laying schemes, and, indeed, many of them turned out successful. His last and darling one, however, miscarried, notwi

lack, giving a start, an

d say, "So and so are lukewarm, this person is ruled by his wife, who is with us, the clergy are anything but hostile to us, and as for the soldiers and sailors, half are disaffected to King George, and the rest cowards." Yet, when things came to a trial, this person whom he had calculated upon to join the Pretender did not stir from his home, anot

on furon leonin

the service of a cardinal, with whom I continued some years, and who, when he had no further occasion for me, sent me to the college, in the left-hand cloister of which, as you enter, rest the bones of Sir John D--; 40 there, in studying logic and humane letters, I lost whatever of humanity I had retained when discarded by the cardinal. Let me not, however, forget two points - I am a Fraser, it is true, but not a Flannagan: I may bear the vilest name of Britain, but not of Ireland; I was bred up at the English house, and there is at -- a house for the education of bog-trotters; I was not bred up at that; beneath the lowest gulf there is one yet lower; whatever my blood may be it is at least not Irish; whatever my education may have been I was not bred at the Irish seminary - on those accounts I am thankful - yes, per dio! I am thankful. After some years at college - but why should I tell you my history, you know it already pe

, in which I never saw him again. 'How in the name of wonder, came you

thing of the fellow'

mentioned

, from having compiled and inserted it in a wonderful work, which I edited some months ago, entitled "Newgate Lives and Trials," 41 but without the slightest idea that it was the name of him who was sitting with us; he, however, thought that I was aware of his name. Belle! Be

d them,"' said Belle; 'I have frequently read it before the clergyman in the great house of Lon

! Let the enemies of old England make the most of all their blunders and mistakes, they will

o ask a question: pray, are all people o

a ruthless tyrant, Belle, over his own people, and by his cruelty and rapaciousness must either have stunned them into an apathy approaching to idiocy, or made them artful knaves in their own defence. The qualities of parents are generally transmitted to their descendants - the progeny of trained pointers are almost sure to point, even without being taught; if, therefore, all Frasers are either rog