

Transcribed from by the 1903 Methuen & Co. edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org.  Many thanks to Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library,
UK, for kindly supplying the images from which this transcription was made.





                                   THE
                                ROMANY RYE


                          A Sequel to 'Lavengro'

                                   _By_
                              GEORGE BORROW

                     _WITH NOTES AND AN INTRODUCTION_
                             BY JOHN SAMPSON

                          _WITH A FRONTISPIECE_

                                  LONDON
                              METHUEN & CO.
                          36, ESSEX STREET, W.C.
                                MDCCCCIII

                        [Picture: Bushbury Church]




INTRODUCTION


'Lavengro' and 'The Romany Rye' are one book, though the former was
published in 1851 and the latter not until 1857.  After a slumber of six
years the dingle re-awakes to life, Lavengro's hammer shatters the
stillness, and the blaze of his forge again lights up its shadows, while
all the strange persons of the drama take up their parts at the point
where the curtain had been so abruptly rung down.  The post-chaise
overturned in the last chapter of 'Lavengro' is repaired in the first of
this sequel, the Man in Black proceeds with his interrupted disquisition,
and Borrow resumes his cold-blooded courtship of poor Isopel, playing
with her feelings as a cat with a mouse.  The dingle episode is divided
equally between the two works; and had not 'Glorious John,' after a
series of peremptory notes from the author, at last consented to publish
'The Romany Rye' 'to oblige Mr. Borrow,' we had lost some of the most
delightful scenes of which that enchanted spot was the theatre.

What part of this narrative is _Dichtung _and what is _Wahrheit _has been
a debated question.  In his chapter on pseudo-critics in the appendix to
the present book, Borrow denies that he ever called 'Lavengro' an
autobiography, or authorized any other person to call it so.  But it had
been advertised for some months as, 'Lavengro: an Autobiography'; while
as early as 1843 Borrow writes to Murray that he is engaged upon his
life; and as late as 1862, in an account of himself written for Mr. John
Longe of Norwich, Borrow says that 'in 1851 he published "Lavengro," a
work in which he gives an account of his early life.'  There is indeed no
doubt that the earlier part of 'Lavengro' is, in the main, a true history
of the life and adventures of George Borrow, however embellished here or
there with Borrovian touches; it is only of the truth of the occurrences
just before and after leaving London that scepticism has been expressed.
Borrow's story, however, is so circumstantial that we should at least be
able to discover whether this part of his history is credible and
consistent.

Plainly, the year when Borrow leaves London is 1825.  'Somewhat more than
a year before,' in March (or rather April) {0a} of the year of Byron's
funeral, {0b} he had entered the 'Big City,' a youth verging on manhood.
In his preface to 'Lavengro' he speaks of the time as embracing 'nearly
the first quarter of the present century,' and in 'The Romany Rye' refers
to having edited the _Newgate Chronicle _some months ago. {0c}  We know
also that his youthful contributions to literature ceased with his
translation of Klinger's 'Faustus,' published on April 18, 1825.  About
this time, then, when Borrow was literally reduced to his last shilling,
he describes himself as visiting a fair in the neighbourhood of London.
He refuses a loan of 50 pounds from Jasper Petulengro, and, returning
homewards, notices in a publisher's window a request for a tale or novel.
Subsisting on bread and water, he writes in a week the 'Life of Joseph
Sell,' for which he receives 20 pounds, and twelve days after attending
the fair leaves London.  Passing through Salisbury, he travels northward
and encamps in a dingle, where he is poisoned by his old enemy Mrs.
Herne.  Saved by the timely intervention of a methodist preacher and his
wife, he recovers on the following day (Sunday), and nine days later
accompanies his friends to the Welsh border.  Here he again meets Jasper,
returning with him the greater part of the day's journey, settling in
'Mumpers' Dingle,' where he is visited by his gypsy friends, four days
before the Sunday upon which they all attend church.

A casual remark of Mr. Petulengro's on this occasion affords a valuable
clue to the precise date.  'Any news stirring, Mr. Petulengro?' said
Borrow; 'have you heard anything of the great religious movements?'
'Plenty,' said Mr. Petulengro; 'all the religious people, more especially
the evangelicals, those who go about distributing tracts, are very angry
about the fight between Gentleman Cooper and White-headed Bob, which they
say ought not to have been permitted to take place; and then they are
trying all they can to prevent the fight between the lion and the dogs,
which they say is a disgrace to a Christian country.'  The prize-fight
between Baldwin and Cooper