The religion which these singular females externally professed was
the Greek, and they mostly wore crosses of copper or gold; but when
I questioned them on this subject in their native language, they
laughed, and said it was only to please the Russians. Their names
for God and his adversary are Deval and Bengel, which differ little
from the Spanish Un-debel and Bengi, which signify the same. I
will now say something of
THE HUNGARIAN GYPSIES, OR CZIGANY
Hungary, though a country not a tenth part so extensive as the huge
colossus of the Russian empire, whose tzar reigns over a hundred
lands, contains perhaps as many Gypsies, it not being uncommon to
find whole villages inhabited by this race; they likewise abound in
the suburbs of the towns. In Hungary the feudal system still
exists in all its pristine barbarity; in no country does the hard
hand of this oppression bear so heavy upon the lower classes - not
even in Russia. The peasants of Russia are serfs, it is true, but
their condition is enviable compared with that of the same class in
the other country; they have certain rights and privileges, and
are, upon the whole, happy and contented, whilst the Hungarians are
ground to powder.
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