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ou to the end of the street； offering you the ring on more reasonable terms at every step； perhaps concluding at last； as a ring…dropper once did to the writer； 〃I'll tell you what； sir； as I am in a hurry； and rather hard up； you shall have the valuable for a bull； for a crown； you shall indeed； sir； so help me〃
Three of the most famous of the Hindity smiths have been immortalised by the Gypsies in the following bit of verse：
Mickie； Huwie and Larry； Trin Hindity…mengre fashiono vangust…engre。
Mickie； Huwie and Larry bold； Three Irish brothers； as I am told； Who make false rings； that pass for gold。
Of these fashiono…vangust brothers； the most remarkable is MikeOld Mike； as he is generally called。 He was born in the county Kerry； and educated at a hedge…school； where he learned to read and write English； after a fashion； and acquired the seventeen letters of the Irish alphabet； each of which is named after a particular tree。 Leaving school he was apprenticed to a blacksmith； from whom he ran away； and enlisted into the service of that illustrious monarch； George the Third； some of whose battles he had the honour of fighting in the Peninsula and France。 Discharged from the army at the Peace； with the noble donation of thirty shillings； or one month's pay； he returned to Ireland； took to himself a wife； and commenced tinker。 Becoming dissatisfied with his native soil he passed over to England； and settling for some time at 〃Brummagem；〃 took lessons from certain cunning smiths in the art of making fashiono vangusties。 The next forty years of his life he spent in wandering about Britain； attended by his faithful partner； who not only disposed of his tin articles and false rings； but also bore him seventeen children； all of whom are alive； somewhere or other； and thriving too； one of them indeed having attained to the dignity of American senator。 Some of his adventures； during his wanderings； were in the highest degree extraordinary。 Of late years he has chiefly resided in the vicinity of London； spending his winters at Wandsworth； and his summers on the Flats； near Epping Forest； in one or the other of which places you may see Old Mike on a Sunday evening； provided the weather is tolerably fine； seated near his little caravan； with his wife by his sidenot the wife who bore him the seventeen children； who has been dead for some years； but his second wife； a nice； elderly Irish ban from the county of Cork； who can tell fortunes； say her prayers in Irish； and is nearly as good a hand at selling her lord and master's tin articles and false rings as her predecessor。 Lucky for Mike that he got such a second partner！ and luckier still that at his age of seventy…nine he retains all his faculties； and is able to work for his daily bread； with at least the skill and cunning of his two brothers； both of whom are much younger men than himself； whose adventures have been somewhat similar to his own； and who； singularly enough； have come to live near him in his latter days。 Both these brothers are highly remarkable men。 Huwie is the most civil…spoken person in or about London； and Larry a man of the most terrible tongue； and perhaps the most desperate fighter ever seen； always willing to attack half a dozen men； if necessary； and afraid of no one in the world； save oneMike； old Mike； who can tame him in his fiercest moods by merely holding up his finger。 Oh； a truly remarkable man is old Mike！ and a pleasure and an advantage it is to any one of a philosophical mind to be acquainted with him； and to listen to him。 He is much more than a fashiono…vangust…engro。 Amongst other things he is a theologianIrish theologianand quite competent to fill the chair of theology at the University of Maynooth。 He can tell you a great many things connected with a certain person； which； with all your research； you would never find in Scripture。 He can tell you how the Saviour； when hanging on the cross； became athirst； and told St。 Peter； who stood at the foot of it； to fetch Him a cup of water from a dirty puddle in the neighbourhood； and how St。 Peterhowever； better not relate the legend； though a highly curious one。 Then he can repeat to you blessed verses； as he calls them； by dozens； not of David； but of one quite as good； as he will tell you； namely； Timothy O'Sullivan； and who； you will say； was Timothy O'Sullivan？ Why； Ty Gaelach； to be sure。 And who was Ty Gaelach？ An Irish peasant…poet of the last century； who wrote spiritual songs； some of them by no means bad ones； and who was called Gaelach； or Gael； from his abhorrence of the English race and of the English language； of which he scarcely understood a word。 Then is Ty Irish for Timothy？ Why； no！ though very stupidly supposed to be so。 Ty is Teague； which is neither Greek nor Irish； but a glorious old Northern name； carried into Ireland by the brave old heathen Danes。 Ty or Teague is the same as Tycho。 Ty or Teague Gaelach is as much as to say Tycho Gaelach； and Tycho Brahe is as much as to say Teague Brahe。
THE POTTERIES； 1864
The second great Gypsyry is on the Middlesex side of the river； and is distant about three miles； as the crow flies； from that of Wandsworth。 Strange as it may seem； it is not far distant from the most fashionable part of London； from the beautiful squares； noble streets； and thousand palaces of Tyburnia； a region which； though only a small part of the enormous metropolis； can show more beautiful edifices； wealth； elegance； and luxury； than all foreign capitals put together。 After passing Tyburnia； and going more than halfway down Notting Hill； you turn to the right； and proceed along a tolerably genteel street till it divides into two； one of which looks more like a lane than a street； and which is on the left hand； and bears the name of Pottery Lane。 Go along this lane； and you will presently find yourself amongst a number of low； uncouth…looking sheds； open at the sides； and containing an immense quantity of earthen chimney… pots； pantiles； fancy…bricks； and similar articles。 This place is called the Potteries； and gives the name of Pottery Lane to the lane through which you have just passed。 A dirty little road goes through it； which you must follow； and presently turning to your left； you will enter a little； filthy street； and going some way down it； you will see； on your right hand； a little； open bit of ground； chock… full of crazy； battered caravans of all colourssome yellow； some green； some red。 Dark men； wild…looking； witch…like women； and yellow…faced children are at the doors of the caravans； or wending their way through the narrow spaces left for transit between the vehicles。 You have now arrived at the second grand Gypsyry of Londonyou are amongst the Romany Chals of the Potteries； called in Gypsy the Koromengreskoe Tan； or the place of the fellows who make pots； in which place certain Gypsies have settled； not with the view of making pots； an employment which they utterly eschew； but simply because it is convenient to them； and suits their fancy。
A goodly collection of Gypsies you will find in that little nook； crowded with caravans。 Most of them are Tatchey Romany； real Gypsies； 〃long…established people