Lavengro by George Borrow (read me a book txt) 📕
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Lavengro, the Scholar, the Gypsy, the Priest, published in 1851, is a heavily fictionalized account of George Borrow’s early years. Borrow, born in 1803, was a writer and self-taught polyglot, fluent in many European languages, and a lover of literature.
The Romany Rye, published six years later in 1857, is sometimes described as the “sequel” to Lavengro, but in fact it begins with a straight continuation of the action of the first book, which breaks off rather suddenly. The two books therefore are best considered as a whole and read together, and this Standard Ebooks edition combines the two into one volume.
In the novel Borrow tells of his upbringing as the son of an army recruiting officer, moving with the regiment to different locations in Britain, including Scotland and Ireland. It is in Ireland that he first encounters a strange new language which he is keen to learn, leading to a life-long passion for acquiring new tongues. A couple of years later in England, he comes across a camp of gypsies and meets the gypsy Jasper Petulengro, who becomes a life-long friend. Borrow is delighted to discover that the Romany have their own language, which of course he immediately sets out to learn.
Borrow’s subsequent life, up to his mid-twenties, is that of a wanderer, traveling from place to place in Britain, encountering many interesting individuals and having a variety of entertaining adventures. He constantly comes in contact with the gypsies and with Petulengro, and becomes familiar with their language and culture.
The book also includes a considerable amount of criticism of the Catholic Church and its priests. Several chapters are devoted to Borrow’s discussions with “the man in black,” depicted as a cynical Catholic priest who has no real belief in the religious teachings of the Church but who is devoted to seeing it reinstated in England in order for its revenues to increase.
Lavengro was not an immediate critical success on its release, but after Borrow died in 1881, it began to grow in popularity and critical acclaim. It is now considered a classic of English Literature. This Standard Ebooks edition of Lavengro and The Romany Rye is based on the editions published by John Murray and edited by W. I. Knapp, with many clarifying notes.
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- Author: George Borrow
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“When by sickness or sorrow assail’d,
To the mansion of Stafford I hie’d
His advice or his cordial ne’er fail’d
To relieve me—nor e’er was denied.
“At midnight our glasses went round,
In the morning a cup he would send;
By the force of his wit he has found
That my life did on drinking depend.
“With the spirit of Whiskey inspir’d,
By my Harp e’en the pow’r is confess’d;
’Tis then that my genius is fir’d,
’Tis then I sing sweetest and best.
“Ye friends and ye neighbours draw near,
Attend to the close of my song;
Remember, if life you hold dear,
That drinking your life will prolong.”
Curiously enough among the subscribers to the Romantic Ballads, Norwich, 1826, we find these names: (p. 185) “F. Arden, Esq., London, five copies,” “T. G. O’Donnahoo, Esq., London, five copies;” (p. 187) “Mr. J. Turner, London.”
—Knapp ↩
“Bishop Sharpe,” a pugilist of that name and time. —Knapp ↩
“Three are after my death.” —Knapp ↩
The Review: The Review actually ceased January, 1825, with its sixth number. —Knapp ↩
MS. (apparently) “L⸺,” but [later, T⸺]. —Knapp ↩
MS., “is quite as rational an amusement as politics.” —Knapp ↩
“Le Noir” in MS. A, and in Romany Rye, appendix. —Knapp ↩
MS., “L⸺,” or “T.” —Knapp ↩
MS., “Canning.” —Knapp ↩
MS., “L⸺,” or “T⸺.” —Knapp ↩
Laham: In Hebrew bread is lèhem; but our author probably wrote it by sound. Z’hats is the accusative of hats, the Armenian for bread; for as Borrow’s source, old Villotte (1714), says: “Accusativus praefigit nominativo literam z.” —Knapp ↩
Mesroub, read “Miesrob,” who, about 450 AD introduced the Armenian alphabet. —Knapp ↩
Sea in Armenian is dzow. —Knapp ↩
Adelánte (Spanish): Come in. —Knapp ↩
Bueno (Spanish): Good. This sound of the word bueno, heard in 1825 from the Jew Manasseh, was brought to Borrow’s memory in 1836 when he met the Jew Abarbanel on the roads in Spain. —Knapp ↩
Una vez, etc. (Spanish): On one occasion when he was intoxicated. —Knapp ↩
Goyim (Hebrew): Nations, Gentiles. —Knapp ↩
Lasan akhades, read “Lâshôn haqqôdesh:” Sacred language, i.e., Hebrew. —Knapp ↩
Janin: Wine in Hebrew is “yâyim” (not “yânin”), but our author quoted correctly from the Dialoghi di Amore composti per Leone Medico, Vinegia, 1541, and the Spanish edition (which I use): Los Dialogos de Amor de mestre Leon Abarbanel medico y Filosofo excelente, Venetia, 1568. The passage is: “And he (Noah), after the flood, was called Janus on account of his invention of wine, for Janin in Hebrew signifies wine, and he is represented with two faces turned in opposite directions, because he saw before the flood and after it.”412 George Borrow always writes Abarbenel for Abarbanel. His true name was Leo Abrabanel. —Knapp ↩
Janinoso (Judaeo-Spanish) meaning vinosus, intoxicated. —Knapp ↩
Epicouraiyim: Christians, as below, the “Epicureans,” for so the rabbis of the East call us in the West—properly, “unbelievers.” But Borrow’s form is not found in Buxtorf (1869)—read [unknown Hebrew text] Epikûrôsîn and (pop.) Epikûrîn. —Knapp ↩
Sephardim: Spanish and Portuguese Jews, as the Ashkenazim are the German Jews. —Knapp ↩
I am at ⸻: Greenwich, Blackheath and Shooter’s Hill. —Knapp ↩
Colonel B. … : Colonel Blood. See Celebrated Trials, volume II, pp. 248–354: “Thomas Blood, generally called Colonel Blood, who stole the crown from the Tower of London, 1671.” —Knapp ↩
Got fare to ⸻, read Amesbury, Wiltshire. —Knapp ↩
City of the Spire: Salisbury. —Knapp ↩
From ⸻, read Bristol. —Knapp ↩
Stranger: Could not be William Beckford (1759–1844) of Fonthill Park, three miles from Hinton, a dozen or fifteen miles from Salisbury. Besides the place was sold in 1822 and George Mortimer occupied it in 1825. Borrow had been walking five days in a N.W. direction from Salisbury, and all his narrative harmonises with the places and dates that bring him to Horncastle in August, 1825. —Knapp ↩
MS., “The Times.” —Knapp ↩
Abedariums, read “abecedariums.” —Knapp ↩
Flaming Tinman: He is also called by Borrow, Blazing Tinman, Flying Tinker, Blazing Bosville or Boswell, and finally Anselo Herne, his true clan-name. —Knapp ↩
Ten years ago, i.e., thirteen, when he was at Tamworth in April or May, 1812. —Knapp ↩
The Romany chi, etc. [the translation appears later in the book]:
The Rommany churl
And the Rommany girl,
Tomorrow shall hie
To poison the sty,
And bewitch on the mead
The farmer’s steed.
—Knapp ↩
Answer to the gillie: The Rommany churl and the Rommany girl love thieving and spaeing and lying and everything but honesty and truth. —Knapp ↩
Peth yw, etc. (Welsh): What is that lying there on the ground? Yn wirionedd, in truth, surely. —Knapp ↩
Gwenwyn: Poison! Poison! the lad has been poisoned! —Knapp
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