The vulgar tongue consists of two parts: the first is the Cant Language; the second, those burlesque phrases, quaint allusions, and nick names for persons, things, and places, which, from long uninterrupted usage, are made classical by prescription. —Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1st edition, 1785.
8
“Outlandish people calling themselves Egyptians.” 1530.
1
“Swarms of vagabonds, whose eyes were so sharp as Lynx.” —Bullein’s Simples and Surgery, 1562.
2
Mayhew has a curious idea upon the habitual restlessness of the nomadic tribes, i. e., “Whether it be that in the mere act of wandering, there is a greater determination of blood to the surface of the body, and consequently a less quantity sent to the brain.” —London Labour, vol. i., p. 2.
3
Mr. Thos. Lawrence, who promised an Etymological, Cant, and Slang Dictionary. Where is the book?
4
Richardson’s Dictionary.
5
Description of England, prefixed to Holinshed’s Chronicle.
6
The word Slang, as will be seen in the chapter upon that subject, is purely a Gipsey term, although now-a-days it refers to low or vulgar language of any kind, – other than cant. Slang and Gibberish in the Gipsey language are synonymous; but, as English adoptions, have meanings very different from that given to them in their original.
7
The vulgar tongue consists of two parts: the first is the Cant Language; the second, those burlesque phrases, quaint allusions, and nick names for persons, things, and places, which, from long uninterrupted usage, are made classical by prescription. —Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1st edition, 1785.
8
“Outlandish people calling themselves Egyptians.” 1530.
11
This very proverb was mentioned by a young Gipsey to Crabb, a few years ago. —Gipseys’ Advocate, p. 14.
12
I except, of course, the numerous writers who have followed Grellman, and based their researches upon his labours.
13
Gipseys of Spain, vol. i., p. 18.
14
Shakes. Hen. IV., part 2, act ii, scene 4.
15
It is easy to see how cheat became synonymous with “fraud,” when we remember that it was one of the most common words of the greatest class of cheats in the country.
16
I am reminded by an eminent philologist that the origin of QUEER is seen in the German, QUER, crooked, – hence “odd.” I agree with this etymology, but still have reason to believe that the word was first used in this country in a cant sense. Is it mentioned any where as a respectable term before 1500? If not, it had a vulgar or cant introduction into this country.
17
Booget properly signifies a leathern wallet, and is probably derived from the low Latin, BULGA. A tinker’s budget is from the same source.
18
Which, literally translated, means:
Go out, good girls, and look and see,Go out, good girls, and see;For all your clothes are carried away,And the good man has the money.19
Who wrote about the year 1610.
20
Gipseys of Spain, vol. i., p. 18. Borrow further commits himself by remarking that “Head’s Vocabulary has always been accepted as the speech of the English Gipseys.” Nothing of the kind. Head professed to have lived with the Gipseys, but in reality filched his words from Decker and Brome.
21
The modern meanings of a few of the old cant words are given in brackets.
22
This is a curious volume, and is worth from one to two guineas. The Canting Dictionary was afterwards reprinted, word for word, with the title of The Scoundrel’s Dictionary, in 1751. It was originally published, without date, about the year 1710 by B. E., under the title of a Dictionary of the Canting Crew.
23
Bacchus and Venus, 1737.
24
Mayhew’s London Labour and London Poor, vol. iii., No. 43, Oct. 4th, 1851.
