From the linguistic side only one view of the Gypsies is obtained, and that not the most interesting. It has been more studied than the others, and is given precedence here because Romani is the passport to the confidence of these wild children of nature. They take an inordinate pride in their tongue, nous parlons comme les oiseaux chantent, nous chantons comme les lions rugissent was their brag to Vaillant,-and he who imagines he can penetrate behind the mask they wear, without a knowledge of their language, imagines a vain thing.