Explanation: If a stray piece of linen hangs upon an hedge, they are sure to have it; if a hog looses his way in the fields, it is ten to one but he becomes their prey: our geese cannot live in peace for them.

Answer: These lines have been quoted from the essay, “Sir Roger and the Gipsies” by Joseph Addison. In these lines, Sir Roger gave an account to Mr Spectator of the mischief the gipsies do in the country.

The gipsies are a vagabond race. They do not have any permanent settlement. They have no source of fixed income. So, they live by stealing people’s goods and spoiling their servants. Sir Roger goes on to say that if they ever found a stray piece of linen cloth housing upon a hedge, they would steal it. Or, if at any time, a hog loses his way off the fields, by chance, they will surely make it their prey. Again, they always seek an opportunity to steal the geese from the whole farm of their poultry.

It is really difficult to live in peace because of them. They are a threat to the peace of people. It is not easy to file a suit against them or bring them under a court of law. Because they are really a dangerous race and anybody going against them has a good chance to be threatened or harassed on the way or robbed. Sir Roger himself was afraid of these gipsies because of their ferocious nature.

Thus, the gipsies posed a threat to the peaceful and tranquil life of the villagers.