R.W.B.


_Ergh, Er, or Argh_.--In Dr. Whitaker's _History of Whalley_, p. 37.,
ed. 1818, are the following observations on the above word:--

"This is a singular word, which occurs, however both to the
north and south of the Ribble, though much more frequently
to the north. To the south, I know not that it occurs, but
in Angles-ark and Brettargh. To the north are Battarghes,
Ergh-holme, Stras-ergh, Sir-ergh, Feiz-er, Goosen-ergh. In
all the Teutonic dialects I meet with nothing resembling this
word, _excepting the Swedish_ Arf, _terra_ (_vide_ Ihre _in
voce_), which, if the last letter be pronounced gutturally, is
precisely the same with _argh_."

Can any of your readers give a more satisfactory explanation of this
local term?

T.W.

Burnley, May 4. 1850.


_Burial Service_.--During a conversation on the various sanitary
measures now projecting in the metropolis, and particularly on the
idea lately started of re-introducing the ancient practice of burning
the bodies of the deceased, one of our company remarked that the
words "ashes to ashes," used in our present form of burial, would in
such a case be literally applicable; and a question arose why the