16. p. 246.).--There is properly no such word. It is a
corruption of the French _terrine_, an earthen vessel in which soup is
served. It is in Bailey's Dictionary. I take this opportunity of
suggesting whether that the word "_swinging_," applied by Goldsmith to
his tureen, should be rather spelt _swingeing_; though the former is the
more usual way: a _swinging_ dish and a _swingeing_ are different
things, and Goldsmith meant the latter.
C. {308}
_Burning the Dead._--"T." will find some information on this subject in
Sir Thomas Browne's _Hydriotaphia_, chap. i., which appears to favour
his view except in the following extract:
"The same practice extended also far west, and besides
Heruleans, Getes and Thracians, was in use with most of the
Celtae, Sarmatians, Germans, Gauls, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians;
not to omit some use thereof among _Carthaginians_, and
_Americans_."
The Carthaginians most probably received the custom from their ancestors
the Phoenicians, but where did the Americans get it?
Henry St. Chad.
Corpus Christi Hall, Maidstone, Feb. 8. 1850.
_Burning the Dead._--Your correspondent "T." (No. 14. p. 216.) can
hardly have overlooked the case of Dido, in his inquiry "whether the
practice of burning the dead has ever been in vogue amongst any people,
excepting the inhabitants of Europe and Asia?" According to all
classical authorities, Dido was founder and queen of Carthage in
_Africa_, and was burned at Carthage on a funeral pile.
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