13 APRIL 1889, Page 15

" CORP " FOR " CORPSE."

[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I see that in your review of the book, "The American Language," " corp " (corpse) is asserted to be an " Irishism pure and simple." On reading this, my thoughts reverted at once to an occasion on which I was invited to inspect " the corp " of a parishioner by an old woman, not of Irish, but of North Durham birth and breeding. And on questioning another person here, I am informed that this is a regular ex- pression in these North-Country parts, at any rate among the

pit populations.—I am, Sir, &c., H.