Note 26 — Chapter VII

Sir Walter Scott thought bargaist to be the German bahrgeist, the spirit of the bier, alluding to its presence foretelling death. The word is variously written, barguest and boguest being amongst its forms. A very slight provincial change would make the latter boguerst, from whence, probably, the Lancashire boggart. The Cymric word bwg, which represents, according to Mr. Garnett, the modern bug, bugbear, and hobgoblin, has evidently intimate relation to the root of the word. This sprite is often confounded with others, and is subjected to much local variation.