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SECOND EDITION
OF A
DISCOVERY CONCERNING GHOSTS:
WITH A RAP AT THE "SPIRIT-RAPPERS."
BY
GEORGE CRUIKSHANK.
Illustrated with Cuts.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
A FEW PARTING RAPS AT THE "RAPPERS,"
AND QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, AND ADVICE
TO THE DAVENPORT BROTHERS.
DEDICATED TO THE "GHOST CLUB."
PRICE ONE SHILLING.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY ROUTLEDGE, WARNE, AND ROUTLEDGE,
AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1864.
HARRILD, PRINTER, LONDON.
I think it a duty to inform the Public that I have a Nephew whose
_Christian_ name is PERCY. He is employed by a person of the name of
"READ," a Publisher, of Johnson's Court, Fleet Street; who, in
Advertising any work executed by my _Nephew_, announces it as by
"_Cruikshank_," instead of (as it ought to be) _illustrated_ by "PERCY
CRUIKSHANK." And having been informed by numerous persons that they
have purchased these publications under the impression that they were
works executed by me, I hereby caution the Public against buying any
work as mine with the name of READ, of Johnson's Court, upon it as
Publisher. I never _did anything for that person_, and never shall; and
I beg the Public to understand that these observations are not directed
against my _Nephew_, to whom I wish every good, but that they are
against the said READ, who, by leaving out my Nephew's Christian name,
PERCY, deprives him of whatever credit he may deserve for his literary
and artistic productions, and thereby creating a confusion of persons,
which, if not done for the purpose of DECEIVING THE PUBLIC, appears to
be very much like it.
A DISCOVERY CONCERNING GHOSTS.
[Illustration: "Enter Ghost."]
HAMLET.--"Thou com'st in such a _questionable_ shape."--
SHAKESPEARE.
Questionable!--ay; so _very_ questionable, in my opinion, is the fact
of their coming at all, that I am now going to question whether they
ever _did_, or _can_ come. This opinion I know is opposed to a very
general, a long-established, and with some a deeply-rooted belief in
supernatural appearances, and is opposed to what may be _almost_
considered as well-authenticated _facts_, which neither the repeated
exposure of very many "ghost tricks," and clearly-proved imposture, nor
sound philosophical arguments, have been able to set aside altogether.
Most persons, therefore, will no doubt consider that the task of
"laying" all the ghosts that _have_ appeared, and putting a stop to any
others ever making an appearance, is a most difficult task. This is
granted; and although I do not believe, like Owen Glendower, that I can
"call the spirits from the vasty deep," but on the contrary agree in
this respect with Hotspur, if I did call that they would not come, I
nevertheless, although no conjuror, do conjure up for the occasion
hosts of ghosts which I see I have to contend against. Yes, I do see
before me, "in my mind's eye"--
A vast army, composed of ghost, goblin, and sprite!
With their eyes full of fire, all gleaming with spite!
All lurking about in the "dead of the night"
With their faces so pale and their shrouds all so white!
Or hiding about in dark holes and corners,
To fright grown-up folk, or little "Jack Horners."
But though they all stand in this fierce grim array,
Armed with pen and with pencil, "I'll drive them away."
It is not only, however, against these horrible and ghastly-looking
cloud of flimsy foes that one has to deal with in a question like this,
but there are numbers of respectable and respected authors, and highly
respectable witnesses, on the side of the ghosts; and it must be
admitted that it is no easy matter to put aside the testimony of all
these respectable persons. They may have thought, and some may still
think, that they have done, and are doing, _good_, by supporting this
belief; but I _know_ on the contrary that they have done, and are
doing, great _harm_; and I, therefore, stand forth in the hope of
"laying" _all_ the ghosts, and settling this long-disputed question for
ever.
The belief in ghost, or apparition, is of course of very early date,
originating in what are called the "dark ages," and _dark_ indeed those
ages were! as a reference to the early history of the world will show;
and although we have in these days a large diffusion of the blessed
light of intelligence, nevertheless there is still existing, even
amongst civilized people, a fearful amount of ignorance upon the
subject of Ghosts, Witchcraft, Fortune-telling, and "Ruling the Stars,"
besides a vast amount of this sort of imaginary and mischievous
nonsense. Now it will be as well here to inquire what good has ever
resulted from this belief in what is commonly understood to be a ghost?
None that I have ever heard of, and I have been familiar with all the
popular ghost stories from boyhood, and have of late waded through
almost all the works produced in support of this spiritual visiting
theory, but in _no one instance_ have I discovered where any beneficial
result has followed from the supernatural or rather unnatural supposed
appearances; whereas, on the other hand, we do find unfortunately a
large and serious amount of suffering and injury arising from this
belief in ghosts, and which I shall have occasion to refer to further
on; but I will now proceed to bring forward some of the evidences which
have been adduced from time to time, all pretty much in the same style,
in support of the probability and truth of the appearance of
ghosts--first, in fact, to call up the ghosts, in order that I may put
them down.
All the ghost story tellers, or writers upon this subject, seem to
consider that one most important point in the appearance of apparitions
is, that the ghost should be a MOST PERFECT AND EXACT RESEMBLANCE, IN
EVERY RESPECT, to the deceased person--the spirit of whom they are
supposed to be. Their faces appear the same, except in some cases where
it is described as being rather paler than when they were alive, and
the general expression is described as "more in sorrow than in anger,"
but this varies in some instances according to circumstances; but in
all these appearances the countenances are so precisely similar, so
minutely so, that in one case mentioned by Mrs. Crowe in her
"Night-side of Nature," the very "pock-pits" or "pock-marks" on the
face were _distinctly_ visible. The narrators also all agree that the
spirits appear in similar, or the same dresses which they were
accustomed to wear during their lifetime (please to observe that this
is very important), so exactly alike that the ghost-seer could not
possibly be mistaken as to the identity of the individual, in _face_,
_figure_, _manner_, and _dress_; and on the same authority in some
cases the _same spirit_ has appeared at the _same moment_ to _different
persons_ in _different places_, although perhaps 15,000 miles apart, in
_precisely_ the _same dress_.
In referring to the play of "Hamlet," it will be found that Shakespeare
has been _most particular_ in describing the general appearance of the
Ghost of Hamlet's father, who was
"Doomed for a certain time to walk by night."
For instance, when Marcellus says to Horatio,
"Is it not like the king?"
Horatio replies--
"As thou art to thyself:
Such was the very _armour_ he had on,
When he the ambitious Norway combated;
So _frown'd_ he once, when, in angry parle,
He smote the sledded Polack on the ice."
Horatio also, in describing the Ghost to Hamlet, says--
"A figure like your father,
_Armed_ at all points, _exactly_, _cap-a-pe_."
And, in further explanation, it is stated that the Ghost was _armed_
"from top to toe," "from head to foot," that "he wore his beaver up,"
with "a countenance more in sorrow than in anger," and was "very pale."
Then, again, when Hamlet sees his father's spirit, he exclaims--
"What may this mean,
That thou, dead corse, again, in _complete steel_,
Revisit'st thus the glimpses of the moon."
So also in the play of "Macbeth," when the Ghost of Banquo rises, and
takes a seat at the table, Macbeth says to the apparition--
"Never shake
Thy _gory_ locks at me."
And further on he says--
"Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with!"
Daniel de Foe also insists upon, and goes into the most _minute_
details as to the _person_ and _dress_ of a Ghost; and in a work which
he published upon apparitions,[1] we may see how careful and
circumstantial the author is in his descriptions of apparitions, whose
appearance he vouches for in his peculiar narrative and matter-of-fact
style. One of these ghost stories is of some robbers who broke into a
mansion in the country, and whilst ransacking one of the chambers, they
saw, sitting in a chair, "a grave, ancient man, with a long
full-bottomed wig and a rich brocaded gown," etc. One of the robbers
threatened to tear off his "rich brocaded gown;" another hit at him
with a fuzee, and was instantly alarmed at finding it passed through
air; and then the old gentleman "changed into the most horrible monster
that ever was seen, with eyes like two fiery daggers red hot." They
then rushed into another room, and found the same "grave, ancient man"
seated _there_! and so also in another chamber; and he was seen by
different robbers in _three different rooms at the same moment_! Just
at this time the servants, who were at the top of the house, threw some
"hand grenades" down the chimneys of these rooms. The result altogether
was that some of the thieves were badly wounded, the others driven
away, and the mansion saved from being plundered. What a capital thing
it would be surely, if the police could attach some of these spirits to
their force!
[1] "An Essay on the History and Reality of Apparitions;
being an account of what they are and what they are not, when
they come and when they come not; as also how we may
distinguish between Apparitions of Good and Evil Spirits, and
how we ought to behave to them; with a variety of surprising
and diverting examples never published before." London, 1727.
Another case, a clergyman (the Rev. Dr. Scot) was seated in his
library, _with the door closed_, when he suddenly saw "an ancient,
grave gentleman, in a black _velvet_ gown"--very particular, you
observe, as to the _material_--"and a long wig." This ghost was an
entire stranger to Dr. Scot, and came to ask the doctor to do him a
favour--asking a favour under such circumstances of course amounts to a
command--which was to go to another part of the country, to a house
where the ghost's son resided, and point out to the son the place where
an important family document was deposited. Dr. Scot complied with this
request, and the family property was secured to the son of the ghost in
the "black velvet gown and the long wig."
Now one naturally asks here, why did not this old ghost go and
point the place out to his son himself? And so also with the
_well-authenticated_ story of the ghost of Sir George Villars, who
wanted to give a warning to his son, the Duke of Buckingham; which
warning, if properly delivered and properly acted upon, _might_ have
saved the duke's life; but instead of warning his son himself (take
notice), he appeared to one of the duke's domestics, "_in the very
clothes he used to wear_," and commissioned him to deliver the message.
After all, this warning was of no use, so this ghost might have saved
himself the trouble of coming; but spirits are indeed strange things,
and of course act in strange ways.
About the year 1700, a translation from a French book was brought out
in London, entitled "Drelincourt on Death;" and after it had been
published for some time, Daniel Defoe, at the request of Mr. Midwinter,
the publisher, wrote a preface to the work, and therein introduced a
short story about the ghost of a lady appearing to her friend. It was
headed thus:--"A true Relation of the Apparition of Mrs. Veal, next day
after her death, to one Mrs. Bargrave, at Canterbury, on the 8th of
September, 1705; which Apparition recommends the perusal of
Drelincourt's book of Consolation against the Fears of Death.
(Thirteenth edition.)"
Mrs. Veal and Mrs. Bargrave, it appears, were intimate friends. One day
at twelve o'clock at noon, when Mrs. B. was sitting alone, Mrs. Veal
entered the room, dressed in a "riding habit," hat, etc., as if going a
journey. Mrs. Bargrave advanced to welcome her friend, and was going to
salute her, and their lips _almost touched_, but Mrs. V. held back her
head and passing her hand before her face, said, "I am not very well
to-day;" and avoided the salute. In the course of a long talk which
they had, _Mrs. Veal strongly recommends Drelincourt's Book on Death to
Mrs. Bargrave, and occasionally "claps her hand upon her knee, in great
earnestness."_ Mrs. Veal had been, subject to fits, and she asks if
Mrs. Bargrave does not think she is "mightily impaired by her fits?"
Mrs. B.'s reply was, "No! I think you look _as well as ever I knew
you_;" and during the conversation she _took hold of Mrs. Veal's gown
several times_, and commended it. Mrs. V. told her it was a "scoured
silk" and newly made up. Mrs. Veal at length took her departure, but
stood at the street door some short time, in the face of the beast
market; this was Saturday the market-day. She then went from Mrs. B.,
who saw her walk in her view, till a turning interrupted the sight of
her; this was three quarters after one o'clock. _Mrs. Veal had died
that very day at noon!!!_ at Dover, which is about twenty miles from
Canterbury.
Some surprise was expressed to Mrs. Bargrave, about the fact of her
_feeling_ the gown, but she said she was _quite sure_ that she felt the
gown. It was a striped silk, and Mrs. Veal had never been seen in such
a dress; but such a one was found in her wardrobe after her decease.
This story made a great sensation at the time it was published; and
"Drelincourt on Death," with the Preface and Defoe's tale, became
exceedingly popular.[2]
[2] The introduction runs thus:--"This relation is a matter
of fact, and attended with such circumstances as may induce
any reasonable man to believe it. It was sent by a gentleman,
a justice of peace, in MAIDSTONE in KENT, and a very
intelligent person, to his friend in LONDON, as it is here
worded; which discourse is attested by a sober and
understanding gentlewoman, a kinswoman of the said
gentleman's, who lives at CANTERBURY within a few doors of
the house in which the within-named Mrs. Bargrave lives; who
believes his kinswoman to be of so discerning a spirit as not
to be put upon by fallacy, and who positively assured him
that the whole matter as related and laid down is really
true; and what she herself had in the same words (as near as
may be) from Mrs. Bargrave's own mouth; who she knows had no
reason to invent and publish such a story; or design to forge
and tell a lie, being a woman of much honesty and virtue, and
her whole life a course as it were of piety. The use which we
ought to make of it is, that there is a life to come after
this, and a just GOD, who will retribute to every one
according to the deeds done in the body, and therefore to
reflect upon our past course of life we have lead in the
world--that our time is short and uncertain; if we would
escape the punishment of the ungodly and receive the reward
of the righteous, which is the laying hold of eternal life,
we ought for the time to come to turn to GOD, by a speedy
repentance, ceasing to do evil and learning to do well, to
seek after GOD early, if haply he may be found of us, and
lead such lives for the future as may be well pleasing in his
sight."
The absurdities and impossibilities of the foregoing narrative of this
apparition of Mrs. Veal need not be pointed out; but the story is
introduced here for two reasons; one of which will be explained further
on, and the other is to show how the public have been imposed upon with
these short stories.
It has all along been known to the literary world that this "_true_
Relation" was a _falsehood_, and brought forward under the following
circumstances:--
Mr. Midwinter, who published the translation of "Drelincourt on Death,"
finding that the work did not sell, complained of this to Defoe, and
asked him if he could not write some preface or introduction to the
work for the purpose of calling the attention of the public to this
rather uninviting subject. Defoe undertook to do so, and produced this
story about the ghost of Mrs. Veal. The gullibility of the public was
much greater at that time than now, and they would then swallow
anything in the shape of a ghost; a great sensation was created, and
the publisher's purpose was answered, as the work had an extraordinary
sale; but one cannot help expressing a very deep regret that the author
of "Robinson Crusoe" should have so degraded his talent, by thus
deliberately foisting upon the public a gross and mischievous falsehood
as a veritable truth; and, worse than this, guilty of bringing in the
most sacred names upon one of the most solemn subjects which the mind
of man can contemplate, for the purpose of supporting and propagating a
falsehood for a mercenary purpose.
As the belief in ghosts has long been popular, and considered as an
established fact, it may be quite allowable for an author to introduce
a ghost into his romance; and it may be argued that authors have thus
been enabled "to point a moral" as well as to "adorn a tale," by using
this poetical license, or spiritual medium; but in these cases the
tales or poems were given out to the world as inventions of the author
to amuse the public, or to convey a moral lesson, and were accepted by
the public as such.
We find in these foregoing examples that apparitions do appear
sometimes to strangers, and sometimes in the dresses in which they had
not been seen when alive; but these dresses have been afterwards
discovered or accounted for, and it has also been discovered who these
_strange_ spirits represented. But it will be seen by the cases cited,
and others which are to follow, that this EXACT appearance, this
_Vraisemblance_ is _essential_, nay, INDISPENSABLE, in order that there
shall be "no mistake;" for should mistakes be made, it would, in some
cases, be perhaps a very serious matter. I fully assent to all this,
and to show that I wish to do battle in all fairness, that it shall be
a "fair fight and no favour," I am willing even to illustrate my
opponents' statements in these particulars, and to do this I here
introduce--don't start, reader! not a ghost, but a figure of Napoleon
the First, but without a head; not that I mean to imply thereby that
this military hero had no head. No, no! quite the contrary, but I have
omitted this head and the head of the ghost of Hamlet's father for an
especial purpose, as will be explained further on, when I shall have
occasion to touch upon these _heads_ again. But if this cut is held at
a distance, by any one at all familiar with the portraits or statues of
"Napoleon le Grand" in this costume, they will at once recognize who
the figure is intended to represent.
Let us now turn to "The Night-side of Nature," and through the dismal
gloom which surrounds these apparitions, call up some more spirits,
who, according to Mrs. Crowe, and, indeed, on the authority of all
other authors who support the ghost doctrine, "generally come in their
habits as they lived;" and it appears that there is no difference in
this respect between the beggar and the king, for they come
"Some in rags, and some in jags, and some in silken gowns."
At page 289 of this exceedingly cleverly written but most ghastly
collection of ghost stories, it is related that the ghost of a
beggar-man appeared at the _same time in two different_ apartments (all
in his _dirty_ rags, of course), to a young man and a young woman who
had allowed this beggar to sleep in their master's barn (unbeknown to
their master), where he died in the night, but could not rest after his
death until some money of his was found by these young people, who had
both suffered in their health in consequence of these visits of the
beggar's ghost. They at length consulted and explained all this to a
priest, who advised them to distribute the money they had found under
the straw (where the beggar had slept and died) between _three_
churches, which advice was accordingly acted upon, and this settled the
business, for the _dirty_ ragged ghost never troubled them again.
In contrast to this we have the story of the ghost of a lady of title,
who had been in her lifetime Princess Anna of Saxony. She came decked
out in "silks and satins," gold lace, embroidery, and jewels, all so
grand, and appeared to one of the descendants of her family, Duke
Christian of Saxe Eisenburg, requesting him to be so kind as to try and
"make it up" between her and her ghost husband, who, it seems, was a
bad-tempered man, had quarrelled with her, and had died without being
reconciled.
Duke Christian consented to do this. She had walked into the duke's
presence, although all the doors were _shut_, and one day after their
first interview she brought her husband to their relative in the same
unceremonious manner. Her ghost husband, who had been the Duke Casimer,
appeared dressed in his royal robes. They each told their story (these,
you will observe were _talking_ ghosts as well as _stalking_ ghosts).
Duke Christian most gallantly decided in favour of the lady, and the
ghost duke very properly acquiesced in the justice of the decision.
Duke Christian then took the "icy cold hand" of the ghost-duke and
placed it in the hand of the ghost-wife, whose hand felt of a
"_natural_ heat." It appears to be the opinion of the advocates of
apparitions that _naughty_ ghosts have _cold_ hands. In this case the
husband was the offending party, and was very naughty, and therefore
his hands were very cold. It seems strange that his hands should have
been cold, for, being naughty, one would suppose he would come from the
same place that Hamlet's father did; and from what _he_ said we should
conclude that there was a roaring fire there, where the duke might have
_warmed_ his cold hands. It further appears that these parties all
"_prayed_ and _sung_ together!" after which the now happy ghosts
disappeared _sans ceremonie_, without troubling the servants to open
the doors, or allowing Duke Christian to "show them out." One
remarkable fact in connection with this story is, that, upon referring
to the portraits of these ghosts which hung in the castle, was, that
they had appeared in exactly the same dresses which they had on, when
these portraits were painted--one hundred years before this time.
Duke Christian died two years after the ghosts' visits, and by his own
orders was buried in "quicklime," to prevent, it is supposed, _his_
ghost from walking the earth! He must indeed have been a poor ignorant
creature, although a duke, to suppose that "quicklime," or "slow lime,"
or any other kind of lime, or anything else that would destroy the
_body_, could make any difference with respect to the appearance of the
_spirit_.
The next case, then, is of the ghost of a soldier's wife, who appeared
to a "Corporal Q----" who was lying ill in bed, and also to a comrade
who was an invalid lying in the next bed. This was in the night, but
the corporal could see that she was dressed in a "flannel gown, edged
with a black ribbon," _exactly_ like the grave-clothes which he had
helped to put on her twelve months before. It appears, however, that he
could _see through her_, _flannel gown_ and all. This female ghost came
to the bed-side of the sick man to ask him to write to her husband, who
was in Ireland, to communicate something to him which was to be kept a
"profound secret."
This is certainly a strange story, but is it not still more strange
that this ghost did not go to her husband and tell him the important
secret _herself_, instead of trusting a stranger to do so? It will be
observed that there are different classes of ghosts, as there are of
living people--the princely, the aristocratic, the genteel, and the
common. The vulgar classes delight to haunt in graveyards, dreary
lanes, ruins, and all sorts of dirty dark holes and corners, and in
cellars. Yes, dark cellars seem to be a favourite abode of these
_common_ ghosts. This fact raises the question whether the lower class
of spirits are obliged to keep to the _lower_ parts of the house--to
the "lower regions"--and are not allowed to go into the parlours or the
drawing-rooms, and not allowed to mix with the higher order of ghosts!
Can this be a law or regulation amongst the ghosts? If so, is it not
most extraordinary that these spirits should not be allowed to choose
their own place of residence, and take to the most comfortable
apartments, instead of grovelling amongst the rats and mice, the slugs,
the crickets, and the blackbeetles? 'Tis strange, 'tis passing strange;
but so it appears to be. By the by, some few of these poor spirits of
the humble class of ghosts do sometimes, it appears, mount up to the
bed-rooms, in the hope, I suppose, of getting occasionally now and then
a "_comfortable_ lodging" and a "good night's rest."
At page 310 of this same work we have an account of a haunted cellar in
a gentleman's house, out of town, in which were heard "loud knockings,"
"a voice crying," "heavy feet walking," etc. The old butler, with his
"acolytes," descended to the cellar (wine cellar) armed with sword,
blunderbuss, and other offensive weapons, but the ghosts put them all
to flight, and they "turned tail" in a fright. Yes, they all ran
up-stairs again, followed by the "_sound of feet_" and "a _visible
shadow_!" This, of course, is a _fact_; and it so happens that I know
another _fact_ about a haunted wine-cellar, which, however, had quite a
different result to the foregoing.
In a wine-cellar of a gentleman's house, somewhere near Blackheath, it
was found that strange noises were sometimes heard in the evenings and
in the night time, in this "wine vault," similar to those described
above, such as _knocking_, _groaning_, _footsteps_, etc., so that the
servants were afraid to go into the cellar, particularly at a late
hour. The master at length determined to "lay" this ghost, if possible,
and one evening when these noises had been heard, arming himself with a
sword, and the servants with a fowling-piece and a poker, they
cautiously descended into the cellar (with lighted candles, of course).
Nothing was to be seen there, and all was quiet except a strange,
smothered kind of sound, like the hard breathing of an animal,
something like snoring, that seemed to proceed out of the earth in one
of the dark corners of the vault, when, lo and behold! in turning their
lights in the direction from which the sounds came, and advancing
carefully, they discovered--what do you think? Don't be alarmed. Why,
the ghost lying on the ground, dead--DRUNK! Yes, the ghost had _laid_
himself, not with "Bell, Book, and Candle," but by swallowing the
SPIRIT of ALCOHOL, the spirit of wine, beer, and brandy. Most
disgraceful; in fact, this ghost had taken a "_drop too much_."
Upon looking a little closer, they found that this ghost was one Tom
Brown, an under-gardener; and it was discovered that he had _tunnelled_
a hole from the "tool-house" through the wall into the cellar. This
spirit was so over-charged _with spirit_, that he was unable to _walk_,
so was _doomed_ to be carried in a _cart_ to the "_cage_;" and all the
people living round about came next morning to look at the ghost that
had been haunting the squire's wine cellar. Oh! what a _fortune_ it
would be to any one who could catch a ghost--a real, right down,
"'arnest" ghost, and put him in a cage to show him round the country! I
wish I had one.[3] It would cost little or nothing to keep such a
thing; only the lodging, as he would require neither food, fire,
clothing, nor washing!
[3] Some few years back, a ghost was said to have been seen
frequently in the neighbourhood of some Roman Catholic
institution near Leicester, and upon one occasion had nearly
frightened a young woman to death. I was staying with a
friend at Leicester at the time, and offered L100 reward to
any one who would show me the ghost, as I wanted very much to
make a sketch of it, but I could not get a sight of it for
love nor money.
At page 118, we find an account of an apparition appearing to a
gentleman, who was staying at a friend's house at Sarratt, in
Hertfordshire, and was awoke in the middle of the night by a pressure
on his feet, and, looking up, saw, by the light that was burning in the
fire-place, a "well-dressed gentleman," in a "_blue_ coat and bright
gilt buttons," leaning on the foot of the bed, _without a head_! It
appears that this was reported to be the ghost of a poor gentleman of
that neighbourhood who had been murdered, and whose head had been cut
off! and could therefore only be recognized by his "_blue_ coat and
bright gilt buttons."
Under any _real_ circumstance this would indeed be _too horrible_ and
_too serious_ a subject to turn into ridicule; but in this case, such
an evident falsehood, it is surely allowable to "lay" such a ghost as
this, such a senseless ghost, in any possible way; in fact, to laugh
such a ghost out of countenance--
I, therefore, with my rod of double H. blacklead,
Hold up to scorn this well-dressed ghost without a head.
Any one looking at this figure will clearly see that he does not belong
to _this world_, and has therefore no business here; for, although
there may be some persons in _this world_ who, perhaps, go about with a
very small allowance of _brain_, yet every _body here_ must have some
sort of a _head_ upon his shoulders, no matter how handsome, or
queer-looking it may be. Now I am sorry to be rude to any "well-dressed
gentleman," or, indeed, to any _body_ or _soul_; but as it appears
(from the story) that this ghost had really no real _business_ upon
earth, what "on earth" does he come here for? Why, for no other object,
it appears, but to "show himself off;" so, in my opinion, the sooner he
"walks off" the better. By the by, perhaps we ought not to be too
severe upon the poor fellow, for, upon consideration, he is placed in
rather an awkward position, as his _head_ may be on the look out for
the _body_, and know where it is, but having no legs it cannot get to
the body. On the other hand, although the _body_ has legs and could
walk to the _head_, yet, having no eyes, cannot see where the _head_
is; so some excuse may be made upon this _head_, particularly if he is
not a _talking_ ghost.
There is a story, somewhere in the Roman Catholic chronicles, of a
martyr, who, after being beheaded, picked up his head, and walked away
with it under his arm; but our ghost here, in the "blue coat and bright
gilt buttons," is not allowed to do this sort of thing, and the
question naturally arises, what has become of, or where is the _spirit_
of this unfortunate gentleman's _head_? Can the believers in ghosts
tell us that? and surely we shall all feel obliged if they can inform
us whether the apparitions of _all decapitated persons appear without
their heads_; and, if not, what becomes of their heads? and, further,
whether the mutilation of the _body_ can in any way affect the
_spirit_--the _soul_?
I shall not in this case "pause for a reply," because I know I shall
have a very long time to wait for an answer; but in proceeding to bring
to the light of day some more facts about ghosts from the _dark_ side
of nature, I feel as if some inquisitive spirit was irresistibly
compelling me to put questions as I go on writing; and therefore, under
these circumstances, present my compliments to those persons who know
about ghosts, and the various authors who support this belief, and I
shall feel greatly obliged if they will answer my queries at their
earliest convenience.--N.B. Shall be glad to hear the replies from the
ghosts themselves, provided they pay the postage.
In the first place, then, from the authority quoted above, it appears
that a widow lady had, strange to say, married a second time! and that
the ghost of her first husband paid her "constant visits." Query, What
did the ghost come for, and was the second husband at all jealous of
his coming? With respect to a celebrated actor, who had married a
second wife, we find that the apparition of his first wife appeared to
him, and which appearance unfortunately threw him into a fit, and at
the same moment this ghost appeared to the second wife, although they
were several hundred miles apart at the time. I can understand why the
ghost of his first wife came to visit _him_ who once was hers, that is,
because he was such a great actor, and such a good fellow; but why did
it appear to the second wife? and how is it that the same spirit can
appear in _several places_ at _the same instant_? I should like to know
that. At page 274 we find a DOG frightened at the ghost of a soldier!
But this is not the only "unlucky dog" that has been terrified by
apparitions; several instances are given in different works. Query, How
do the "poor dogs" know a ghost is a ghost when they see one,
particularly as they appear in the same dresses which they had on when
"in the flesh;" and even, suppose they know that they are in the
presence of a ghost, what makes them "turn tail?" Yes, why should a
_dog_, especially if he is a _spirited_ dog, do so? for almost in the
same page we are told of a horse who recognized his old master, who
appeared in the same dress he wore when alive, a "sky-blue coat." This
horse did not "turn tail." No! but followed the phantom of his dear old
master, who was walking about the farm, and no doubt wanted to give him
a ride. Query, If a horse is not frightened at a ghost, why should dogs
be frightened at the sight of them? And also, if a _goose_ would be
frightened if it saw a ghost? _Asses_, we know, are sometimes
frightened at nothing, and as a ghost is "next to nothing," they must
of course be frightened at ghosts. At page 459 we are told of the ghost
of a "horse and cart," and also of the "ghosts of sheep." If this be
so, doubtless there must likewise be the ghosts of dogs (what "droll
dogs" they must be), also of puppies, and asses.
What an interesting subject of inquiry is this for the zoologist!
We find, as we dive into the dark mysteries of apparitions, that there
are ghosts of all sorts and sizes, and that there are even _lame_
ghosts, as is proved by the following true tale of the apparition of an
officer in India, as related by several of his brother officers, whose
words _dare not_ be doubted:--One Major R----, who was presumed to be
of about fifty or sixty years of age, was with some young officers,
proceeding up a river in a barge; and as they came to a considerable
bend in the river, the major and the other officers went ashore, in
order to cross the neck of land, taking their fowling-pieces and powder
and shot with them, in the hopes of meeting some game; and they also
took something to _refresh_ themselves on the road. At one part of
their journey they took their "tiffing," and after this they had to
jump across a ditch, which the young officers cleared, but the major
"jumped short." He told his companions to march on, and he would follow
after he had dried and put himself a little in marching order. They saw
him lay down his fowling-piece and his hat, and they moved on. After
marching some time, they came in sight of the barge, and were wondering
why the major did not follow, when, on a sudden, they were surprised to
see him (the major) at some distance from them making towards the
barge, "without his hat or gun," _limping_ hastily along in his _top
boots_, and he did not appear to observe them. When they arrived at the
barge, he was not there. They returned to the spot where they had left
him, and found his hat and his fowling-piece, and with the assistance
of some natives they discovered the body of the major in a pit dug for
trapping wild animals!
I defer asking any questions upon the foregoing for the present, for a
reason, but as the next case related is that of the ghost of a young
man who had been drowned, and the poor old mother saw her son "dripping
with water," we may surely inquire here if there is or can be such a
wonderful sight as an _apparition_ of "dripping water!" or ghosts of
_tears_! for we find at page 387 an account of a _weeping_ ghost, who
let his tears fall on the face of a female, who "_often felt the_ TEARS
_on her cheek; icy cold, but burn afterwards, and leave a blue mark!_"
And on the same authority we find that there is the ghost of DIRT, for
the ghost of the old beggar-man was "dirty." And then if the ghost of a
chimney-sweep were to appear--and why not the spirit of a sweep as well
as anybody else? But if he came, _he must_ also appear "in his habits
as he lived." In that case there must be the ghost of _soot_! Thus
there are not only the apparitions of _fluids_, and _dust_ and _dirt_,
but also of hard substances, as in the case of a ghost who was seen in
a garden with the ghost of a "_spade_ in his hand!"
And not only have we, then, ghosts of all these matters, but also a
ghost of the "_rustling of silk_," "_creaking of shoes_," and "_sounds
of footsteps_," many instances of which will be found in "FOOTFALLS ON
THE BOUNDARY OF ANOTHER WORLD," by ROBERT DALE OWEN, a work most
elaborately compiled, and sincerely do I wish that such talent and such
research had been engaged and directed to illustrate and assist with
_light_, instead of darkness, the present progressive state of society,
instead of striving and endeavouring, as it does, to drive us back into
the "outer darkness" of the ignorance of the "dark ages," to endeavour
to support and to bring back the mind of man to a belief in the visits
of ghosts, of necromancy, bewitching, and all the "black arts;" all of
which it was hoped, in the progress of time, would ultimately be swept
away from the face of the earth, by pure and sound Christian religion,
education and science, all of which go clearly to prove that "black
arts" are matters contrary to the natural laws of the creation and the
laws of GOD.
In one of the tales brought forward by this author is an account of the
haunting of an old manor-house near Leigh, in Kent, called Ramhurst,
where there was heard "knockings and sounds of footsteps," more
especially voices which could not be accounted for, usually in an
unoccupied room; "sometimes as if talking in a loud tone, sometimes as
if reading aloud, occasionally screaming." The servants never _saw_
anything, but the cook told her mistress that on one occasion, in broad
daylight, hearing the _rustling_ of a _silk dress_ behind her, and
which seemed to _touch_ her, she turned suddenly round, supposing it to
be her mistress, but to her great surprise and terror could not see
anybody.
Mr. Owen is so thoroughly master of this spirit subject that he must be
able to tell us all about this "rustling" of the "silk dresses" of
ghosts, and surely every one will be curious to learn the secret of
such a curious fact.
The lady of the house, a Mrs. R----, drove over one day to the railway
station at Tunbridge to fetch a young lady friend who was coming to
stay with her for some weeks. This was a Miss S----, who "had been in
the habit of seeing apparitions from early childhood," and when, upon
their return, they drove up to the entrance of the manor-house, Miss
S---- perceived on the threshold the appearance of two figures,
apparently an elderly couple, _habited in the costume of the time of
Queen Anne_. They appeared as if standing on the ground. Miss S---- saw
the same apparition several times after this, and held conversations
with them, and they told her that they were husband and wife, and that
their name was "Children;" and she informed the lady of the house, Mrs.
R----, of what she had seen and heard; and as Mrs. R---- was dressing
hurriedly one day for dinner, "and not _dreaming_ of anything
_spiritual_, as she hastily turned to leave her bed-chamber, there, in
the doorway, stood the same female figure Miss S---- had described!
identical in appearance and costume--even to the old 'point-lace' on
her 'brocaded silk dress'--while beside her, on the left, but less
distinctly visible, was the figure of the old squire, her husband; they
uttered no sound, but above the figure of the lady, as if written in
phosphoric light in the dusk atmosphere that surrounded her, were the
words, '_Dame Children_,' together with some other words intimating
that having never aspired beyond the joys and sorrows of this world,
she had remained '_earth bound_.' These last, however, Mrs. R----
scarcely paused to decipher, as her brother (who was very hungry)
called out to know if they were 'going to have any dinner that day?'"
There was no time for hesitation; "she closed her eyes, rushed through
the apparition and into the dining-room, throwing up her hands, and
exclaiming to Miss S----, 'Oh, my dear, I've walked through Mrs.
Children!'" Only think of that, "gentle reader!" Only think of Mrs.
R---- walking _right through_ "Dame Children"--"old point-lace,
brocaded silk dress," and all--and as old "Squire Children" was
standing by the side of his "dame," Mrs. R---- must either have upset
the old ghost or have walked through him also.
Although this story looks very much like as if it were intended as an
additional chapter to "Joe Miller's Jest-book," the reader will please
to observe that Mr. Owen does not relate this as a joke, but, on the
contrary, expects that it will be received as a solemn serious fact;
there was a cause for the haunting of this old manor-house, with the
talking, screaming, and rustling of silk, and the appearance of the
old-fashioned ghosts; there was a secret which these ghosts wished to
impart to the persons in the house at that time, and if the gentleman
reader will brace up his nerves, and the lady reader will get her
"smelling-bottle" ready, I'll let them into the secret. Now, pray, dear
madam, don't be terrified! Squire Children had formerly been proprietor
of the mansion, and he and his "dame" had taken great delight and
interest in the house--when alive--and they were very sorry to find
that the property had gone out of the family, and he and his dame had
come on purpose to let Mrs. R---- and her friend know all this! There
now, there's a secret for you--what do you think of that?
In the year 1854, a baron (of the rather funny name of _Gul_denstubbe)
was residing alone in apartments in the Rue St. Lazare, Paris, and one
night there appeared to him in his bed-room the ghost of a stout old
gentleman. It seems that he saw a column of "light grayish vapour," or
sort of "bluish light," out of which there gradually grew into sight,
within it, the figure of a "tall, portly old man, with a fresh colour,
_blue_ eyes,[4] snow white hair, thin white whiskers, but without beard
or moustache, and dressed with care. He seemed to wear a white cravat
and long white waistcoat, high stiff shirt collar, and long black frock
coat thrown back from his chest as is wont of corpulent people like him
in _hot_ weather. He appeared to lean on a _heavy white cane_." After
the baron had seen this _portly_ ghost, he went to bed and to sleep,
and in a dream the same figure appeared to him again, and he thought he
heard it say, "Hitherto you have not believed in the reality of
apparitions, considering them only as the recallings of memory; now,
since you have seen a _stranger_, you cannot consider it the
reproduction of former ideas."
[4] The baron must have had _good_ eyes to have seen the
precise colour of the ghost's eyes under such circumstances.
Every one will acknowledge that this was exceedingly kind on the part
of the ghost, as he had no doubt to come a long way for the express
purpose of setting the baron's mind right upon this point; and had also
come from a _very warm place_, as his frock coat "was thrown from his
chest, as is wont with corpulent people in hot weather."
This polite, good-natured, "blue"-eyed apparition, who was "dressed
with care," had been the proprietor of the maison--a Monsieur
Caron--who had dropped down in an apoplectic fit; and, oh, horror of
horrors, had actually "died in the very bed now occupied by the
baron!"...
When the daughter heard of the ghost of her papa, appearing thus upon
one or two occasions, "she caused masses to be said for the soul of her
father," and it is "alleged that the apparition has not been seen in
any of the apartments since;" or, to use a vulgarism, we might say
here, that this ghost had "cut his stick."
Mr. Robert Dale Owen had this narrative from the baron himself in
Paris, on the 11th of May, 1859, and he is of opinion that this "story
derives much of its value from the calm and dispassionate manner in
which the witness appears to have observed the succession of phenomena,
and the exact details which, in consequence, he has been enabled to
furnish. It is remarkable also, as well for the electrical influences
which preceded the appearance, as on account of the correspondence
between the apparition to the baron in his waking state, and that
subsequently seen in his dream; the first cognizable by one sense
only--that of sight--the second appealing (though in vision of the
sight only) to the hearing also. The coincidences as to personal
peculiarities and details of dress are too numerous and minutely exact
to be fortuitous, let us adopt what theory we may."
As this baron is no doubt a most respectable and well-conducted
gentleman, in every respect, I will not say--
That Monsieur the Baron de Guldenstubbe
Had taken too much out of a bottle or tub,
but this I will say, that his account seems to be nothing more or less
than a very _exact_ description of some "dissolving view" trick played
off upon the baron and others by some clever French neighbour; and as
to his _dream_, it is surely hardly worth while to notice such
nonsense, as dreams are now well understood to be only the imperfect
operations of the organs of thought, in a semi-dormant state, "half
asleep and half awake," and are the effect sometimes of agreeable
sensations or painful emotions, during the waking hours, and may be
produced to any disagreeable amount by eating a very hearty supper of
underdone "pork pies," and going to sleep on the back instead of
reclining on the side. We cannot dream of anything of which we have not
seen or had something of a similar kind before, nor can we form either
awake or in a dream any form whatever--animate or inanimate, which does
not partake or form some part of nature's general objects; and in fact
we cannot _invent_ an animal form without combining the parts of
existing animals either of man or beast. I trust that this _fact_ will
be a sufficient answer for Monsieur Caron. And then, as to the "laying"
of this ghost, it does seem to me to be extraordinary, that any person
possessed of common understanding in these days, let their religion be
what it may, should believe that the ALMIGHTY GOD would not let a
departed spirit _rest_, until "masses" had been said for the soul of
such person; until some _money had been paid_ to a priest to mumble
over a few set forms of prayer. _Paid_ for prayers--prayers at a
certain market price! Then, as to the "white cravat," "white
waistcoat," "high stiff shirt collar," and "black frock coat," and more
particularly the "heavy white cane," is it to be understood that these
said "masses" put all these materials to rest, as well as the soul or
spirit of the body? If not, where did they go to? Had they to return to
purgatory by themselves--had the heavy white walking-stick to walk off
without its owner?