an apparition, or something supposed to be supernaturally visible to human sight, whether the ghosts of dead men or beings superior to man.

A belief that supernatural beings sometimes make themselves visible, and that the dead sometimes revisit the living, has prevailed among most nations, especially in the rudest stages of society. It was common among the Jews, among the Greeks, and among the Romans, as we find from the Scriptures, and from the poems of Homer and Virgil. Celestial appearances were indeed so often exhibited to the Jews, that the origin of their belief is not difficult to be explained.—The Divine Being manifested himself to each of the patriarchs by some sensible sign, generally by a flame of fire, as he did to Moes. Under this semblance also did he appear to the Israelites during their abode in the desert, and after they obtained a settlement in the land of Canaan. Nor did they believe that heavenly beings alone assumed a sensible appearance: They believed that deceased men also sometimes revisited this world. When Saul went to consult the witch at Endor, he asked her to bring up the person whom he should name unto her: a proof that he considered his demand as easy to be performed, and therefore that he probably acted under the influence of popular opinion. The same opinion had been generally entertained at a much earlier period; for necromancy and witchcraft, the arts by which the dead were supposed to be raised, had been prohibited while the Israelites were in the wilderness, and yet untainted with the vices of the Canaanites. They must therefore have derived them from Egypt, the cradle of superstition, as well as of the arts and sciences.

Among the Greeks and Romans the apparition of spectres was generally believed. On innumerable occasions the gods are said to have discovered themselves to the eyes of mortals, to have held conferences, and to have interposed their aid. The ghosts of the dead, too, are said to have appeared. When Aeneas, amidst the distraction and confusion of his mind in flying from the destruction of Troy, had lost his wife by the way, he returned in search of her. Her shade appeared to him (for the herself had been slain) with the same aspect as before, but her figure was larger. She endeavoured to assuage the grief of her unhappy husband, by ascribing her death to the appointment of the gods, and by foretelling the illustrious honours which yet awaited him. But when Aeneas attempted to clasp her in his arms, the phantom immediately vanished into air. From this story we may observe, that the ancients believed that the umbrae or shades, retained nearly the same appearance after death as before; that they had so far the resemblance of a body as to be visible; that they could think and speak as formerly, but could not be touched. This description applies equally well to those shades which had passed the river Styx, and taken up their residence in the infernal regions. Such were the shades of Dido, of Deiphobus, and all those which Aeneas met with in his journey through the subterraneous world.

It appears from the writings of modern travellers who have visited rude and savage nations, that the belief of spectres is no less common among them. Mr Bruce tells us, that the priest of the Nile affirmed, that he had more than once seen the spirit of the river in the form of an old man with a white beard. Among the Mahometans the doctrine of spectres seems to be reduced to a regular system, by the accounts which they give of genii. Whoever has read the Arabian Nights Entertainments must have furnished his memory with a thousand instances of this kind. Their opinions concerning genii seem to be a corrupted mixture of the doctrines of the Jews and ancient Persians. In Christian countries, too, notwithstanding the additional light which their religion has spread, and the great improvement in the sciences to which it has been subservient, the belief of ghosts and apparitions is very general, especially among the lower ranks. They believe that evil spirits sometimes make their appearance in order to terrify wicked men, especially those who have committed murder.—They suppose that the spirits of dead men assume a corporeal appearance, hover about church-yards and the housetops of the deceased, or haunt the places where murders have been committed. (See GHOST). In some places it is believed that beings have been seen bearing a perfect resemblance to men alive. In the Highlands of Scotland, what is called the second sight is still believed lieved by many (see SECOND Sight); viz. that future events are foretold by certain individuals by means of spectral representation.

So general has the belief of spectres been, that this circumstance alone may be thought by some sufficient to prove that it must have its foundation in human nature, or must rest upon rational evidence. When any doctrine has been universally received by all nations, by generations living several thousand years from one another, and by people in all the different stages of society, there is certainly the strongest presumption to conclude that such a doctrine has its foundation in reason and in truth. In this way we argue in favour of the existence of a God, concerning moral distinction, and the doctrine of a future state; and certainly so far we argue well. But if the same argument be applied to idolatry, to sacrifices, or to apparitions, we shall find that it is applied improperly. Idolatry was very general among ancient nations; so was the offering of sacrifices, so was polytheism: but they were by no means universal. Should we allow, for the sake of shortening the argument, that all ancient nations were polytheists and idolaters, and presented oblations to their imaginary deities, all that could be concluded from this concession is, that they fell into these mistakes from their ignorance and from the rude state of society, from which their imperfect knowledge of theology and moral philosophy was never able to rescue them. These erroneous notions fled before the brightness of the Christian system; while the doctrines of the existence of God, of moral distinction, and of a future state, have been more thoroughly confirmed and ascertained. The same thing may be said of the belief of spectres. However generally it has been adopted in the first stages of society, or by civilized nations who had made but little progress in the study of divine things, it has been rejected, we may say invariably, wherever theology and philosophy have gone hand in hand.

As all popular and long established opinions are objects of curiosity and research for the philosopher, we think the belief of spectres worthy of some attention even in this light. It will therefore, we hope, give some satisfaction to the philosophical reader to see a short account of the sources or principles from which the belief is derived. But as the belief of spectres is connected with other opinions which appear to us highly injurious to religion; opinions which have been supported by many learned men, and which are still believed by some men of literary education—it will also be proper, in the first place, to consider the evidence on which this belief rests, in which we must consider both their probability and credibility.

In the present investigation we mean to set aside altogether the celestial appearances recorded in Scripture, as being founded on unquestionable evidence, and perfectly agreeable to those rules by which the Deity acts in the usual course of His Providence. The Israelites, during the existence of their state, were immediately under the authority of God, not only as the moral governor of the world, but as the king of Israel. In the infancy of the world, while men were rude and unenlightened, and entirely under the influence of idolatry, many revelations were necessary to preserve in their minds pure ideas of the nature of God, and of the worship due to Him. They were necessary also to pave the way for that illustrious dispensation which the Lord Jesus came from Heaven to diffuse over the world. Every celestial appearance recorded in Scripture was exhibited for some wise and important purpose, which must be apparent to every person who considers these appearances with attention. But when the Scriptures were written and published, and the Christian religion fully established, revelation ceased, and miracles and heavenly messages were no longer requisite. What credit then ought we to give to those marvellous stories related in ancient authors concerning prodigies in the heavens, and the apparition of angels both good and bad.

It is not pretended that any of these prodigies and appearances were exhibited for purposes equally great and important with those which are described in Scripture: And can we suppose that the all-wise Governor of the world would permit his angels to render themselves visible to the eye of man for no purpose at all, or for a purpose which might have been equally well accomplished without their interposition? Would this be consistent with perfect wisdom, or would it be consistent even with the excellence and superiority of understanding which we are taught to ascribe to these elevated beings? The whole will of God is revealed to us in the Scriptures; what further use for the visible interposition of angels? It may be objected, Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? We answer, That angels may animate and support good men by an invisible interposition. But the Apostle is not speaking of celestial spirits. The word ἀγγέλος signifies "a messenger;" and in Scripture often refers to men. In the passage which we are now reviewing it certainly is applied with much more propriety to men than to angels: for the Apostle is stating a comparison between the Prophets, by whom God, at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past to the fathers, and the Son, by whom he hath spoken in these last days.

And if God has given no commission to his angels to deliver to men since the publication of the Christian religion, is there any probability that he would give any commission or any licence to evil spirits? It will be said, that this doctrine is clearly taught in the New Testament, in these words, "The devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." We will not avail ourselves of the interpretation of some, who say that the word devil, which in the Greek language signifies an adversary, or flanderer, refers here to some human being, who was a violent enemy of the Christians. All that can be deduced from these words, upon the supposition that they refer to a malignant spirit, is merely that he goeth about seducing men to vice. But it is not by assuming a hideous form, and presenting himself to the midnight traveller, that such a purpose is to be accomplished. A spirit may probably have direct access to our minds without the intervention of any thing corporeal; and by exciting our passions may plunge us into vice, which is the only object such a being is supposed to have in view. None of the marvelous stories which we have heard concerning the apparition of evil spirits lead us to conclude that they appear to entice men to commit crimes. We never heard of any evil spirits that required men to steal, to perpetrate robbery or murder. They only appeared to terrify some crazy timorous individuals, who have whims and fancies know of their own to agitate their minds, though no preternatural vision should ever appear to them. It is not consistent, therefore, with the character of God, and what he has revealed to us of his will, to believe that he would commission good angels, or permit evil angels, to appear to men since the propagation of the gospel, or indeed at any former period of the world, unless some great and mighty purpose was to be fulfilled. It is not consistent with what we know of the nature of good or bad angels to suppose, that though permission were granted them occasionally to show themselves to men, that they would appear in that way which storytellers describe.

It is equally improbable that the spirits of the dead who have removed from this world should again be permitted to visit it. At death men undergo as great, perhaps a greater change, than when they came first into the light of the sun. Is it not therefore as improbable that a man should return in a visible corporeal form after death, as that, after having arrived at manhood, he should return to the state in which he was before his birth? Such changes as these are evidently made permanent by the invariable laws of nature. But suppose it were possible, for what purpose should they return? To describe to us what is passing in the other world, to animate us to virtue, by informing us of the rewards which there await the good; or to alarm us, by describing the punishment of the wicked. These seem important reasons. But Divine Providence has wisely thrown a veil over futurity. We know every thing of the other world from the scripture which it is proper for us at present to know. And as to incentives to virtue, we are already blessed with a number sufficiently great and powerful for moral beings, who are to act from rational motives, and not from compulsion. "He that will not hear Moses and the prophets, will not be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

There is one strong objection against the probability of spectres, which is sufficient to prove that they are not intelligent creatures; or at least that they possess so small a degree of intelligence, that they are unqualified to act with prudence, to propose any end to themselves, or use the proper means to accomplish that end. Ghosts often appear in order to discover some crime that has been committed; but they never appear to a magistrate, or person in authority, but to some illiterate clown, who happens to live near the place where the crime was perpetrated; to some person who has no connection with the affair at all, and who in general is the most improper in the world for making the discovery. For instance, in Glanville's Saducismus triumphatus (a book written in the last century by a chaplain of Charles II. in support of the common opinions respecting witchcraft and apparitions), we have the following story: James Haddock, a farmer, was married to Elenor Welsh, by whom he had a son. After the death of Haddock, his wife married one Davis; and both agreed to defraud the son by the former marriage of a lease bequeathed to him by his father. Upon this the ghost of Haddock appeared to one Francis Taverner the servant of Lord Chichester, and desired him to go to Elenor Welsh, and to inform her that it was the will of her former husband that their son should enjoy the lease. Taverner did not at first execute this commission; but he was continually haunted by the apparition in the most hideous shapes, which even threatened to tear him in pieces, till at last he delivered the message. Now, had this spectre had the least common sense, it would have appeared first to Elenor Welsh and her husband Davis, and frightened them into compliance at once, and not have kept poor Taverner in such constant disquietude, who had no concern in the matter.

Another very odd circumstance respecting apparitions in general must not be omitted, which is, that they have no power to speak till they are addressed. In the 27th of Glanville's Relations we read of an old woman that appeared often to David Hunter, a neat-herd, at the house of the bishop of Down and Conners. Whenever he appeared, he found himself obliged to follow her; and for three quarters of a year poor David spent the whole of almost every night in scampering up and down through the woods after this old woman. How long this extraordinary employment might have continued, it is impossible to guess, had not David's violent fatigue made him one night exclaim, "Lord bless me! would I were dead!—shall I never be delivered from this misery!" On which the phantom replied, "Lord bless me too! It was happy you spoke first, for till then I had no power to speak, though I have followed you for long." Then she gave him a message to her two sons, though David told her he remembered nothing about her. David, it seems, neglected to deliver the message; at which the old beldam was so much provoked, that she returned and hit him a hearty blow on the shoulder, which made him cry out, and then speak to her. Now if she could not speak till David addressed her, why might she not have applied this oratorical medicine the first time she appeared to him? It would have saved both herself and him many a weary journey; and certainly David would much rather have had even half a dozen of blows from her choppy fits than have wanted so many nights sleep. To complete the story, we must add, that when David's wife found it impossible to keep him from following the troublesome visitor, she trudged after him, but never was gratified with a sight of the enchantress. David's little dog too was a dutiful attendant on his master during his pilgrimage.

It is remarked by Glanville, that ghosts are generally very eager to be gone. Indeed they are often so much fo, that they do not stay to tell their errand. One would be induced from this, as well as the circumstances already mentioned, to think that they are the stupidest and dullest of the dead that assume the appearance of ghosts; unless we adopt the ingenious solution of Glanville, "that it is a very hard and painful thing for them to force their thin and tenuous bodies into a visible consistence; that their bodies must needs be exceedingly compressed; and that therefore they must be in haste to be delivered from the unnatural pressure."

With respect to the evidence in favour of spectres, if examined even so slightly, it will be found very defective. They only appear to one person at a time; they are seen only in the night; they are visible only to ignorant, illiterate, and credulous persons, and never present themselves before men of education and learning.

That spectres only appear to one person at a time, even though there are more in company, is an objection against the credibility of their appearance quite insurmountable. mountable. How is it possible that two men of eyesight equally good, directing their eyes to the same spot, should not see so large an object as that of a man or woman at a small distance equally well? Some will tell us that a mist is cast over the eyes of the one, while the view of the other is free from obliteration. But how is this to be proved? and besides, what purpose would it serve? Ghosts have seldom any secrets to disclose; they might be proclaimed to a multitude with as much propriety as confined to one person. Shall we be told, that the spectre has the power of becoming visible to some, and of remaining invisible to others? This cannot be allowed without adopting opinions destructive to revealed religion; for it would be a miracle: and we cannot be persuaded, without evidence, that God would empower any inferior being to controul at pleasure the wise laws which he has ordained for governing the world. To him who is of a different opinion, we would recommend Farmer on Miracles; a book in which this question is fully examined.

Spectres appear only in the night. But why should they shun the light of the sun? Those mischievous ghosts that Glanville mentions might indeed have some reason to choose midnight for the execution of their pranks, as they would be more easily detected in open day. Such was the rough drummer that haunted Mr Mompesson's house, who beat his drum all night, threw the old gentlewoman's clothes about the room, hid her Bible in the ashes, plucked the clothes off the bed, and amused himself with tossing about Mr Mompesson's shoes. But why should a grave serious ghost appear at midnight? Might it not deliver its message with as much ease and more success in the day-time? In the day-time it would not excite much fear; it would be listened to therefore with more attention; and did it choose to exhibit itself before a number of witnesses, its grievances would be more speedily redressed, because more persons would interest themselves in seeing justice done to the injured ghost.

Spectres not only choose the most improper time, but the most improper persons. To render the testimony of any person credible, he must not only be a man of veracity, but he must have sufficient ability to judge of the subject to which he is to bear witness. It is not on the evidence of an ignorant illiterate person, who has more fancy and fear than judgment, that we are to rest our belief of what is supernatural. It is also worthy of remark, that we have never heard of a ghost appearing to any person who did not previously believe their existence. A man must be prejudiced in favour of this opinion, or he will never see a ghost. But sensible men know, that he who has been accustomed to hear frightful stories of ghosts and apparitions gliding through a churchyard, or haunting some particular place, can scarcely pass through a churchyard, or haunted spot without conjuring up in his imagination the hideous phantoms which he has been accustomed to associate with such places. Is it strange, then, that an ignorant man, with a mind uncultivated and uninformed, with all the prejudices of the nursery about him, should imagine he sees ghosts in those places where he believes they hover, especially in the dead hour of midnight, when, with the slightest aid of the imagination, a cow may be turned into a monstrous phantom, and the reflection of the beams of the moon from a little water be converted into a ghost with a winding-sheet? But why should apparitions shun men of understanding and learning? Why should learning be formidable to them (A)? It was not so with the celestial messengers mentioned in the Scriptures: they appeared to the patriarchs and prophets; and the miracles there recorded were performed in the most public places, before the eyes of Rabbies, of Scribes, and Pharisees. Indeed this circumstance is sufficient to destroy the evidence of spectres. They have never been seen by any but men of weak or ill-tempered minds, or by men who have previously believed in them.

Having now considered the evidence on which the belief of spectres rests, we will endeavour to give some account of the foundation of it. To trace an opinion that has prevailed so generally in the world to its source, is a labour not unworthy of the philosopher, even though the opinion be false. It is always gratifying to detect the causes of error: it is no less useful; for in order to refute error, it is often sufficient to point out the sources from which it has sprung. To reach the origin of the belief of spectres is not more difficult than to account for idolatry or polytheism. In the infant state of the intellectual powers every thing is considered as possessing life and intelligence. The child beats the fool

(A) The celebrated historian De Thou had a very singular adventure at Saumur, in the year 1598. One night, having retired to rest very much fatigued, while he was enjoying a sound sleep, he felt a very extraordinary weight upon his feet, which having made him turn suddenly, fell down and awakened him. At first he imagined that it had been only a dream, but hearing soon after some noise in his chamber, he drew aside the curtains, and saw, by help of the moon, which at that time shone very bright, a large white figure walking up and down, and at the same time observed upon a chair some rags, which he thought belonged to thieves who had come to rob him. The figure then approaching his bed, he had the courage to ask it what it was. "I am (said it) the Queen of Heaven." Had such a figure appeared to any credulous ignorant man in the dead of night, and made such a speech, would he not have trembled with fear, and have frightened the whole neighbourhood with a marvellous description of it? But De Thou had too much understanding to be so imposed upon. Upon hearing the words which dropped from the figure, he immediately concluded that it was some mad woman, got up, called his servants, and ordered them to turn her out of doors; after which he returned to bed and fell asleep. Next morning he found that he had not been deceived in his conjecture, and that having forgot to shut his door, this female figure had escaped from her keepers, and entered his apartment. The brave Schomberg, to whom De Thou related his adventure some days after, confessed that in such a case he would not have shewn so much courage. The king also, who was informed of it by Schomberg, made the same acknowledgment. stool over which he has fallen with the same passion that he would treat his companion: The young girl talks to her doll as if it understood her: The savages ascribe every change which they observe on the face of nature to the action of some animated being. As knowledge advances, they single out those beings which seem to produce the most striking effects, arrange them into some kind of order, and divide the government of the world among them. Unable, at the same time, to conceive any notion of a pure spirit, they imagine those divinities are corporeal beings. This is the foundation of Idolatry. The belief of spectres is but another step. That these animated corporeal beings, to whom they address their prayers, and who preside over the world, should on particular occasions display themselves to the human eye, is what they must be previously disposed to expect. Hence the numberless appearances of the heathen gods, of the Persian and Mahometan genii. The belief of ghosts may be easily deduced from the opinions entertained respecting a future state. These opinions are founded on that essential doctrine of natural religion, that there is another world in which men shall exist when death has removed them hence. This doctrine has been universally received both by savage and civilized nations; but, as might be expected, men have formed very different sentiments concerning the nature of a future state, of the situation and employments of departed spirits, according to the degree of knowledge which they possessed. But the general opinion in ancient and rude nations was, that departed spirits retained the same external appearance, the same passions and principles as before. Nothing therefore was more natural than the opinion, that they might occasionally revisit this world, from an anxious desire to alleviate the sufferings of those beloved friends and relations whom they had left behind them, or to communicate from the unseen world what might be important to their welfare. Upon such an errand did Creüla appear to Æneas. The apparition of the ghosts of murderers is easily explained upon the same general principles. The remorse and horror of mind which the murderer feels is supposed to haunt him in the other world, and to render his situation there intolerable (especially if the murder was never detected and punished), till he return and give information against himself. In this way, then, we think it highly probable the belief of spectres has originated. But many other causes concur to confirm and propagate this belief. These are, imperfect vision united with fear, dreams, opium, diseases, drunkenness, and opium.

1. Indistinct vision is one source of apparitions, especially when the mind is under the influence of fear. It is well known, that the sense of feeling conveys no idea of distance till improved by experience and observation; and how we come at length to distinguish objects at a distance from those that are near, has been explained in another place (see Metaphysics, No 50.).

In the daytime we seldom commit mistakes, because we know the object at which we look; but at night, when we see objects obscurely, and know not what they are, we have no distinct idea either of their distances or of their magnitude. We may mistake a bush that is near us for a tree at a distance; or if the imagination be under the influence of fear, it will easily convert it into a gigantic figure. "It is generally asserted (says Buffon) that these figures exist only in the imagination; yet they may have a real existence in the eye; for whenever we have no other mode of judging of an unknown object but by the angle it forms in the eye, its magnitude will uniformly increase in proportion to its propinquity. If it appears, when at the distance of 20 or 30 paces, to be only a few feet high, its height, when within two or three feet of the eye, will be many fathoms. An object of this kind must naturally excite terror and astonishment in the spectator, till he approaches and recognizes it by actual feeling; for the moment a man knows an object, the gigantic appearance it assumed in the eye instantly diminishes, and its apparent magnitude is reduced to its real dimensions. But if, instead of approaching such an object, the spectator flies from it, he can have no other idea of it but from the image which it formed in his eye; and, in this case, he may affirm with truth that he saw an object terrible in its aspect, and enormous in its size. Thus the notions concerning spectres is founded in nature, and depend not, as some philosophers affirm, upon the imagination alone."

In addition to these observations of Buffon, we may take notice, that objects are always magnified in a fog; so that when a fog happens in the night-time, objects may be magnified to an enormous size. But, at any rate, whether there be fog in the night or not, there is such a great analogy between darkness and a fog, that if the latter deceive us with respect to the size of objects, the former will also deceive us. The writer of this article was passing the Frith of Forth at Queensferry, near Edinburgh, one morning which was extremely foggy. Though the water be only two miles broad, the boat did not get within sight of the southern shore till it approached very near it. He then saw to his great surprise a large perpendicular rock, where he knew the shore was low and almost flat. As the boat advanced a little nearer, the rock seemed to split perpendicularly into portions, which separated at a little distance from one another. He next saw these perpendicular divisions move; and upon approaching a little nearer, found it was a number of people standing on the beach, waiting the arrival of the ferry-boat.

2. Dreams are another fertile source of apparitions. It is well known to every person, that while the mind is under the influence of a dream it considers it as much a reality as it does any particular action while awake. Now if a person of a weak superstitious mind should have a very lively dream, which interests his passions, particularly the passion of fear, it may make so deep an impression, that he may be firmly convinced that he has actually seen with his eyes what has only passed before his imagination (see Apparition) (b). We shall here tell a story, by way of illustration, which we

(b) When the thoughts are much troubled, and when a person sleeps without the circumstances of going to bed, or putting off his clothes, as when he nods in his chair, it is very difficult, as Hobbes remarks, to distinguish a dream from a reality. On the contrary, he that composes himself to sleep, in case of any uncouth or absurd fancy, easily suspects it to have been a dream.—Leviathan, par. i. c. i. have received on unquestionable authority. An East India captain had an honest faithful servant named John, for whom he had a great regard. John died, if we recollect right, on a voyage from England to the East Indies during a French war. As the ship approached the place of its destination the captain had a dream, in which John appeared to him, and earnestly besought him not to sail to the port for which he was bound, as it was in the hands of the French. The captain, though not addicted to superstition, thought it prudent to follow this admonition; and after landing at a different port, he was informed that the place to which he had intended to steer was, according to the information of the dream, captured by the French. On the voyage home, the captain had a second dream, in which John again appeared to him, and gave him notice that he should soon die, and that the ship should be taken in the mouth of the Channel by the French. Next morning the captain called his first mate, told him his dream, which he believed was prophetic, and delivered his papers, that he might take proper care of them after his decease. Every thing happened exactly as the dream had foretold; the captain died, and the vessel was taken by a French man of war in the mouth of the Channel. This dream, wonderful as it appears, is easily explained. In the voyage out to India, nothing was more natural than that the captain should sometimes be thinking, that amidst the various chances of war, the port to which he was bound might be taken; perhaps it was a place of consequence, which the French might be eager to possess. The captain being accustomed to revolve these thoughts in the day-time, they would naturally return at night; the regret which he felt for the loss of a faithful servant might mingle with his apprehensions, and thus produce the dream. Perhaps the advice was such as John would have given had he been alive. It is equally easy to explain the cause of the dream in the passage home. The captain, we are told, was very ill, and thought himself dying, at the very time he had the second dream, and therefore did not expect to reach England. This part of the dream, then, was only his own thoughts, delivered by his servant. As to the other part, that his ship should be taken in the mouth of the Channel, it may be thought unaccountable how the very place should be foreseen. But we must recollect, that the mouth of the Channel, being over against the coast of France, was by far the most dangerous place in the whole passage; and that, therefore, the captain had more reason to be afraid of losing his ship there than in any other place. The use which we mean to make of this story is this: Had the captain been a man of a weak mind, he would certainly have considered the dream as a reality, and believed that, instead of having dreamed of the things on which his imagination had dwelt, he had actually seen his servant return from the dead, and heard him deliver the message. But, on the other hand, the captain, though he believed the dream was prophetic, mentioned it without any signs of fear; and no man of courage and reflection ever sees an apparition. This light is reserved for the weak, the timid, and the superstitious. Of this many instances might be mentioned.

3. Spectres are also sometimes occasioned by opium. Gaffendi the philosopher found a number of people going to put a man to death for having intercourse with the devil; a crime which the poor wretch readily acknowledged. Gaffendi begged of the people that they would permit him first to examine the wizard before putting him to death. They did so; and Gaffendi, upon examination, found that the man firmly believed himself guilty of this impossible crime. He even offered to Gaffendi to introduce him to the devil. The philosopher agreed; and when midnight came, the man gave him a pill, which he said it was necessary to swallow before setting off. Gaffendi took the pill, but gave it to his dog. The man having swallowed his, fell into a profound sleep; during which he seemed much agitated by dreams. The dog was affected in a similar manner. When the man awoke, he congratulated Gaffendi on the favourable reception he had met with from his sable highness. It was with difficulty Gaffendi convinced him that the whole was a dream, the effect of soporific medicines, and that he had never stirred from one spot during the whole night.

4. That diseases, especially the night-mare, the hypochondria, hysterick passion, and madness, are another source of spectres, we have the strongest reason to affirm. Persons subject to the night-mare often imagine that they see spectres. This is still more the case with hypochondriacs and hysterick persons, and those who are in any degree deranged in their intellects. A fact which fell within the observation of the writer of this article will both prove and illustrate this assertion. In a village in one of the midland counties of Scotland, lived a widow distinguished among her neighbours for decency of manners, integrity, and respect for religion. She affirmed, that for several nights together she had heard a supernatural voice exclaiming aloud, Murder! murder! This was immediately reported through the neighbourhood; all were alarmed, and looked around them with solicitude for the detection of the murder which they supposed to have been committed; and it was not long till a discovery seemed actually to be made. It was reported, that a gentleman, who had relations at no great distance, and had been residing in the West Indies, had lately arrived with a considerable fortune; that he had lodged in an inn about three miles off; and that he had afterwards been seen entering a house in the village where the widow lived, from which he had never returned. It was next affirmed, that a tradesman passing the churchyard about twelve at midnight had seen four men carry a dead corpse into that cemetery. These three facts being joined together seemed perfectly to agree and to confirm one another, and all believed some horrible murder had been committed. The relations of the gentleman thought they were called upon to make inquiry into the truth of these allegations: they accordingly came first to the churchyard, where, in company with the sexton, they examined all the graves with great care, in order to discover whether any of them had been lately dug, or had the appearance of containing more than one coffin. But this search was to no purpose, for no alteration had been made upon the graves. It was next reported that the murdered man had been buried in a plantation about a mile distant from the village. As the alarm was now very general, a number of the inhabitants proposed of their own accord to explore it. They accordingly spread themselves over the wood, and searched it with care, but no grave nor new dug earth was found. The writer of this article, who was then a boy at school, was along with them. The mat- ter did not rest here: The person who was said to have seen four men carry a dead corpse into the churchyard at midnight was summoned to appear before a meeting of the justices of the peace. Upon examination he denied any knowledge of the affair, but referred the court to another person from whom he had received his information. This person was examined, and the result was the same as the former. In short, one person had heard it from another, who had received it from a third, who had heard it from a fourth; but it had received a little embellishment from every person who repeated it. It turned out to be the same with Smollet's story of the three black crows, which some body was said to have vomited.

Upon inquiry at the inn where the West Indian gentleman had lodged, no such gentleman had been seen there. It was found afterwards he had never left the West Indies. Still, however, the veracity of the widow was not disputed; and some dark and secret translation was suspected. But the whole affair was at length explained by discovering that she was somewhat deranged by melancholy. And the cries which she had at first imagined she had heard were afterwards imitated by some roughish person, who was highly amused with spreading terror among the credulous.

5. Drunkenness also has the power of creating spectres. Its natural effect in most cases is to derange the understanding, to throw it off its guard, and to give full scope to that passion which has a natural disposition to gain an ascendancy; and sometimes it excites passions which scarcely seem to exist at any other time. It makes some men licentious, some furious, some all benevolence and kindnes, some from being cowards it renders un-daunted heroes. It seldom, if ever, excites fear; and therefore it may be thought strange that men should imagine they see ghosts when intoxicated. But it must be remarked, that the ghosts which the drunkard sees, he sees not with the same alarm and terror as men who are sober. He is not afraid of them. He has the courage to converse with them, and even to fight with them, if they give him provocation. A man returning home intoxicated, affirmed that he had met with the devil; and that after a severe encounter he had vanquished him and brought him to the ground, to which he had nailed him fast by driving his staff through his body. Next morning the staff was found stuck with great violence into a heap of turfs!

6. Many apparitions of spectres have no other origin than the artifices of the waggish or self-interested. Dr Plot, in his Natural History of Oxfordshire, relates a marvellous story, which will illustrate this affection. Soon after the murder of King Charles I, a commission was appointed to survey the king's house at Woodstock, with the manor, park, woods, and other demesnes to that manor belonging; and one Collins, under a feigned name, hired himself as secretary to the commissioners, who, upon the 13th of October 1649, met, and took up their residence in the king's own rooms. His majesty's bed-chamber they made their kitchen, the council hall their pantry, and the presence-chamber was the place where they sat for the dispatch of business. His majesty's dining-room they made their wood yard, and stored it with the wood of the famous royal-oak from the High Park, which, that nothing might be left with the name of king about it, they had dug up by the roots, and split and bundled up into faggots for their firing. Things being thus prepared, they sat on the 16th of the same month for the dispatch of business; and in the midst of their first debate there entered a large black dog (as they thought,) which made a dreadful howling, overturned two or three of their chairs, and then crept under a bed and vanished. Thus gave them the greater surprize, as the doors were kept constantly locked, so that no real dog could get in or out. The next day their surprize was increased, when sitting at dinner in a lower room, they heard plainly the noise of persons walking over their heads, though they well knew the doors were all locked, and there could be no body there. Presently after they heard also all the wood of the king's oak brought by parcels from the dining-room, and thrown with great violence into the presence chamber; as also all the chairs, stools, tables, and other furniture, forcibly hurried about the room; their papers, containing the minutes of their transactions were torn, and the ink-glass broken. When all this noise had ceased, Giles Sharp, their secretary, proposed to enter first into these rooms; and in presence of the commissioners, from whom he received the key, he opened the doors, and found the wood spread about the room, the chairs tossed about and broken, the papers torn, the ink-glass broken (as has been said), but not the least track of any human creature, nor the least reason to suspect one, as the doors were all fast, and the keys in the custody of the commissioners. It was therefore unanimously agreed, that the power who did this mischief must have entered the room at the key-hole. The night following, Sharp the secretary, with two of the commissioners servants, as they were in bed in the same room, which room was contiguous to that where the commissioners lay, had their bed's feet lifted up so much higher than their heads, that they expected to have their necks broken, and then they were let fall at once with so much violence as shook the whole house, and more than ever terrified the commissioners. On the night of the 19th, as all were in bed in the same room for greater safety, and lights burning by them, the candles in an instant went out with a sulphurous smell, and that moment many trenchers of wood were hurled about the room, which next morning were found to be the same their honours had eaten on the day before, which were all removed from the pantry, though not a lock was found opened in the whole house. The next night they fare'd still worse; the candles went out as before, the curtains of their honours beds were rattled to and fro with great violence; their honours received many cruel blows and bruises, by eight great pewter-dishes and a number of wooden trenchers being thrown on their beds, which being heaved off, were heard rolling about the room, though in the morning none of these were to be seen. This night likewise they were alarmed with the tumbling down of oaken billets about their beds, and other frightful noises; but all was clear in the morning, as if no such thing happened. The next night the keeper of the king's house and his dog lay in the commissioners room, and then they had no disturbance. But on the night of the 22d, though the dog lay in the room as before, yet the candles went out, a number of brick-bats fell from the chimney into the room, the dog howled pitifully, their bed clothes were all stripped off, and their terror increased. On the 24th they thought all the wood of the king's oak was violently thrown down by their bed sides; they counted 64 billets that fell, and some hit and shook the beds in which they lay; but in the morning none were found there, nor had the door been opened where the billet wood was kept. The next night the candles were put out, the curtains rattled, and a dreadful crack like thunder was heard; and one of the servants running in haste, thinking his master was killed, found three dozen of trenchers laid smoothly under the quilt by him. But all this was nothing to what succeeded afterwards: The 29th, about midnight, the candles went out, something walked majestically through the room, and opened and shut the windows; great stones were thrown violently into the room, some of which fell on the beds, others on the floor; and at about a quarter after one a noise was heard as of forty cannon discharged together, and again repeated at about eight minutes distance. This alarmed and raised all the neighbourhood, who coming into their honours room, gathered up the great stones, fourscore in number, and laid them by in the corner of a field, where, in Dr Plot's time, who reports this story, they were to be seen. This noise, like the discharge of cannon, was heard through all the country for 16 miles round. During these noises, which were heard in both rooms together, the commissioners and their servants gave one another over for lost, and cried out for help; and Giles Sharp, snatching up a sword, had well nigh killed one of their honours, mistaking him for the spirit, as he came in his shirt from his own room to theirs. While they were together, the noise was continued, and part of the tiling of the house was stript off, and all the windows of an upper room were taken away with it. On the 30th at midnight something walked into the chamber treading like a bear; it walked many times about, then threw the warming-pan violently on the floor; at the same time a large quantity of broken glass, accompanied with great stones and horses bones, came pouring into the room with uncommon force. These were all found in the morning to the astonishment and terror of the commissioners, who were yet determined to go on with their business. But on the first of November the most dreadful scene of all ensued: Candles in every part of the room were lighted up, and a great fire made; at midnight, the candles all yet burning, a noise like the bursting of a cannon was heard in the room, and the burning billets were tossed about by it even into their honours beds; who called Giles and his companions to their relief, otherwise the house had been burnt to the ground; about an hour after the candles went out as usual, the crack as if many cannon was heard, and many pailfuls of green stinking water were thrown upon their honours beds; great stones were also thrown in as before, the bed curtains and bedsteads torn and broken, the windows shattered, and the whole neighbourhood alarmed with the most dreadful noises; nay, the very rabbit-stealers that were abroad that night in the warren were so terrified, that they fled for fear and left their ferrets behind them. One of their honours this night spoke, and, in the name of God, asked what it was, and why it disturbed them so? No answer was given to this; but the noise ceased for a while, when the spirit came again; and, as they all agreed, brought with it seven devils worse than itself. One of the servants now lighted a large candle, and set it in the door-way between the two chambers, to see what passed; and as he watched it, he plainly saw a hoof striking the candle and candlestick into the middle of the room, and afterwards making three scrapes over the stuff, scraped it out. Upon this the same person was so bold as to draw a sword; but he had scarce got it out when he felt another invisible hand holding it too, and pulling it from him; and at length prevailing, struck him so violently on the head with the pommel, that he fell down for dead with the blow. At this instant was heard another burst like the discharge of the broadside of a ship of war, and at about a minute or two's distance each no less than 19 more such: these shook the house so violently, that they expected every moment it would fall upon their heads. The neighbours, on this, as has been said, being all alarmed, flocked to the house in great numbers, and all joined in prayer and psalm singing; during which the noise still continued in the other rooms, and the discharge of cannons was heard as from without, though no visible agent was seen to discharge them. But what was the most alarming of all, and put an end to their proceedings effectually, happened the next day as they were all at dinner, when a paper, in which they had signed a mutual agreement to reserve a part of the premises out of the general survey, and afterwards to share it equally amongst themselves, (which paper they had hid for the present under the earth in a pot in one corner of the room, and in which an orange-tree grew), was confirmed in a wonderful manner, by the earth's taking fire with which the pot was filled, and burning violently with a blue flame, and an intolerable stench; so that they were all driven out of the house, to which they could never again be prevailed upon to return.

This wonderful contrivance was all the invention of the memorable Joseph Collins of Oxford, otherwise called Funny Joe, who having hired himself as secretary, under the name of Giles Sharp, by knowing the private traps belonging to the house, and the help of pubis fulminans and other chemical preparations, and letting his fellow-ferrets into the scheme, carried on the deceit without discovery to the very last; insomuch that the Dr Plot, in his Natural History, relates the whole for fact, and concludes in this grave manner, "That though tricks have been often played in affairs of this kind, many of the things above related are not reconcilable with juggling; such as the loud noises, beyond the power of man to make without such instruments as were not there; the tearing and breaking the beds; the throwing about the fire; the hoof treading out the candle; and the striving for the sword, and the blow the man received from the pommel of it."

Spectre of the Broken, a singular phenomenon observed on the top of the Broken, one of the Hartz mountains in Hanover, of which M. Haue has given the following account. "After having been here (says he) for the thirtieth time, and having procured information respecting the above-mentioned atmospheric phenomenon, I was at length, on the 23d of May 1797, so fortunate as to have the pleasure of seeing it; and perhaps my description may afford satisfaction to others who visit the Broken through curiosity. The sun rose about four o'clock, and, the atmosphere being quite serene towards the east, his rays could pass without any obstruction over the Heinrichshöhe. In the south-west, how- ever, towards Achtermannshöhe, a brisk west wind carried before it thin transparent vapours, which were not yet condensed into thick heavy clouds.

"About a quarter past four I went towards the inn, and looked round to see whether the atmosphere would permit me to have a free prospect to the south-west; when I observed, at a very great distance towards Achtermannshöhe, a human figure of a monstrous size. A violent gust of wind having almost carried away my hat, I clapped my hand to it by moving my arm towards my head, and the colossal figure did the same.

"The pleasure which I felt on this discovery can hardly be described; for I had already walked many a weary step in the hopes of seeing this shadowy image, without being able to gratify my curiosity. I immediately made another movement by bending my body, and the colossal figure before me repeated it. I was desirous of doing the same thing once more—but my colossus had vanished. I remained in the same position, waiting to see whether it would return; and in a few minutes it again made its appearance on the Achtermannshöhe. I paid my respects to it a second time, and it did the same to me. I then called the landlord of the Broken; and having both taken the same position which I had taken alone, we looked towards the Achtermannshöhe, but saw nothing. We had not, however, stood long, when two such colossal figures were formed over the above eminence, which repeated our compliments by bending their bodies as we did; after which they vanished. We retained our position; kept our eyes fixed on the same spot, and in a little the two figures again stood before us, and were joined by a third. Every movement that we made by bending our bodies these figures imitated—but with this difference, that the phenomenon was sometimes weak and faint, sometimes strong and well defined. Having thus had an opportunity of discovering the whole secret of this phenomenon, I can give the following information to such of my readers as may be desirous of seeing it themselves. When the rising sun, and according to analogy the case will be the same at the setting sun, throws his rays over the Broken upon the body of a man standing opposite to fine light clouds floating around or hovering past him, he needs only fix his eyes steadfastly upon them, and, in all probability, he will see the singular spectacle of his own shadow extending to the length of five or fix hundred feet, at the distance of about two miles before him."