The Kirk-Session and its Duties. 205 



evening, taking with him a member of the Session and 

 his own servant. His first care was to pray with the 

 family of seven sons, and the next to take what pre- 

 cautions he could with a view to prevent being imposed 

 upon, and, if possible, to unravel the matter. After 

 some hours waiting, a voice was heard at a little window 

 of the bedroom in which Geordie Watt slept, " pro- 

 nouncing with a very wild and vehement tone " that 

 its owner was come in the name of the Trinity to speak 

 to them all "to men, minister, and all, ' Speak, George 

 Watt, speak, men and minister ! Come here and I will 

 discourse you all,' " said the irrepressible ghost. On 

 hearing the " bold and blasphemous expressions" used, 

 the company were in "the greatest consternation ;" 

 all but the wide-awake parson, who started to his feet 

 and ran outside, making his way to the corner of the 

 house nearest to where the ghost seemed to be. " The 

 appearance which first presented to his view, " says 

 the Session minute, " was about the bulk of ane ordi- 

 nary woman, covered with white clean linnen head and 

 arms down to the middle of the body before, and some- 

 what farther behind. Then, willing to unravel the 

 matter whatever the event should be, he made such a 

 trial of the apparition as he thought agreeable to the 

 principles of the Christian revelation and true philo- 

 sophy ; and by its resistance to the end of a small rod 

 which he had in his hand, he soon found it to be a 

 material substance. And immediately the pretended 

 spirit took itself to its heels, and he running after it a 

 few paces, caught it by the neck, and his servant 

 coming up at the same time on the other side, caught 

 it by the arm. The apparition was brought flat to the 

 ground, and then, being charged as a base imposter to 

 speak, it was silent till he pulled the white vail from 

 its face, whereupon (it being a bright moonshine), he 

 clearly saw that it was the above-named Isobel Mor- 

 timer." 



Alas, poor Tibbie ! What a collapse of her skilfully- 



