CHAPTER XIV. 



SPECTRAL ILLUSIONS. 

 A SPECTRE VISIBLE CURIOUS ILLUSIONS GHOSTS. 



WE have already given numerous examples of the effects produced by 

 impressions on the retina by mechanical appliances. We can now in a 

 short chapter speak of the cause of many spectral illusions, commonly sup- 

 posed to be " ghosts " or " spirits." That there are many " well-authen- 

 ticated ' ghost stories ' " no one can doubt who has read the literature of 

 the day ; and we ourselves do not in any way desire to throw any doubt 

 upon the existence of certain so-called " ghosts." That appearances of 

 some kind or Another are seen by people we know. We ourselves have 

 seen such, but we cannot say we believe in the popular ghost. 



In ancient times mirrors were much employed by the so-called 

 magicians, and in our day many wonderful ghost effects have been shown 

 at the (late) Polytechnic Institution. Some people are believers in table- 

 turning and spiritualism, and mesmerists still attract large audiences, and 

 appear to possess extraordinary power over some individuals. But appari- 

 tions have been seen by people eminently worthy of credit. The experience 

 of the learned Doctor, which appeared some months ago in the AtJienceum, 

 is a case in point. This narrative is concise and clear. The spectre was 

 there. How did it get there ? Was the " appearance " objective or sub- 

 jective ? Let us give an extract from the Reverend Doctor's narrative, 

 and comment upon it afterwards. We may premise that Dr. Jessopp had 

 gone over to Lord Orford's (Mannington Hall), and at eleven o'clock was 

 busy writing in the library, and was " the only person downstairs." We 

 will give this ghost story in the Doctor's own words. After taking up a 

 certain volume time about I a.m. : 



" I had been engaged on it about half an hour, and was beginning to 

 think my work was drawing to a close, when, as I was actually writing, I 

 saw a large white hand within a foot of my elbow. Turning my head, there 

 sat a figure of a somewhat large man with his back to the fire, bending 

 slightly over the table, and apparently examining the pile of books that I 

 had been at work upon." . . . After describing the appearance of the 

 nocturnal visitor, Dr. Jessopp proceeds : 



" There he sat, and I was fascinated ; afraid not of his staying, but lest 

 he should go. Stopping in my writing I lifted my left hand from the paper, 

 stretched it out to the pile of books, and moved the top one my arm passed 



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