tre, with eyes sunk, meagre
countenance, and threatening aspect, is standing at her elbow. And an
Officer in the Guards, of my acquaintance, who has often, abroad, shewn
no concern in marching up to the mouth of a cannon, has not courage
enough to be in the dark without company. As I take the fear of ghosts,
like all other prejudices, to be imbibed in our infancy, I would
recommend this advice to parents--to use the utmost care, that the minds
of their children are not vitiated by their servants' tales of ghosts,
hobgoblins, and bugbears; which, though told to please, or frighten them
into good, seldom fail of producing the very worst effects.

There are some who are ghost-mad, and terrify themselves, because the
Scripture has mentioned the appearance of ghosts. I shall not dispute,
but, by the power of God, an incorporeal being may be visible to human
eyes; but then, an all-wise Power would not have recourse to a
preternatural effect but on some important occasion. Therefore, my
intention is only to laugh a ridiculous fear out of the world, by
shewing on what absurd and improbable foundations the common nature of
ghosts and apparitions are built.

In the country, there are generally allowed to be two sorts of
ghosts;--the vulgar ghost, and the ghost of dignity. The latter is
always the spirit of some Lord of the Manor, or Justice of the Peace,
who, still desirous to see how affairs go on in his parish, rattles
through it in a coach and six, much about midnight. This ghost is, in
every respect, the very same man that the person whom he represents was
in his life-time. Nay, the spirit, though incorporeal, has on its body
all the marks which the Squire had on his; the scar on the cheek, the
dimple on the chin, and twenty other demonstrative signs, which are
visible to any old woman in the parish, that can _see clearly in a dark
night_!

The ghost keeps up to the character of a good old grave gentleman, who
is heartily sorry to think his son will not live upon his estate, but
rambles up to London, and runs it out, perhaps, in extravagance. He
therefore does nothing inconsistent with the gravity of his character;
but, still retaining the generous heart of a true Briton, keeps up his
equipage, and loves good living and hospitality; for, a little time
after the coach and six has, with a solemn rumble, passed through the
village into his own court-yard, there is a great noise heard in the
house, of servants running up and d