en unaptly termed the
Colossus of Literature. The idea that departed spirits revisited the
earth, probably took its rise from the opinion of the immortality of
the soul, which was very general in both ancient and modern times.[2]
This supposition is most consonant with probability. It is always to
be remarked that this species of superstition is most prevalent in
those countries where learning and reason have made but little
progress. The demons [Greek: Daimones] and genii of former times were
exactly the same as the ghosts of this; the same attributes, the same
power, and the same malice were observed of one, as are now attributed
to the other. By the Chaldeans these demons were divided into two
kinds, good and bad. But as it is foreign to my purpose to enter into
an investigation of the opinions of the ancients on this subject, I
shall content myself with referring the curious reader to Stanley's
_History of Philosophy_, a deservedly popular work.

[2] It must not be supposed that the opinion on the
immortality of the soul was confined either to Christians or
Jews; according to Herodotus, (lib. 2) the Massagetae believed
in the immortality of the soul; the most eminent of the
ancient philosophers invariably advocated that doctrine, one
of the most important in the Christian's Creed.

I shall here recount one of the most extraordinary tales relating to
this subject that I ever heard; I believe the solution is evident, and
I am not aware that it has appeared before; but if it has, some of the
readers of the Mirror may not have seen it.

A surgeon of Edinburgh was confined to his bed by some illness, and at
"the dewy hour of eve," when the room was lighted by nothing but the
glimmering and flickering light of a wood fire, he perceived _a female
sitting at the foot of the bed clothed in white_! Imagining that it
was some defect in his sight, he gazed more intensely at it, still it
was there. He then raised his hand before his eyes and he did not
perceive it; on withdrawing it the apparition was there. Closing his
eyes he went through a mathematical calculation to convince himself he
was in his right senses; upon reopening them he still perceived her
there. The fire then went out and he saw no more. I confess I see no
difficulty in accounting for this, by supposing the gentleman was
afflicted with that horrid disease of which Sir Walter Scott gives
many cases in his _Demonology and Witchcraft._ A