when, towards the
commencement of the present century, melodrama was first brought upon
the boards, the novels of Mrs. Radcliffe were being dramatised, and
such pieces as "The Tale of Mystery," "The Bleeding Nun," and "The
Castle Spectre," were obtaining public favour, it was clear that room
was being made for the stage ghost; the way was cleared for it to
become the be-all and the end-all of the performance, the prominent
attraction of the evening.

Here is an extract from Lewis's "Castle Spectre," including certain
stage directions, by no means the least important part of the play.

_Enter_ HASSAN, _hastily_.

HASSAN. My lord, all is lost! Percy has surprised the castle,
and speeds this way!

OSMOND. Confusion! Then I must be sudden! Aid me, Hassan!

HASSAN _and_ OSMOND _force_ ANGELA _from her father, who
suddenly disengages himself from_ MULEY _and_ ALARIC. OSMOND,
_drawing his sword, rushes upon_ REGINALD, _who is disarmed, and
beaten upon his knees; when at the moment that_ OSMOND _lifts
his arm to stab him,_ EVELINA'S _ghost throws herself between
them_. OSMOND _starts back and drops his sword._

OSMOND. Horror! What form is this?

ANGELA. Die!

_Disengages herself from_ HASSAN, _who springs suddenly forward,
and plunges her dagger in_ OSMOND'S _bosom, who falls with a
loud groan and faints. The ghost vanishes._ ANGELA _and_
REGINALD _rush into each other's arms._

"The Castle Spectre" enjoyed great success. It was supported by the
whole strength of the Drury Lane company, John Kemble appearing as
Earl Percy, and Mrs. Jordan as the heroine, and was repeated some
fifty nights during its first season.

It may be worth recording that in the course of the play, the great
John Kemble was required to execute, not exactly what is now known as
a "sensation header," but still a gymnastic feat of some difficulty
and danger. Earl Percy has something of the agility of a harlequin
about him, and when he obtains admission into his enemy's castle to
rescue Angela, he is required to climb from a sofa up to a gothic
window high above him, and then, alarmed by the approach of his negro
sentinels, to fall from the height flat again at full length upon his
sofa, and to pretend to be asleep as his guards had previously left
him. Kemble is said to have done this "as boldly and suddenly as if
he had been shot." When people complimented him upon