Jeremy
Taylor tells of a dog which got quite used to a ghost that often
appeared to his master, and used to follow it. In "The Lady in
Black," a dog would jump up and fawn on the ghost and then run away in
a fright. Mr. Wesley's mastiff was much alarmed by the family ghost.
Not to multiply cases, dogs and other animals are easily affected by
whatever it is that makes people think a ghost is present, or by the
conduct of the human beings on these occasions.
Absurd as the subject appears, there are stories of the ghosts of
animals. These may be discussed later; meanwhile we pass from
appearances of the living or dying to stories of appearances of the
dead.
CHAPTER VI
Transition to Appearances of the Dead. Obvious Scientific
Difficulties. Purposeless Character of Modern Ghosts. Theory of Dead
Men's Dreams. Illustrated by Sleep-walking House-maid. Purposeful
Character of the Old Ghost Stories. Probable Causes of the Difference
between Old and New Ghost Stories. Only the most Dramatic were
recorded. Or the Tales were embellished or invented. Practical
Reasons for inventing them.
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