Who gather round, and wonder at the tale Of horrid apparition, tall and ghastly, That walks at dead of night, or takes his stand Oer some new-opend grave; and, (strange to tell!) Evanishes at crowing of the cock. BlairThe Grave. L. 67.
The unexpected disappearance of Mr. Canning from the scene, followed by the transient and embarrassed phantom of Lord Goderich. (Quoted, He flits across the stage a transient and embarrassed phantom.) Benj. DisraeliEndymian. Ch. III.
So many ghosts, and forms of fright, Have started from their graves to-night, They have driven sleep from mine eyes away; I will go down to the chapel and pray. LongfellowThe Golden Legend. Pt. IV.
All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear, All intellect, all sense, and as they please They limb themselves, and colour, shape, or size Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare. MiltonParadise Lost. Bk. VI. L. 350.
I can call spirits from the vasty deep. Why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them? Henry IV. Pt. I. Act III. Sc. 1. L. 52.
What are these, So witherd, and so wild in their attire; That look not like the inhabitants o th earth, And yet are on t? Macbeth. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 39.
Now it is the time of night, That the graves, all gaping wide, Every one lets forth his sprite, In the church-way paths to glide. Midsummer Nights Dream. Act V. Sc. 1. L. 386.
My people too were scared with eerie sounds, A footstep, a low throbbing in the walls, A noise of falling weights that never fell, Weird whispers, bells that rang without a hand, Door-handles turnd when none was at the door, And bolted doors that opend of themselves; And one betwixt the dark and light had seen Her, bending by the cradle of her babe. TennysonThe Ring.
I look for ghosts; but none will force Their way to me; tis falsely said That even there was intercourse Between the living and the dead. WordsworthAffliction of Margaret.