THE INVISIBLE IMPALPABLE GHOST
— * Among persons who suffer from overwork and too prolonged and assiduous attention to business, may be mentioned the Invisible Palpable Ghost, When this Ghoßt was first introduced to the scene of bis labors, to the pages of romance, some other investigator may decide. He first came forward, to the best of my knowledge, m a short story by an IrishAmerican author, Fitz James O'Brien which was published before 1860. Then he began to hsunt an English magazine, for his adventures had "won their way to the mythioal," aa Thucydides, had got into oral tradition and thenc9 were ' wrought into literary shap9 by some author who did not know -that the Ghost had already walked— ln an American periodical. I next met him m a Bhnrt story by Mr Wilkie Collins, Mrs Zaot and the Ghost, (see Little Novels vol 1., p. 1. Ohatto and Windas, 1887). Here the Ghost, though still visible and palpable, wbb really a very good Bort of fellow. He haa crossed the Channel and will be fouud by the curious m Le Horla, a new volume of ehort stories by M Guy de Maupassant (Ollendor^ Paris, 1887). Le Horla is only the first conte, whioh gives a name to the book. The Horla, then, ia a palpable but commonly invisible Ghoßt which haucta a man's bedroom— the man is bachelor, of ocurßß. It drinks the water m bis water-bottle, and makes him thirsty, add when be wakens, thirsty he remains, and frightanod too. It gathers roues m his garden. It reada bocks m his library, the leaves turning regularly under an invisible hand. I think I would not seriously quarral with a ghost who waa fond of books Perhaps he might also ba fond of turning out copy. I would merely say to him, * Juat verify theee references to Higglnus.and Pherlcydes, my dear Horla ; write me a ballad for the,. Sign of tho Ship, finiah a review of Mr Lecky'a History, of England and then come up to Lords about tea time. You will find the cigarettes on tho chimuey piece.' If a g'lost can read a ghost can write ; if a ghost can drink a ghoßt oan smoke ; if a ghost can gather roses, he may like to ccc a good catch made. One might find a great deal of company m a Horla ; but M. Gay de Maapaaaant'a hero never thought oPthie; he tried to kill hi? Horla. He chut him up m a room and set fire to his house He forgot to warn the servants, and there is every reason, we fear, to believe that ha did not warn the insurance office. How the Horla took it nobody knows. On the whole it seems desirable that Horlas thould be allowed a holiday. . They don't improve aa they go on. O'Brien's Horla waa infinitely the beat of (ho family, or (if they are all the same Horla) he was fresher then, more Vigorous, and more appalling. He has no wife and was not a literary oharacter.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1715, 21 November 1887, Page 3
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507THE INVISIBLE IMPALPABLE GHOST Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1715, 21 November 1887, Page 3
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