Originally published in Terrific Register (Sherwood, Jones, and Co.; 1825) vol.2.
The following relation has been given in the foreign and some of our own journals, with strong marks of authenticity, and may be considered, perhaps, the most extraordinary of its class any where to be found:—
Professor Kœmpfer, of the University of Strasburgh, in the former part of his life, resided at Frankfort on the Maine, where be exercised the profession of a physician. One day being invited to dine with a party of gentlemen, after dinner, as is the custom in Germany, coffee was brought in; an animated conversation commenced, various subjects were introduced, and at length the discourse turned upon apparitions, &c. Kœmpfer was amongst those who strenuously combatted the idea of supernatural visitations, as preposterous and absurd in the highest degree. A gentleman, who was a captain in the army, with equal zeal supported the opposite side of the question.
The question was long and warmly contended, both being men of superior talents, till in the end the attention of the whole company was engrossed by the dispute. At length the captain proposed to Kœmpfer to accompany him that evening to his country house, where, if he did not convince him of supernatural agency, he would then allow himself in the estimation of the present company, to whom he appealed as judges of the controversy, to be defeated. The professor, with a laugh, instantly consented to the proposal, if the captain, on his honor, would promise, that no trick should be played off upon him: the captain readily gave his word and honor that no imposition or trick should be resorted to, and here for the present the matter rested. Wine and tobacco circulated briskly, and the afternoon passed in the utmost harmony and conviviality. The captain took his glass cheerfully, while Kœmpfer prudently reserved himself, to be completely on his guard against any manœuvre that might be practised in order to deceive him, or, as he properly observed, "to be in full and sober possession of all his faculties, that whatever should be presented to his sight, might be examined through the medium of his reason."
The company broke up at rather an early hour, and the Captain and Kœmpfer set out together on their spiritual adventure. When they drew near the Captain's house, he suddenly stopped near the entrance to a solemn grove of trees. They descended from their vehicle, and walked towards the grove. The Captain traced a large circle on the ground, into which he requested Kœmpfer to enter. He then solemnly asked him if he possessed sufficient resolution to remain there alone to complete the adventure; to which Kœmpfer replied in the affirmative. He added further, "whatsoever you may witness stir not, I charge you, from this spot, till you see me again; if you step beyond this circle, it will be your immediate destruction." He then left the professor to his own meditations, who could not refrain from smiling at what he thought the assumed solemnity of his acquaintance, and the whimsical situation in which he was placed.
The night was clear and frosty, and the stars shone with a peculiar brilliancy: he looked around on all sides to observe from whence he might expect his ghostly visitant. He directed his regards towards the grove of trees; he perceived a small spark of fire at a considerable distance within its gloomy shade. It advanced nearer; he then concluded it was a torch borne by some person who was in the Captain's secret, and who was to personate a ghost. It advanced nearer and nearer—the light increased—it approached the edge of the circle wherein he was placed. "It was then," to use his own expressions, "I seemed surrounded with a fiery atmosphere: the heavens and every object before visible was excluded from my sight."
But now a figure of the most undefinable description absorbed his whole attention; his imagination had never yet conceived any thing so truly fearful. What appeared to him the more remarkable, was an awful benignity portrayed in its countenance, and with which it appeared to regard him. He contemplated for a while this dreadful object, but at length fear began insensibly to arrest his faculties. He sunk down on his knees to implore the protection of heaven; he remarked, for his eyes were still rivetted on the mysterious appearance, which remained stationary, and earnestly regarded him, that at every repetition of the name of the Almighty, it assumed a more benignant expression of countenance, whilst a terrific brilliancy gleamed from its eyes.
He fell prostrate on the ground, fervently imploring heaven to remove from him the object of his terrors. After a while he raised his head, and beheld the mysterious light fading by degrees in the gloomy shades of the grove from which it issued. It soon entirely disappeared, and the Captain joined him almost at the same moment. During their walk to the Captain's house, which was close at hand, the Captain asked his companion, "Are you convinced that what you have now witnessed was supernatural?"
Kœmpfer replied, "he could not give a determinate answer to that question; he could not on natural principles account for what he had seen, it certainly was not like any thing earthly, he therefore begged to be excused from saying any more on a subject he could not comprehend."
The Captain replied, "he was sorry he was not convinced;" and added with a sigh, "he was still more sorry that he had ever attempted to convince him." Thus far it may be considered as no more than a common phantasmagorical trick, played off on the credulity of the Professor, but in the end the performer paid dearly for his exhibition: be had, like a person ignorant of a complicated piece of machinery, given impetus to a power which he had not the knowledge to control, and which in the end proves fatal to him who puts it into motion.
Kœmpfer how assumed a gaiety which was very foreign to his feelings; his thoughts, in spite of his endeavours, were perpetually recurring to the events of the evening; but in proportion as he forced conversation, the Captain evidently declined it, becoming more and more thoughtful and abstracted every moment.
After supper Kœmpfer challenged his friend to take a glass of wine, hoping it would rouse him from those reflections which seemed to press so heavily on his mind. But the wine and the Professor's discourse were alike disregarded; nothing could dispel the settled melancholy which seemed to deprive him of the power of speech. Immediately after supper the Captain ordered all his servants to bed. It drew towards midnight, and he remained still absorbed in thought, but apparently not wishing to retire to bed. Kœmpfer was silently sitting smoking his pipe, when, on a sudden, a heavy step was heard in the passage; it approached the room in which they were sitting—a knock was heard: the Captain raised his head and looked mournfully at Kœmpfer.
The knock was repeated—both were silent: a third knock was heard, and Kœmpfer broke the silence by asking bis friend why he did not order the person in. Ere the Captain could reply, the room door was flung wildly opens when behold! the same dreadful appearance which Kœmpfer had ready witnessed stood in the door-way. its awful benignity of countenance was now changed into the most appalling and terrific frown. A large dog which was in the room crept whining and trembling behind the Captain's chair.
For a few moments the figure remained stationary, and then motioned the Captain to follow it: he rushed towards the door—the figure receded before him, and Kœmpfer determined to accompany his friend, followed with the dog. They proceeded unobstructed into the court-yard; the doors and gates seemed to open spontaneously before them. From the court-yard they passed into the open fields; Kœmpfer, with the dog, were about twenty or thirty paces behind the Captain. At length they reached the spot near to the entrance of the grove, where the circle was traced; the figure stood still, when on a sudden a bright column of flame shot up, a loud shriek was heard, a heavy body seemed to fall from a considerable height, and in a moment all was silence and darkness.
Kœmpfer called loudly on the captain, but received no answer. Alarmed for the safety of his friend, he fled back to the house, and quickly assembled the family. They proceeded to the spot, and found the apparently lifeless body of the Captain stretched on the ground. The Professor ascertained, on examination, that the heart still beat faintly; he was instantly conveyed home, and all proper means were resorted to to restore animation; he revived a little, and seemed sensible of their attentions, but remained speechless till his death, which took place in three days after.
Down one side, from head to foot, the flesh was livid and black, as if from a fall or severe bruise. The affair was hushed up in the immediate neighbourhood, and his sudden death was attributed to apoplexy.
Note: Text reformatted for legibility.