The Best Ghost Stories

This relation is matter of fact, and attended with such circumstances, as mayinduce any reasonable man to believe it. It was sent by a gentleman, ajustice of peace, at Maidstone, in Kent, and a very intelligent person, tohis friend in London, as it is here worded; which discourse is attested by avery sober and understanding gentlewoman, a kinswoman of the saidgentleman's, who lives in Canterbury, within a few doors of the house inwhich the within-named Mrs. Bargrave lives; who believes his kinswoman to beof so discerning a spirit, as not to be put upon by any fallacy; and whopositively assured him that the whole matter, as it is related and laid down,is really true; and what she herself had in the same words, as near as maybe, from Mrs. Bargrave's own mouth, who, she knows, had no reason to inventand publish such a story, or any design to forge and tell a lie, being awoman of much honesty and virtue, and her whole life a course, as it were, ofpiety. The use which we ought to make of it, is to consider, that there is alife to come after this, and a just God, who will retribute to every oneaccording to the deeds done in the body; and therefore to reflect upon ourpast course of life we have led in the world; that our time is short anduncertain; and that if we would escape the punishment of the ungodly, andreceive the reward of the righteous, which is the laying hold of eternallife, we ought, for the time to come, to return to God by a speedyrepentance, ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well: to seek after Godearly, if happily He may be found of us, and lead such lives for the future,as may be well pleasing in His sight.