It would be hard to find in
the annals of the drama another instance of such an assembly of
apparitions present upon the stage at the same time.
In Otway's tragedy of "Venice Preserved," the ghosts of Jaffier and
Pierre, which confronted the distracted Belvidera in the last scene,
were for a long time very popular apparitions, although in later
performances of the play it was thought proper to omit them, and to
allow the audience to imagine their presence, or to conclude that
Belvidera only fancied that she saw them. Here, however, is the
extract from the original play:
BELVIDERA. Ha! look there!
[_The Ghosts of Jaffier and Pierre rise together, both bloody._
My husband bloody, and his friend too! Murder!
Who has done this? Speak to me, thou sad vision!
[_Ghosts sink._
On these poor trembling knees, I beg it. Vanished!
Here they went down. Oh! I'll dig, dig the den up.
You shan't delude me thus. Ho! Jaffier, Jaffier,
Peep up and give me but a look. I have him!
I've got him, father! Oh, now I'll smuggle him!
My love! my dear! my blessing! help me! help me!
They have hold on me, and drag me to the bottom.
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