BROWN, J.H. Spectropia or Surprising Spectral Illustrations. Showing ghosts everywhere and of any colour. Griffith & Farran. 1884.
Square 8vo. Original illustrated boards; pp. 11, 16 colour plates; boards a little soiled to edges, remnant of small circular library label to upper left corner, internally extremely clean, very good.
First edition. Very scarce. This fascinating collection of highly coloured ghoulish illustrations was in fact a serious attempt by the author to challenge and debunk the tricks of Victorian spiritualists. Staring intently at a fixed spot in an illustration produces an impression on the retina that persists for some time after looking away, which proves that the eye can be deceived and that the unscrupulous medium can use such tricks to produce manifestations of the spirit world. Whether you are a believer or a sceptic, the depictions of the ghosts are weird, wild and wonderful.
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