Stevensonsingstheperilsandtheemotions。AllofuswhodidnotsufferunderparentsbroughtupontheviewsofMr。HerbertSpencerhaveendured，inchildhood，agooddealfromghosts。ButitisnothingtowhatJapanesechildrenbear，forourghostsaretothespectresofJapanasmoonlightistosunlight，oraswateruntowhisky。PersonallyImaysaythatfewpeoplehavebeenplaguedbytheterrorthatwalkethindarknessmorethanmyself。AttheearlyageoftenIhadthetalesoftheingeniousMr。EdgarPoeandofCharlotteBronte\"putintomyhands\"byacousinwhohadservedasaBashiBazouk，andknewnotthemeaningoffear。ButIDID，andperhapsevenNelsonwouldhavefoundout\"whatfearwas，\"ortheboyintheNorsetalewouldhave\"learnedtoshiver，\"ifhehadbeenleftalonetoperuse\'JaneEyre，\'andthe\'BlackCat，\'andthe\'FalloftheHouseofUsher，\'asIwas。EverynightIexpectedtowakeupinmycoffin，havingbeenprematurelyburied；ortohearsighsinthearea，followedbylight，unsteadyfootstepsonthestairs，andthentoseealadyallinawhiteshroudstainedwithbloodandclaystaggerintomyroom，thevictimoftoorapidinterment。Astothenotionthatmyrespectedkinsmanhadamadwifeconcealedonthepremises，andthatalunaticaunt，blackinthefacewithsuppressedmania，wouldburstintomychamber，itwascomparativelyaharmlessfancy，andnotparticularlydisturbing。Betweentheseandthe\'YellowDwarf，\'who（thoughonlytheinventionoftheCountessD\'Aulnoy）mightfrightenanervousinfantintohysterics，I
personallyhadasbadatimeofitinthenightwatchesasanyhappyBritishchildhassurvived。ButourogresarenothingtothebogieswhichmakenotonlynightbutdayterribletothestudiousinfantsofJapanandChina。
ChineseghostsareprobablymuchthesameasJapaneseghosts。TheJapanesehaveborrowedmostthings，includingapparitionsandawesomespritesandgrislyfiends，fromtheChinese，andthenhaveimprovedontheoriginalmodel。Nowwehaveaveryfull，complete，andhorror-strikingaccountofChineseharnts（asthecountrypeopleinTennesseecallthem）fromMr。HerbertGiles，whohastranslatedscoresofChineseghoststoriesinhis\'StrangeTalesfromaChineseStudio\'（DelaRue，1880）。Mr。Giles\'svolumesprovethatChinaistheplaceforMessrs。GurneyandMyers，thesecretariesofthePsychicalSociety。
Ghostsdonotliveahole-and-cornerlifeinChina，butboldlycomeoutandtaketheirpartinthepleasuresandbusinessoflife。Ithasalwaysbeenaquestionwithmewhetherghosts，inahauntedhouse，appearwhenthereisnoaudience。WhatdoesthespectreinthetapestriedchamberdowhenthehouseisNOTfull，andnoguestisputintheroomtoburystrangersin，thehauntedroom？Doestheghostsulkandcomplainthatthereis\"nohouse，\"andrefusetorehearsehislittleperformance，inaconscientiousanddisinterestedlyartisticspirit，whendeprivedoftheartist\'struepleasure，theawakeningofsympatheticemotioninthemindofthespectator？Wegivetoolittlethoughtandsympathytoghosts，whoinouroldcastlesandcountryhousesoftenfindnoonetoappeartofromyear\'sendtoyear\'s-end。Onlynowandthenisaguestplacedinthe\"hauntedroom。\"ThenIliketofancythegleeoftheladyingreenortheradiantboy，ortheheadlessman，ortheoldgentlemaninsnuff-colouredclothes，ashe，orshe，recognisesthepresenceofaspectator，andpreparestogivehisorherbesteffectsinthefamiliarstyle。
NowinChinaandJapancertainlyaghostdoesnotwaittillpeopleenterthehauntedroom：aghost，likeapersonoffashion，\"goeseverywhere。\"Moreover，hehasthisartisticexcellence，thatveryoftenyoudon\'tknowhimfromanembodiedperson。Hecounterfeitsmortalitysocleverlythathe（theghost）hasbeenknowntopersonateacandidateforhonours，andpassanexaminationforhim。