“By th’ _Music Haw Journal_ aw see too that Stead, th’ original Cure, un’ Mestur Ware, th’ author uv so monny comic sungs, are to appear next wick. Booath o’ theese chaps aw seed i’ Lunnun, when aw went to look at th’ Eggsibishun; un’, my word, if they dunnot make Lankishire foak lowf away aw unpleasant dreoms, un’ shift aw th’ bile left by th’ ghost, awm no judge, that’s aw! So, there’s no need to despair. As Shakspere says, ‘Shadows avaunt!’ un’ make way for substanshul entertainments.—Yours gradely, “August 7, 1863. KIT SKEWIFT.” Towards the end of May, 1863, the audiences increased enormously at the Royal Polytechnic, so that it became necessary to have a select afternoon performance, the admission fee being raised from 1s. to 2s. 6d. on Saturday mornings only. It was at this period that I was honoured with a visit from their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales and suite; and after the performance had been witnessed by them, I showed the Prince and Princess how the ghost was raised, and explained to my distinguished audience all the machinery and appliances used. Some of the suite amused the Prince by becoming ghosts, and the following notice appeared the next morning in the _Times_, May 20th, 1863:— “Yesterday morning, by special command, Professor Pepper had the honour of delivering his ghost lecture before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse, who were attended by the Countess of Macclesfield, Baroness Von Schenck, Major Teesdale, and Captain Westerweller. The distinguished party were received by Professor Pepper, and after being conducted round the galleries passed to the large theatre, where a commodious Royal box had been prepared for their reception. At the conclusion of the lecture, by the invitation of Professor Pepper, they went behind the scenes, and examined with much interest the machinery and appliances for producing the Polytechnic ‘ghost.’ At the conclusion, their Royal Highnesses graciously thanked the directors of the institution, and after shaking hands with Professor Pepper, retired.”—_The Times, May 20th, London, England._ “The ghosts of the Polytechnic, which manifest themselves as a startling appendix to Mr. Pepper’s ‘Strange Lecture’ on optical illusions, have proved singularly attractive, and when the hour arrives for their appearance the lecture room becomes as crowded as the pit of a theatre on the night of Boxing-day.”—_(Second Notice), The Times, Jan. 20th, London, England._ The real element of success in the production of “The Strange Story,” however, must be assigned to the ghost. So many base and servile imitators now appeared with a sorry imitation of the Polytechnic ghost that it became necessary to send the following advertisement to all the London papers:—