Apparitions Quote by Arthur Conan Doyle
“...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and one a moorland farmer, who all tell the same story of this dreadful apparition, exactly corresponding to the hell-hound of the legend. I assure you that there is a reign of terror in the district, and that it is a hardy man who will cross the moor at night.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, 1902
Multiple reliable rural witnesses independently describe a monstrous glowing hound that matches an old legend, and the fearful community now avoids the moor at night. The report shows the power of shared superstition and credible testimony.
In simple terms: Terrifying hound sightings match legend and paralyze a community with fear.
Key Takeaway
Fear can make a community abandon a place.
Themes
fear
superstition
legend
community
terror
nature
Mood
eerie
fearful
ominous
Type
narrative
descriptive
gothic
When to use this quote
- evaluating eyewitness accounts
- writing horror atmosphere
- understanding local folklore
- risk perception in isolated areas
Key Concepts
collective hysteria
credibility of testimony
the uncanny
Questions to Reflect On
- How do credible witnesses reinforce a legend?
- What does fear do to rational judgment?
A Different Perspective
The description is deliberately sensational and may exaggerate reports to create dread.
