Cock Lane and Common-Sense

Cock Lane and Common-Sense is a book written by Andrew Lang a Scottish writer and folklorist. The book is a critical examination of a notorious case of alleged haunting that occurred in London in the mid-18th century known as the Cock Lane ghost. The case began when a young girl named Elizabeth Parsons claimed to be visited by the ghost of a deceased man named William Kent who had supposedly been murdered by his wife. The story quickly gained attention in the press and attracted a great deal of public interest. However Lang approaches the case with skepticism and seeks to uncover the truth behind the alleged haunting. Using a combination of historical research legal analysis and critical thinking Lang examines the evidence presented by both sides of the case and exposes the various inconsistencies and contradictions in the story. He argues that the case was a hoax perpetrated by the girls father and others involved in the case who sought to gain money and notoriety from the sensational story. Through his examination of the Cock Lane ghost case Lang offers a broader critique of superstition and credulity in society and emphasizes the importance of using reason and critical thinking to approach extraordinary claims.