The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two Parts — John Shaqi
The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two PartsDefoe, Daniel
Philosophy
The History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two Parts
Defoe, Daniel
Devil -- Early works to 1800
Produced by Michael Roe, Stephanie Eason, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries.)
THE
HISTORY
OF THE
DEVIL,
AS WELL
ANCIENT as MODERN:
IN TWO PARTS.
PART I.
Containing a State of the _Devil_'s Circumstances, and the various
Turns of his Affairs; from his Expulsion out of Heaven, to the
_Creation_ of Man; with Remarks on the Several Mistakes concerning
the Reason and Manner of his Fall.
Also his Proceedings with _Mankind_ ever since _Adam_, to the first
planting of the Christian Religion in the World.
PART II.
Containing his more private Conduct, down to the present Times: His
Government, his Appearances, his manner of Working, and the Tools
he works with.
_Bad as he is, the Devil may be abus'd,_
_Be falsly charg'd, and causelesly accus'd,_
_When Men, unwilling to be blam'd alone,_
_Shift off these Crimes on Him which are their Own._
The SECOND EDITION.
_LONDON:_
Printed for T. WARNER, at the _Black Boy_ in
_Pater-noster Row_. 1727.
The PREFACE
TO THE
SECOND EDITION.
_This Second Edition of this Work, notwithstanding a large Impression of
the First, is a Certificate from the World of its general Acceptation;
so we need not, according to the Custom of Editors, boast of it without
Evidence, or tell a F----b in its Favour._
_The Subject is singular, and it has been handled after a singular
Manner: The wise World has been pleased with it, the merry World has
been diverted with it, and the ignorant World has been taught by it;
none but the malicious part of the World has been offended at it: Who
can wonder, that when the_ Devil _is not pleased,_ his Friends should be
angry?
_The strangest thing of it all is, to hear_ Satan _complain that the
Story is handled prophanely: But who can think it strange that his
Advocates should_ BE, what he was from the Beginning?
_The Author affirms, and has good Vouchers for it (in the Opinion of
such whose Judgment passes with him for an Authority) that the whole
Tenor of the Work is solemn, calculated to promote serious Religion, and
capable of being improv'd in a religious manner. But he does not think
that we are bound never to speak of the_ Devil _but with an Air of
Terror, as if we were always afraid of him._
_'Tis evident the_ Devil, _as subtle and as frightful as he is, has
acted the ridiculous and foolish Part, as much as most of God's
Creatures, and daily does so. And he cannot believe 'tis any Sin to
expose him for a foolish_ Devil, _as he is, or shew the World that he
may be laugh'd at._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account