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
These two Heads well settled will fully explain the Title of this
Chapter, answer the Query mentioned in it, and at the same time
correspond very well with, and give us a farther Prospect into the main
and original Design of this Work, _namely, The History of the Devil_. We
are so fond of, and pleased with the general Notion of seeing the
_Devil_, that I am loth to disoblige my Readers so much as calling in
question his Visibility would do. Nor is it my Business, any more than
it is his, to undeceive them, where the Belief is so agreeable to them;
especially since upon the whole 'tis not one Farthing matter, either on
one Side or on the other, whether it be so or no, or whether the Truth
of Fact be ever discovered or not.
Certain it is, whether we see him or no, here he is, and I make no doubt
but he is looking on while I am writing this Part of his Story, whether
behind me, or at my Elbow, or over my Shoulder, is not material to me,
nor have I once turned my Head about to see whether he is there or no;
for if he be not in the Inside, I have so mean an Opinion of all his
extravasated Powers, that it seems of very little Consequence to me what
Shape he takes up, or in what Posture he appears; nor indeed can I find
in all my Enquiry that ever the _Devil_ appear'd (_Qua Devil_) in any
of the most dangerous or important of his Designs in the World; the most
of his Projects, especially of the significant Part of them, having been
carried on another way.
However, as I am satisfied no Body will be pleas'd if I should dispute
the Reality of his Appearance, and the World runs away with it as a
receiv'd Point, and that admits no Dispute, I shall most readily grant
the General, and give you some Account of the Particulars.
History is fruitful of Particulars, whether Invention has supply'd them
or not, I will not say, where the _Devil_ is brought upon the Stage in
plain and undeniable Apparition: The Story of _Samuel_ being rais'd by
the Witch of _Endor_, I shall leave quite out of my List, because there
are so many Scruples and Objections against that Story; and as I shall
not dispute with the Scripture, so on the other hand, I have so much
Deference for the Dignity of the _Devil_, as not to determine rashly how
far it may be in the Power of every old (_Witch_) Woman, to call him up
whenever she pleases, and that he must come, whatever the Pretence is,
or whatever Business of Consequence he may be engaged in, as often as
'tis needful for her to _Pa wa_ for half a Crown, or perhaps less than
half the Money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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