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
In short, I take Dreams to be the second Best of the Advantages the
_Devil_ has over Mankind; the first, I suppose, you all know (_viz._)
the Treachery of the Garrison within; by Dreams he may be said to get
into the Inside of us without Opposition; here he opens and locks
without a Key, and like an Enemy laying siege to a fortified City,
Reason and Nature, the Governor of the City, keep him out by Day, and
keep the Garrison true to their Duty; but in the Dark he gets in and
parlees with the Garrison (the Affections and Passions) Debauches their
Loyalty, stirring up them to Disloyalty and Rebellion, so they betray
their Trust, Revolt, Mutiny, and go over to the Besieger.
Thus he manages his Interest, I say, and insinuates himself into the
Inside of us, without our Consent, nay, without our Knowledge; for
whatever Speculation may do, 'tis evident Demonstration does not assist
us to discover which Way he gets Access to the Soul, while the Organ
tied up, and dozed with Sleep has lock'd it up from Action; that it is
so is clear, but how he does it is a Secret which I do not find the
Antients or Moderns have yet made a Discovery of.
That Devil of a Creature, Mother _Lakland_, whose Story I mention'd
above, acknowledg'd that the first Time the _Devil_ attempted to draw
her in to be a Witch was in a Dream, and even when she consented, she
said, she was between sleeping and waking; that is, she did not know
whether she was awake or asleep, and the cunning Devil it seems was
satisfied with her Assent given so, when she was asleep, or neither
asleep or awake, so taking the Advantage of her Incapacity to act
rationally.
The Stories of her bewitching several People, and the manner in which
they died, are so formidable and extravagant, that I care not to put any
one's Faith to the stretch about them, tho' publish'd by Authority, and
testified by Abundance of Witnesses; but this is recorded in particular,
and to my Purpose, whether from her own Mouth or not, I do not say,
namely, the Description of a Witch, and the Difference between Witches,
and those other of Satan's Acquaintance who act in his Name.
1. They have consulted and covenanted with a Spirit or _Devil_.
2. They have a Deputy _Devil_, sometimes several to serve and
assist them.
3. These they employ as they please, call them by Name, and command
their Appearance in whatever Shape they think fit.
4. They send them abroad to or into the Persons who they design to
bewitch, who they always torment, and often murther them, as Mother
_Lakland_ did several.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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