The Political History of the Devil

Irreverent and ironic, this 1726 satire by the author of Robinson Crusoe examines the evolution of evil and the rise of the historical force known as "the devil." Daniel Defoe's passionate and perceptive survey starts with Satan's origins, chronicling the devil's presence in the Bible and his growing sway over humanity. An overview of satanic influences on eighteenth-century life follows, focusing on monarchs and tyrants as well as common folk. Defoe supports his arguments not only with extensive quotes from scripture but also with citations from other sources, including Milton's Paradise Lost.
Written at the dawn of the Enlightenment, this treatise recaptures a moment in time when widespread certainty of the devil's existence was dwindling. Defoe, a firm believer, posits that the devil reacted to the changing times by shifting his influence from the supernatural realm of witches and wizards to the ordinary world of "beaus, beauties, wits, and fools." This intriguing view of politics and society during the 1700s offers a vivid contemporary portrait of a culture torn between theology and reason.

PART I.I. Being an Introduction to the whole work.II. Of the word 'devil,' as it is a proper name to the Devil and any or all his host, angels, &c.III. Of the original of the Devil, who he is, and what he was before his expulsion out of heaven, and in what state he was from that time to the creation of man.IV. Of the name of the Devil, his original, and the nature of his circumstances since he has been called by that name.V. Of the station Satan had in heaven before he fell; the nature and original of his crime, and some of Mr. Milton's mistakes about it.VI. What became of the Devil and his host of fallen spirits after their being expelled from heaven, and his wandering condition till the creation; with some more of Mr. Milton's absurdities on that subject.VII. Of the number of Satan's host; how they came first to know of the new created worlds, now in being, and their measures with mankind upon the discovery.VIII. Of the power of the Devil at the time of the creation of this world; and whether it has not been farther straitened and limited since that time, and what shifts and stratagems he is obliged to make use of to compass his designs upon mankind.IX. Of the progress of Satan in carrying on his conquest over mankind, from the fall of Eve to the Deluge.X. Of the Devil's second kingdom, and how he got footing in the renewed world, by his victory over Noah and his race.XI. Of God's calling a church out of the midst of a degenerate world, and of Satan's new measures upon that incident; how he attacked them immediately, and his success in those attacks.PART II.I.II. Of Hell, as it is represented to us, and how the Devil is to be understood as being personally in Hell, when, at the same time, we find him at liberty, ranging over the world.III. Of the manner of Satan's acting and carrying on his affairs in this world, and particularly of his ordinary workings in the dark, by possession and agitation.IV. Of Satan's agents or missionaries, and their actings upon and in the minds of men in his name.V. Of the Devil's management in the pagan hierarchy by omens, entrails, augurs, oracles, and such-like pageantry of hell; and how they went off the stage at last, by the introduction of true religion.VI. Of the extraordinary appearance of the Devil, and particularly of the cloven foot.VII. Whether is most hurtful to the world, the Devil walking about without his cloven foot or the cloven foot walking about without the Devil?VIII. Of  the cloven foot walking about the world without the Devil; viz., of witches making bargains for the Devil, and particularly of selling the soul to the Devil.IX. Of the tools the Devil works with; viz., witches, wizards or warlocks, conjurers, magicians, divines, astrologers, interpreters of dreams, tellers of fortunes; and, above all the rest, his particular modern privy councillors called wits and fools.X. Of the various methods the Devil takes to converse with mankind.XI. Of divination, sorcery, the black art, pawawing, and such like pretenders to devilism, and how far the Devil is or is not concerned in them.The Conclusion: Of the Devil's last scene of liberty, and what may be supposed to be his end; with what we are to understand of his being tormented for ever and ever.