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| P o o r D
e v i l
Now 'tis true that the Devil, as he is a spirit, is Magnipotent, but he never was Omnipotent; and therefore there may be, and are, abundance of fine things which such People expect of him, which he really not only never promises, but is not in any Condition to perform; and if People will have him do what he is not able to do, that is their Fault, not his; all they can blame him for in that case is, that he does not tell them how far he can, or cannot, serve them; and that truly, to give him his Due, seems to be none of his Business; but like a cunning Artificer, who is loth to tell you what he cannot do, but enlarges and expatiates upon his real Abilities; so the Devil, if you are willing to believe he can do thus and thus for you, 'tis enough if he does but equivocate, and tacitly grant it, without engaging to perform; but he is not bound to confess his Impotence, and own he cannot do it: So these people pretend to believe him, whereas in truth they ought only to blame themselves for expecting things of him, that even the Devil himself is not able to perform. -- Daniel Defoe, A System of Magick |
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