Demonology and Devil-lore

Conway, Moncure Daniel, 1832-1907Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 1.5M words
Chapters: 155

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Demonology and Devil-lore by Moncure Daniel ConwayAuthor: Conway, Moncure Daniel, 1832-1907,Language: English, Class: BF: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Psychology, Philosophy, Psychoanalysis, Release Date: Sep 6, 2012

Editor's review

This is a compilatory work on demonology and devil lore by the nineteenth-century American author and minister Moncure Daniel Conway, falling at the intersection of religious history and folklore. With a broad outlook, the author surveys ideas about demons, devils, and supernatural malice across different cultural traditions and cites a wealth of legends and documentary material, showing how such figures evolved in belief, folklore, and literature. Readers interested in religious studies, mythology, folklore, and the background of Gothic literature can use the book as a reference work to learn how nineteenth-century scholars organized and interpreted devil legends. Note that this is an English-language public-domain e-book; its discussion reflects the perspectives and limitations of the author's era, it is not a modern academic monograph, and it does not aim to offer systematic theological conclusions. It is best read with a critical eye, as a compilation of intellectual history and folklore material.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in religious history, mythology, and folklore
Literature lovers studying the background of Gothic literature or Western images of the devil
Readers with English reading ability who enjoy browsing reference works
History readers who want to learn how nineteenth-century scholars organized folk legends

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking modern academic conclusions or a systematic theology textbook
Beginners with limited English reading ability who need Chinese translation and annotations
Readers sensitive to religious and folklore topics or expecting light entertainment reading

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and chapter introductions to understand the book's scope, then dip into legend topics that interest you.
Keep a notebook to record devil figures from different cultures and their sources for later reference and comparison.
When citations are dense, don't force yourself to understand each one; grasp the author's line of explanation instead.
Read alongside introductory works on religious studies or folklore to help identify the book's period limitations.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this an academic research work?

It is closer to a reference work compiled by a nineteenth-century scholar, gathering a wealth of legends and documents and carrying the author's own interpretations and period perspective; it is not a systematic academic monograph in the modern sense. It is suitable as reference material and as a work of intellectual history.

What background knowledge do I need to read this book?

Basic English reading ability is enough to begin. If you have some familiarity with Christian tradition, European folklore, or mythology, the cited material will be easier to understand. Without such background, you can still start with chapters that interest you.

Can the views in the book be cited directly as facts?

It is not advisable to cite them directly as modern academic conclusions. The book reflects how nineteenth-century scholars organized and interpreted devil legends, and some of its ideas are no longer accepted by modern scholarship. When citing, check contemporary research and note the work's nature as a historical document.

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About the author

Conway, Moncure Daniel, 1832-1907 Author

Public information about Moncure Daniel Conway (1832-1907), including his life and nationality, is limited; what can be confirmed is that five of his works are held in this collection. His writing centers on religion, folklore, and intellectual history. Demonology and Devil-lore traces the origins of demonology and devil legends, while Solomon and Solomonic Literature discusses King Solomon and the literature surrounding him, showing a sustained interest in the evolution of religious ideas and legends. He also wrote biography and history, including a two-volume Life of Thomas Paine examining that thinker's life and influence, and Travels in South Kensington, which offers travel and local-cultural observation. Overall, his works combine documentary research with accessible narrative and will interest readers in religious culture, intellectual history, and nineteenth-century English biography.