The Sorrows of Satan

The action of the novel takes place in London in 1895. Satan walks among people in search of another toy with which to amuse himself, to show God that he can corrupt anyone. He wants to find someone worthy who can resist temptations, which will be difficult because disbelief, corruption, and vice reign all around. Geoffrey Tempest is a young impoverished writer, barely making ends meet, who unsuccessfully tries to sell his novel. Once again, as he reflects on his desperate situation, he notices three letters on the table. The first is from a friend in Australia who has become rich from gold mining, informing him that he is sending a friend to help Geoffrey escape from poverty. The second is a note from a lawyer detailing that he has inherited a fortune from a deceased relative. The third is a letter of recommendation from Prince Lucio Rimanez, the "deliverer from poverty," mentioned by the friend from Australia. Will Geoffrey be able to make the right choice, to preserve his talent and soul?.. "The Sorrows of Satan" is a mystical decadent novel by English writer Marie Corelli, published in 1895 and becoming the largest bestseller in the history of Victorian England.