Spiritual Diary, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1758], tr. by Bush, Smithson and Buss [1883-9] at sacred-texts.com

Spiritual Diary

OF WHAT QUALITY ARE SPIRITS WHO COME FROM THE WORLD AT THIS DAY. It has been shown me by much and long experience that spirits who come from the world are so ensnared by the worst evils that they can never subsist, which today was also shown. There was presented before the sight a fair and innocent infant, with eyes closed, and then a slight remission was granted to spirits, so that their quality might appear. It was then plainly perceived that there were [such as] wished to kill, to trample under foot, to treat in an infamous manner [this infant], and one in this way and another in that: thus [would act] in many ways against innocent [ones]. These things were their thoughts and interior conatus. I have said that such things do not appear in general life. It was said that their interiors now begin to be of such a nature, and unless civil laws held [them] in bonds they would rush into the like crimes, as also that unless they were concerned as to their gains and honors, consequently their reputation, conscience would have little or any effect at this day. Wherefore the last times of the world are at hand. Certain spirits laugh at such things, as was also shown; they laugh that they are so, and laugh at its being said that the last times are at hand. - 1748, August 12.

THAT THEY WHOM THEY CALL SAINTS [sanctos] [AND] VENERATE AND ADORE AS [SUCH], AS WELL THOSE OF ANCIENT TIMES AS OF THE PRESENT DAY, CAN YIELD NO ASSISTANCE AT ALL TO ANYONE IN THE OTHER LIFE. It has been often granted me to speak with certain of those whom men regard and adore as saints. But this I can testify, and from their mouth, and from those things which I know from living experience, that they are anything else than saints, and that they cannot even help themselves in the least, still less someone [else]: neither by prayers nor intercession; for in the other life [their] prayers in behalf of anyone are not granted, not indeed in the other life in behalf of themselves: yea no one is well treated by means of the reflection that someone may be loved [by the Lord] for other's sake, or for the sake of saints - rather the reverse happens. I can testify that they are able to help no one, nor themselves. This they have told me with living voice, coming to me in order to declare it. - 1748, August 12.

CONCERNING THE CHANGE OF HUMAN DISPOSITION IN THE LIFE OF THE BODY. That man after the life of the body retains all his nature, or natural disposition, which he has acquired to himself in the life of the body, this is the truth, and after the life of the body that it is not changed, but that those things are superadded by the Lord which cause him to be able to be in a better society and thus among the celestials.

But as concerns the nature of man, so long as he is in the body, everything indeed is retained which is ever brought from infancy, and thus it is formed, but in time of his life it is varied [changed] till the last hour of life, as well by this that many things are added [adjecta] which separate general ideas, [as by those] that bend these from elsewhere, thus towards the good and true: for continually while man lives [his] ideas are enriched either with evils or goods, and thus are either condensed like stagnant water or are diluted. - 1748, August 13.

Not otherwise may the change of state after death be conceived than that there are added [adjecta] to ideas from without those things which cause that at last his soul can be in good societies, but in the life of the body that they are implanted within ideas. - 1748, August 13. Hence it may be evident wherefore it is so many times admonished in the Lord's Word that so long as there is time before the door is closed for them who are called to the feast that they come to themselves and get themselves oil in [their] lamps: as also what is meant [by] that as the wood falleth so it remaineth.

CONCERNING THE SPEECH OF THE ANGELS. I have heard the speech of angels although I have not perceived [it]. A certain spirit spoke, and with his speech followed so mild [lenis] a speech [that it was] like a stream of speech not understood. I heard the stream and perceived that many things were therein, and these in [every] single simple word of the speaker were the innumerable ideas of angels speaking. Because these were not understood, but it was only perceived that there were [such], there was the likeness of a river full of copious ideas. Wherefore I was told that this was the speech of the angels, and that the speech of the spirit was a certain general [commune] principle wherein the angelic discourse was contained - just as in all harmony, unless there is present something general, as it were, a general concord [consonans incommuni].

There is not given a distinct singular - likewise in all musical instruments and in the speech of the body and the operations [actualitate] of each of the senses, which generals are yet unknown to the learned of the world but still are present. All the organic membranes of the viscera, muscles, organs, are generals in which and with which particulars distinctly exist. Such was the speech of the spirit, and whether the angels had spoken the same, as what the spirit uttered in general [in communi], I do not know, for there can be granted to be in and with the general, other things than what are in the general, but not such as are discordant [repugnant]. - 1748, August 13.

THAT IF IN THE WORLD, THE SPHERE OF THOUGHTS OF LOVE, AND LOVE OF GAIN WERE ABSENT, ALL WOULD BE INSANITIES. I saw an insane woman [insanum] in the street, and it was granted to think and to say to spirits, therefore also to perceive, that if in man that external were absent, which is formed from love of self and of gain, consequently therefore the respect from which is paid to these, then would all be alike, with a variety of insanity according to each one's nature acquired from [by] himself. Such thoughts are like those of that insane woman which in her case [apud eum] were not retained, because she was poor and in ragged garments. Hence may be evident of what quality are spirits in the other life where such external is taken away and thought only prevails, to wit, that [they would be] mere insanities if they were not governed by the Lord alone, therefore by wisdom and intelligence itself. - 1748, August 13.

CONCERNING ETERNAL LIFE, OR THE LIFE AFTER DEATH, THAT IT MUST BE THE END. I spoke with spirits that in the life of the body the end of all human thoughts and actions should be in reference to the life after death, or eternal life, for that which is eternal is, and that which [is] in the life of the body not even is, except in reference to eternal life as an end: therefore thither ought all the thoughts of man to be directed: This inasmuch as it was perceived, in spiritual idea and published with a spiritual idea was confirmed by spirits as a constant truth. - 1748, August 13.

A COMPARISON OF SPIRITUAL, AND CELESTIAL THINGS IN THE WORLD OF SPIRITS AND HEAVEN, WITH THE ATMOSPHERES AND WATERS. In the world of spirits and heaven all things obtain their place and situation, according to their nature and dispositions, so that not the least thing is wanting. In like manner there is a gyration of all things according to celestial forms, to wit, of all spiritual and celestial things from the Lord, which is ineffable because incomprehensible. Hence each and all things obtain their situation in the Grand Man [Maximo Corpore] and certain, as may be seen previously, according to the changes of their state as to the operations of spirituals into their phantasies, are borne [carried] from their situation into others, and are then as it were wanderers: but still are brought back into their situation befitting their nature and disposition. By way of comparison and representation: nearly the similar exists in the human body as to liquids, also in waters, also in atmospheres which still are borne by circumvolution to their place, according to their lightness [levitates], figures, and the remaining [things] of their nature. - 1748, August 13.

CONCERNING GENERA OF CERTAIN [KINDS] THEFTS, WHICH ARE MANIFESTED IN THE OTHER LIFE. There are secret thefts, yea of the minds [animorum] of man, so that they attempt in a thousand modes to gain and insinuate themselves into the minds of men, yea by a sort of theft, to wit: by wholly putting on that which is pleasant and dear to another so as to present themselves, as it were, in the same person, and when in the life of the body they have acquired to themselves, by actuality, such a kind [genus] of theft, of which there are genera and species, then everyone is determined according to his nature acquired by actuality - certain to scarcely any other end than self-repose, their own pleasantness, praise, and that they may snatch [these] from others, but these are not injurious: but others seek a similar [think] and act more ingeniously, and at length having acquired that nature for ends that are different, for instance, to snatch away the goods and honors of others in any manner whatever: such are the worst. There are given genera and intermediate species, as well genera and species of captivating the minds of others, as genera and species of ends, for which they are solicitous, also genera and species of the modes in which they strive therefore, and of the modes in which it is manifest in the eyes of man, or hidden from them. These [things] were shown me by living experience through two spirits known [to me] in life. - 1748, August 14. There are also such as captivate minds [animos]: still as they put on persons for sake of adultery, they are adulterous thieves. This also is one genus as respects ends, which are adulteries.

It was also shown me by living experience that such as desire to gain the minds of others, with the end of snatching away the goods and honors of others, when they arouse this [trait] in themselves in the other life, and so desire to command all: When they arouse in themselves the mind to command, then from the interior superior region of the head they proceed in their cupidity and persuasion, which then inheres in the mind, by a certain arched way above the head towards the posteriors of the head, into the part of the occiput under the cerebellum where [is] the cavity above the cervical vertebrae, and there locate themselves, and so think how they might be able to snatch away everything, as well the goods as the honors of anyone, and thus command over them and others. When a spirit was carried [ferebatur] by way of that arch, then other spirits said, -

that they perceived dreadful and horrible things, which I did not then see or perceive. Afterwards when they were in the cavity of the occiput, I have perceived sensibly [sersu] and heard their continued murmur, and then also have seen, what was at a later time seen by the spirits, to wit, many human images various [and] black [of various blacks]. In a word, it was inauspicious [forbidding] and horrible to view, and it was said that they seem to themselves to pass the time [degere] in filthy and forbidding places. One female [una] of such quality has been already seen by me. When I thought I was passing through the gate there was opened to me another gate at the side, where was a forbidding and empty place as if [uti sohla och stygga windar].

Such constitute what is called trulldom: for they devise various arts, how to be able to captivate and fascinate the minds of others, for the sake of their own ends, so they do nothing if they learn trulldoms konster, as far as occasion is furnished.

Such in the other life perceive nothing that is spiritual and that relates to the life after death. Whether such things are heard, written, or spoken, still they have no effect upon them, because reflection upon such things is not granted them, for they inhere only in mundane and corporeal things wherewith they are ensnared.

Such also when they had imbued [their] nature can be in the persuasion of any idea whatever by removing everything which opposes or disproves, so that there appears nothing but a persuasive [principle]: they remove everything that dissuades so ((((that not anything at all appears: therefore there is therein nothing of a doubting, still less of a negative [principle].))))

These genera and these species of men were unknown to me: but when I conversed amongst spirits, I perceived that such are given, and are highly injurious in general [communi] life. - 1748, August 14.

It was also observed that such are below the right foot, whither they are thrust out, and there in solitudes, as if alone they live with anxiety in places of which [mention has been made] previously.

I have observed when such were below the right foot in filthy and excrementitious [things] which they seemed to themselves to carry, that they still had similars to themselves high above the head who corresponded, and when they were in the cavity of the occiput that they also had high above the head those corresponding to themselves who manifested themselves and with whom I afterwards spoke. They said that they who are high above the head, in a right line with [as to] the right foot where their dwelling is, when in the world of spirits, act with them, therefore are of a like nature. - 1748, August 14

They who were of a like cupidity above the head said that with them they cannot be together because they wish to snatch away from them their goods and to command [them]: wherefore they remove them from themselves to every place else, where they wander, and this is the reason that such wander hither and thither in the world of spirits. Those who were above the head in a right line as to the right foot did not seem to me so evil as to wish to snatch away others' goods, but they aim with ardor to command others and such as are of similar genius, to wit, wish to command and at the same time to snatch away the goods and honors of others by craftiness and artifices [which] they employ as means to subjugate those who do not wish to submit themselves. Wherefore they do not wish to associate with these, but remove them from themselves and send them away, as it were, hither and thither, that they may obtain their end, which is to command many of those who are high above the head are attentive to the matter. - 1748, August 14.

CONCERNING A CERTAIN DREAM, AND A VISION WHEN I AWAKED. In a dream appeared to me my father in the life of the body, and in the dream I spoke [to the effect] that a son need not recognize his father for father after he has become his own master [sui juris]. While being educated by him therefore in his house, then [his father] should be recognized as father because he is then in place of the Lord: nor does the son then know what to do save from the information and guidance [manuductione] [given him by] the father. But when he goes forth from his [father's] house and becomes his own master so as to be able to guide himself from his own mind and know what to do, then the Lord is his father. These things I spoke in a dream, and I awoke: and then there seemed to me a long roll [that was] round, which stretched [perrexit] lengthwise [longitudine] from heaven. [It was] formed of long sticks [arrranged] about each other in the circumference, lengthwise [secudum longitudinem], and bound together by most beautiful textures of various colors: the colors were bright blue,

which [belonged to] their intertexture. The beauty cannot be described nor depicted: for such are the things of heaven that are represented that they cannot be described nor depicted; and I was told that the angels receive such gifts when they please the Lord. I perceived that such things are let down from the more interior heaven to the angels of the interior heaven, and that such are the representations in heaven which are understood, for there is nothing at all in such a celestial bundle [fascia] but signifies something: thus they perceive at the same time with what is depicted before [their] eyes what is signified thereby: thus innumerable things at one glance of the eye which cannot be declared in words. - 1748, August 14.

CONCERNING THE FALL OF THE ANGELS FROM HEAVEN. It was again shown how the fall of angels from heaven appears to the eyes of spirits when, to wit, they go away [depart] into falsities: and lest the society may be infected by the falsity he falls from heaven. This happens very frequently, but when he has been instructed in the world of spirits, and thus [is] in a state of truth or obedience of his naturals, or repose of the naturals as regards truth, they are again received into the heavenly society.

As respects the fall it was thus represented. There appeared at first a circumflexion, as it were, of a veil, round about, over the head, by its turning about [conversionem] at a distance. It was a floating veil [velum volans] like as I have seen somewhere in pictures: and then the circumflexion [was] faster and faster, so long as such a veil appeared above [superius]: but by swift revolution [circumvolutionem] [he] appeared like a sphere of horizontal rotation [circumactionis] such as characterizes the whirled sphere of the atmosphere, and this [was] from right to left when he appeared thus driven around [circumactus]: which was the result of the phantasy belonging to the falsity, that thus whirls him round, from which there appears such representation. With the angel who falls, such is the insanity of his natural mind when he falls into the world of spirits (I do not know whether [it appears] to him): then is represented such a whirling and sphere of such whirling.

When the veil is thus formed into such a sphere then another near him, a little more remote [longius], snatches hence the sphere of the veil, revolves himself in a contrary direction so that that veil is unwound and so lessened, but is continued quite a long time from the circumference to the central place where he [is], and when he comes near him he falls downwards, yea into a lake, black [and] very filthy, and there remains until liberated thence by the Lord: the water is so filthily black that it can scarcely be described. Such falls frequently occur: for thus heaven is freed from falsities; but when they have been instructed in the world of spirits, and so [become] better, they are again received. This happened at a distance to the front, and many falls of others also [were] seen.

There was speech in heaven concerning hell and the various punishments and vastations there, and there was [one] who supposed for certain that infernal punishments would last to eternity, and that their end can never be given, still less redemption from hell by the Lord: to whom it was nevertheless shown that never can any punishment be given in the other life except for an end, still less can it be thought that any punishment is given without an end, to wit, that by punishment and torments he may be tempered so as to be able to be in some good society. In the Lord nothing is given unless an end to good: The divine Itself and Divine Wisdom is the [an] end of good or to good: therefore it would be contrary to Divine wisdom or contrary to the Divine that a soul should be tormented to eternity without an [the] end of good: which is explained by the rule known in the world,

the greatest justice would be injustice. Man has deserved this, and such is man, wherefore eternity is preached: but the intercession of the Lord or the redemption of the Lord intervenes and liberates or takes away from hell; for if [punished] to eternity there is no man who is not liable to eternal damnation, because in no one is there anything but mere evil: therefore everyone is damned [condemned], but is rescued by the Lord. That spirit with me has been rescued [taken] from the black lake, and I perceive that something false inheres, wherefrom he is nevertheless liberated by divine means, for the societies of heaven possess from the Lord their desire to lose no one, for they reject no one, but he rejects himself, and thus it is with his phantasy. - 1748, August 14.

THAT THE VERIEST [ipsissima] LIFE IS NOT OF MAN, BUT OF THE LORD, A SUBTLE PROPOSITION [PUT FORTH] BY CERTAIN ONES, EITHER ANGELS OR SPIRITS. When I awoke I was in speech with angels, as usual, and then [there were] certain who thought [were thinking] that the life of man, spirit, and angel is of the Lord alone, and that they are only recipients of life; and that we only think we live, that it is granted by the Lord so to think, and that hence we attribute life to ourselves, [that this] is a fallacy, for we suppose to be ours that which is not ours, yea suppose it belongs to the eye to see, and to the ear to hear, when yet it does not belong to the eye and ear, but they are only recipient organs of sight and hearing. In like manner if the fallacy is not removed we also suppose the hands and feet to move themselves of themselves, when yet it does not belong to the hand and foot, but to the spirit, which acts within, as may be well known to anyone. The proposition was of such a character and insinuated with the persuasion that man, spirit, and angel cannot think that [anything] is his, and so is appropriated to him, as appears [to be the case], unless also there is life in the recipient who can perceive and feel this. This lasted some time with the persuasion that so also it appears; but I was kept in the persuasion, that the truth is, that life is of the Lord alone, -

and inasmuch as [this truth] was confined in the persuasion [of theirs] which was communicated to me. I could not be rescued [extricated], but although I could not in that state be extricated, yet I was held in the persuasion that the truth is not therefore to be receded from, like as if anyone should recede from the plain truth which is before his eyes, because he is not acquainted with causes, or reasonings from causes: But they were informed that the life of the human soul, to wit, of his inmost and more interior mind, is not of man, but is of the Lord. The things of the mind are what receive life, and by these is communicated perception and sensation to the natural and corporeal mind, and inasmuch as man and spirit lives in his natural and corporeal [principle] he thinks life which belongs to the Lord to be his own, just as he supposes that sight and hearing and touch belong to the eye, ear, and body. There is no need of adducing more [facts]: for thus might be presented the connection of inmosts with more interior things, and of more interior with interior things, and so with exteriors; also in the organs of the body, wherein in their manner exteriors depend on more interior and inmost things by most pure [principles] continued from more interior and inmost things. - 1748, August 15.

THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS CORRESPOND IN SUCH A MANNER, THAT WHEN MAN THINKS CONCERNING THE ONE, SPIRITS AND ANGELS MAY, AT THE SAME TIME, THINK AND SPEAK CONCERNING THE OTHER. I spoke concerning a certain vegetable in order to demonstrate a certain truth, to wit, that the truth is not therefore to be denied although doubts occur which cannot be solved [extricari]: which should they persuade would, as it were, destroy truths. When my idea was fixed on [in] [that] vegetable for the sake of demonstrating that truth, and afterwards on [in] animals [animatis], I then perceived that the idea was not so conjoined, and, as it were, continuous as at other times. I was told that when my idea was on [in] the vegetable, theirs was on [in] the animal, and when mine was on [in] the animal, theirs was on [in] the vegetable: for such is correspondence, so that from one thing it may be thought concerning another as if it were the one. - 1748, August 15.

CONCERNING THE REGIONS WHITHER PHANTASIES TAKE THEM. It may be seen above that angels fall down in such a manner [ita] when [they wander] into phantasies confirmed by ratiocinations. Such falls are very numerous and nearly every moment: otherwise heaven could not subsist, for never to eternity can anyone be cleansed from phantasies, yea not fully from a single one (but it is not a cleansing). When they fall down then they are driven [exercised] [aguntur] according to phantasies, some in this way, some in that, some in this region, some in another, some perpendicularly downwards, some otherwise. Thus they who suppose [things] are done in hell and the world of spirits without any end [in view], these fall perpendicularly downwards into such a lake: it is black mud, because [they have] nothing of life. Only in the end of things is the living principle, because [it is] the Lord who [is] the End.

But they who are in the falsity that man lives from himself, are borne to the front in a line a little oblique, prolonged to the front, towards Gehenna, where appears a certain flamy [principle] like as was now also shown me, that phantasy has carried them thither, and when they carried [ferrent] themselves lengthwise obliquely to the front, they said that they are borne to the ends of the universe. - 1748, August 15.

CONCERNING THE HEBREW LANGUAGE. There are many words in the Hebrew language which contain a complex of many ideas in one, from opposite to opposite, so that the sense cannot be understood but from series, and this from the interior, otherwise than is the case in other languages, because they were in representatives, so that in one general idea might be many things, and so they did not come to interiors, because they were of such a character. - 1748, August 15.

ALL THE CUPIDITIES OF HIM WHO IS IN FAITH IN THE LORD, AND THE FALSITIES WHICH ARE IN HIM, ARE NOT EXCITED BY HIM, BUT BY SPIRITS, WHEREFORE ALSO, THEY ARE NOT IMPUTED TO HIM. This follows from those things which have been already said somewhere else. - 1748, August 15.

THAT THERE ARE DISTINCT FACULTIES OR LIVES ONE WITHIN ANOTHER. It was shown me from heaven that there are distinct faculties of life, one within another. The outermost belongs to the body and the things which are of the body. That this outermost faculty is distinct and separate in itself from the interior, is plain from the life of man when the body is removed, wherefore his spirit lives, when the body is dead, which could by no means happen unless it were distinct, for it can be separated, and is separated. But the spirit is, as it were, a new continent of interior faculties, as I plainly know that there are spirits in the interior sphere, which is the interior faculty of spirits: and that the exterior may be cast off, and thus [the spirit] come into the interior, and from the interior return into the exterior. This is evident to me from considerable experience. That there is a still more interior faculty is evident from angels, who are in a still more interior faculty.

Further, that there is also given a more interior and inmost. These faculties in man appear as one, and by the ignorant are attributed to the body alone, and [they suppose] that they are not distinct from each other, hence, not separable; when yet I can acknowledge that I know from manifold experience that it is so, and that the life of the exteriors is [from] the order of the interiors, and the interior life is of the more interior [lives], and that the life of man is of the Lord Alone. Thus man supposes he lives from himself, like as his interior spirit supposes that it lives in the body. - 1748, August 16.

THAT EVERYONE FORMS HIS SOUL FOR HIMSELF DURING THE LIFE OF THE BODY. I spoke with spirits yea, in a spiritual idea, that everyone forms for himself his natural soul, consequently a certain natural instinct as it were; for souls and spirits after the life of the body are borne away [along] by a certain instinct to the commission of evil; for in their soul, from [things] acquired by actualities, is a natural [principle] which is not otherwise circumstanced than instinct with [in] the animals, with [this] difference that spirits can reason, yea, concerning spiritual and celestial things. The soul which he forms for himself is the natural mind, which has obtained dominion over their spiritual mind, so that their spiritual is, as it were, subordinate to the natural mind

In [apud] those who had attributed all things to self, in the life of the body, and have supposed that they have led themselves. It is otherwise with those who are led by the Lord. I spoke with spirits concerning this, for so shrewd and cunning are some, that they are much more cunning than in the life of the body; but that cunning is the natural [principle] which they had acquired; thus a certain instinct, which they are unwilling to admit, because they suppose themselves to be still in their bodies, and do not know other than that matters are similarly circumstanced, inasmuch as when they are in any natural faculty they no longer reflect, whence is this, or why is this. They suppose [that] so it has been. - 1748, August 16.

Inasmuch as evil is increased and augmented up to this time, man proceeds more and more contrary to order, and his actual [principle] slight [paucum] [at first] is worse by much actuality, since evil has grown up by inheritance: wherefore, inasmuch as [man acts] more and [more] against order, because against faith or the truths of faith, therefore there is more need of the assistance of the Lord. The more [he acts] contrary to order, the greater force is required to reform him; consequently they need more spirits, though they who are led more according to order, require fewer spirits with themselves. In like manner, all things in the body which follow according to order, for instance, the operations of the internal viscera, which are denominated natural, do not require the immediate help of spirits, because they [proceed] according to order. - 1748, August 16.

(THAT EVIL SPIRITS SUPPOSE THAT THEY ARE ABLE [TO DO] MUCH. Evil spirits have often said, that they can [effect] much, and are of considerable power; thus do they boast of themselves everywhere, for so they suppose. It is quite different with good spirits and angels, who believe that they can [effect] nothing, and that the Lord can [effect] each and all things. It was also granted to reply to evil spirits, that they can never [effect] anything; at which they wondered, and thereby were made indignant and angry; and inasmuch as they cannot know otherwise, because they are not in faith, it was given to tell them, not only that of themselves they are only organs, and have no life, thus are of themselves dead; [but] also, today [they were told] that were it not granted them so to think, they would be deprived of all their life, and that they are permitted so to think, in order that they may be kept in life, and so be capable of being reformed [emendari]: yea, affirmatives [affirmations] are given them, through effects which are produced, through them, therefore wonder that if they lived, they may be held in such an opinion. If they are held in such an opinion [it is] that they might live. - 1748, August 17.)

THAT NATURALS AND CORPOREALS SEPARATED FORM SPIRITUALS AND CELESTIALS, PUTREFY. It was granted to say to spirits, that the joys of the world [that] mundane and corporeal [things] separated from spiritual and celestial [things] are similarly circumstanced, as [with] extravasations of blood, as customarily happens [ut solet] in wounds, blisters, and the like, wherein is collected the lymph and extravasated blood, and at length putrefies [blifwas wahr] for [they are] separated from the fibers, just as when the pleasant [things] of the body and nature are separated from their spiritual and celestial principles. This it was granted to represent by a spiritual idea, and [it was] acknowledged by them. - 1748, August 17.

THAT IT IS NOT OF MAN, SPIRIT AND ANGEL, WHAT HE THINKS, SPEAKS AND DOES. There were certain evil spirits who persistently denied that they think, speak and act from another than from themselves; wherefore, by several experiences, 4, 5, 6, more or less, it was shown them to the life, that [I do] nothing of myself, [and that they do] nothing of themselves; but whence [it arises] he is still ignorant, so that at length he confesses that nothing inflows except from without him, and that he supposes it was of others (what they thought, spoke, and did), and of himself [suum] (what he thought, spoke and did) when yet they are very much mistaken. This is the confession of those evil spirits, in a state sensitive to experience. - 1748, August 17.

THAT CRUEL SPIRITS AND ADULTERERS LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN FILTH AND EXCREMENTS. (((((I have spoken) previously of this [fact] that to such spirits, filth and excrements are very pleasant, so that they prefer the pleasantness of beholding such things to all other pleasantnesses, and not only filth and excrements, but also foul, loathsome, and horrid intestines of animals, to that degree, that when they act through man they snatch away all his interior sense, as also [his] sight, to such things, because they, are delighted therewith. This also was shown me by manifest experience; when I walked in the street, they carried away my eyes to all such things; wherever there was filth, excrement and intestines, thither they directed my eyes, although I was ignorant where were such things in the street, because not observed by me. Still they saw these, whilst I was wholly unobservant, and thither directed my eyes, either to [my] side, or about [my] feet, or near and farther from thence; and the did not turn my eyes to anything else. I was told that such are they who are cruel and adulterous, who dwell under the right foot. Hence I could conclude that these observe through man nothing else but such things, because carried away by the pleasantness thereof; and when man is of such a character he is led by them; [but] he who is not of such a character is turned away from such. - 1748, August 17.))))

THAT WHEN INFANTS PLAY WITH OBJECTS, THEY SUPPOSE THEM TO BE ALIVE. It was shown me to the life, of what quality are the thoughts of infants when they play with their objects, pebbles, [and] vessels [dockor]; for then infants led me: when [de swate kerlen] I prepared these [toys] then I supposed, as it were, that they saw, that they were alive, and thus when I set these before them, that in no other view do they present these to their minds [quod nihil aliter proponunt], for they do not reflect upon the fact that [these things] are inanimate. - 1748, August 17.

THAT SOULS AFTER DEATH, AND SPIRITS SEE ALL THE THOUGHTS OF MAN, AND HIS INTENTIONS [IN] WHATSOEVER HE HAS THOUGHT, AND YET DO NOT KNOW OTHER THAN THAT THEY ARE MEN. Souls and spirits are in such a state that they can perceive, and see the interior thoughts of man, and many things which are at the same time in the thoughts and ideas; they come into that faculty, as soon as being divested of the body they come into the other life; yea, such is their state, that if they had been for a little time in such idea, while they were in the body, they would be reduced to insanities. Spirits are ignorant of their being in such a state; they suppose that they are in no different state from what is theirs, when they think in the body. Wherefore it was granted, to tell a certain spirit who had been a judge in time of his life [that] had men been thus able to know the thoughts, as he [does] mine, with everything which is thereto adjoined, they would have had no need of any investigation, inquisitory process, and controversies whether [a matter] is so, or is not [so]; for they can see more things than man - when he reflected thereupon, than he could know that he was in a more perfect state then when he was a man. For everyone is ignorant of his state in which he is, and which is familiar to him; he scarcely reflects thereupon. It [is] so [with] spirits. It [is] so [with] men. - 1748, August 17.

THE WAYS [vice] WHEREBY SOULS ASCEND FROM THE INFERIOR EARTH INTO THE WORLD OF SPIRITS. It has not yet been observed who ascend by this, or that way, but that when they come into the world of spirits, some ascend near the back, towards the head, some to the neck, and outside [without] the head, some [quidam, I think] through the interiors of the head, some, I think, through the interiors of the body, and so various ways. It was granted me to observe this many times. Some when they come to the region of the loins are borne between [amongst] the loins. It was often granted me to perceive this sensibly; and certain [were present] as it were with me, as I supposed, in the beginning; but inasmuch as situation in the other life is not anything, but situations occur according to their nature, so also this [time] the like is felt should they be carried away a thousand, or thousands of miles into the world of spirits, and indeed, from the inferior earth. Some [were, to me] sensibly [raised] through [my] left foot. [They] who are elevated towards the upper [parts] of the head, and indeed, above the middle of the head and are there borne, as it were, into a spiral, [these] enjoy the best lot.

They are also thrust down by [different] ways; but I do not remember [any], save near the back, and so to the inferior [parts] of the earth. But I have observed that the same are projected, as it were, upwards into the world of spirits, by a different way from what they previously came by. - 1748, August 17.

CONCERNING THE DECEITFUL. Spirits who are deceitful, are not permitted to be in the world of spirits, unless [their] poison [venena] be taken out of them, or [they be] tempered, so that they may be able to injure no one; but many indeed are to be excepted, who commit evil from a nature, as it were, similar, and indeed deceitfully, but still from natural instinct. But they who [do so] with premeditation, and conceal [their] poison, and thus do evil deceitfully, are [those] who are not tolerated. There is a distinction between deceit as an instinct, and deceit as premeditated. - 1748, August 17.

In the world also, or their life of the body, the deceitful are distinguished, although they are not discriminated by men. For certain, from implanted habit [consuetudine] and actuality do not premeditate deceits, but wherever occasion is offered, bring about results [exercent effectus] in a deceitful manner; therefore, not in so premeditated a manner. Such are [they] who are tolerated, for their nature is known. But there are those in the world, who premeditate, and hide their deceits in the mind [animo] and wear a friendly countenance, but still meditate under a friendly countenance occasions to hurt, and this a long time. These are they who are not tolerated, and are vipers [cerpentes viperae]. [I spoke] of these, with spirits: for a certain one injured [hurt] me very slightly; but inasmuch as he was of such a character, as to act too from instinct; therefore a handle [an opportunity] was given me to think and speak concerning these things. - 1748, August 17.

THAT MAN IS WONDERFULLY LED, [AND] DOES NOT REFLECT UPON ANYTHING ELSE, BUT WHAT BELONGS TO HIS STATE, IN WHICH HE IS. From those things, which have been previously observed, that unclean and evil spirits have reflected upon nothing else but excrements, filth, intestines, because they are in that state, that hence they derive their pleasantness [jucundum], and did not see whatever was round about, because they did not reflect thereupon, as upon the houses, and many objects which were present to the eye; consequently that they saw those things, which were concealed from my eyes, yea, so hidden, that the could not be perceived [sentiri] save by odor, [things] which [might be] one side [ad latus] as also was the case, hence may be known, that whatever the quality of man, and what his state, whatever be the manner in which his eyes are cast around, and no matter what he hears, yea, what he speaks and thinks, still he does not reflect upon [any] other things than such as his pleasantness [jucundum] and desire take up [aufert]. The rest are to him as shades, all as it were, rejected far to the sides, so that he sees and hears, and does not see and does not hear. - 1748, August 18.