23、水星灵不会长时间地呆在一个地方，或在属于一个世界的灵群中，而是周游宇宙。这是因为他们与对事实的记忆有关，他们不断试图丰富这记忆。所以，他们被允许四处游历，在凡他们所能到的地方为自己获取知识。他们在旅途中若遇见热爱物质，也就是肉体和世俗事物的灵人，就会避开他们，去往他们听不到这类话题的某个地方。由此明显可知，他们的心智被提升至感官印象之上，因而他们享有内在光照。我也被允许亲自感知这种光照，当时，他们就在旁边与我交谈。那时，我发现，我正从感官印象退出，以致我的肉眼开始变得微弱和模糊。
24. Spirits of the planet Mercury do not stay in one place, or linger among the communities of spirits from one world, but roam throughout the universe. This is because they relate to our conceptual memory, and this memory needs constant enrichment; so they are allowed to roam around and acquire knowledge for themselves everywhere.
If in the course of their travels, though, they run across spirits who love material things-things that are bodily and earthly-they avoid them and go somewhere else where they do not hear about things like that.
This shows that their minds are elevated above what is sensory and that they are therefore in a more inward light. 1I was actually able to perceive this when they were near me and communicating with me: I noticed at such times that I was being so drawn away from what is sensory that even the light I was seeing with my eyes became weak and dim.
Footnotes:
1. “Inward light” is the analog to physical light that obtains in, and allows the perceptions of, the inner self. For a discussion of levels of the self as described in Swedenborg’s psychology, see New Jerusalem 36-53. The “inward light” mentioned here is contrasted with “the light I was seeing with my [physical] eyes” a little further on in Swedenborg’s text. Compare notes 54 and 248 on “the light of heaven.” [Editors]
24. The spirits from the world of Mercury do not keep to any one place, or within the groups of spirits belonging to one world, but travel through the universe. This is because they answer to the memory of facts, which they are continually trying to enrich. So they are permitted to travel around and acquire for themselves knowledge wherever they can. On their travels, if they meet spirits who love material, that is, bodily and earthly matters, they avoid them and go off somewhere where they do not hear such subjects mentioned. This is a proof that their minds are raised above the level of sense-impressions, so that they enjoy inward illumination. I was also allowed to perceive this for myself, when they were near and talking with me. I noticed then that I was being withdrawn from sense-impressions, so much so that my physical sight started to become dim and blurred.
24. The spirits of the earth Mercury do not abide long in one place, or within companies of the spirits of one world, but wander through the universe. The reason is, because they have relation to the memory of things, which memory must be continually enriched. Hence it is granted them to wander about, and to acquire to themselves knowledges in every place. During their sojourning in this manner, if they meet with spirits who love material things, that is, things corporeal and terrestrial, they avoid them, and betake themselves where they do not hear such things. Hence it may appear, that their mind is elevated above things of sense, and thus that they are in interior light. This was also given me actually to perceive, whilst they were near me, and discoursed with me: I observed at such times, that I was withdrawn from things of sense, insomuch that the light of my eyes began to grow dull and obscure.
24. Spiritus Telluris Mercurii non morantur in uno loco, seu intra caetus spirituum unius mundi, sed vagantur per universum; causa est, quia Memoriam rerum referunt, quae continue locupletabitur; inde illis conceditur circumvagari, et sibi cognitiones ubivis acquirere. Cum ita peregrinantur, si offendunt Spiritus, qui materialia, hoc est, corporea et terrestria amant, eos fugiunt, seque conferunt illuc ubi talia non audiunt. Exinde constare potest, quod animus eorum elevatus sit supra sensualia, et sic quod in lumine interiori sint: hoc quoque dabatur actualiter percipere, cum prope me erant, et mecum loquebantur; animadverti tunc, quod abducerer a sensualibus, usque adeo ut inciperet lumen oculorum meorum hebetari et obscurum fieri.