1853. Spirits are persuaded by outer means about inner conditions
Whatever is in a person's fantasy enters the fantasy of spirits, and they are persuaded that it is real, as I learned just now, for example, when I only thought about having (en luden mossa pa hufwudet 1) that prevented them from seeing the interiors of my brain, or its thoughts. They said immediately that nothing was visible, and that their sight was thus obstructed.
Presently good spirits also were near, thinking they had been shut in between that cap and my head, and were growing warm, which they said they seemed to feel. They added that fantasy is therefore ruling, as it does in many other cases, and so they are persuaded about inner conditions by outer means.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "a furry cap on my head."
1853. THAT SPIRITS FROM EXTERNALS ARE PERSUADED CONCERNING INTERNALS.
Whatever there is in the phantasy of man comes also into the phantasy of spirits, and, they are persuaded that the fact is so and so; as now I have learned by experience, namely, when I only supposed that I had a fur cap upon my head (:en luden mossa pa hufwudet:) 1by which they were prevented from seeing the interiors of the brain, or its thoughts. They immediately said that there was nothing apparent, thus that their vision was impeded. Presently after, however, good spirits, from thinking that they were shut in between the fur hat and the head, and that they then grew warm, said that they did, as it were, perceive [what was within], but still saying that phantasy thus bore sway; so also in very many other things; whence they were persuaded from external concerning internal things.
Footnotes:
1. A Swedish expression rendered by the words immediately preceding.
1853. Quod spiritus persuadeantur ab externis de internis
Quicquid in phantasia hominis est, id in phantasiam spirituum venit, et persuadentur quod ita sit; sicut nunc ab experientia didici, nempe, quod solum cogitarem me habere (en luden mossa pa hufwudet {a}), quo impedirentur videre interiora cerebri, seu ejus cogitationes, illico dicebant, quod nihil appareret, sic quod impediretur visus eorum; mox etiam spiritus boni [aderant], cogitando quod inclusi essent inter pileum istum et caput, et calefierent, quod dicebant se quasi sentire, sed dicentes quoque, quod sic phantasia regat, ita in permultis aliis, proinde ab externis de internis persuadentur.